CHRISTIANSBURG -- Something was in the air Friday night besides a chill.

Those unusual flying objects were footballs thrown by Nick Leftwich.

The Salem quarterback, who attempted just four passes in the his most recent game two weeks ago, completed 7 of 11 throws in the first half and finished with 139 yards and two touchdowns as the unbeaten Spartans won their 30th straight regular-season game with a 35-0 pasting of Christiansburg.

Billed as a River Ridge District showdown on the field where Salem (6-0, 1-0) suffered its last regular-season loss in 2004, the game instead was a complete rout.

The Spartans rolled to a 28-0 halftime lead and their defense didn't allow Christiansburg inside their 25-yard line.

Salem outgained the Blue Demons 388-137, a statistic made closer by a continuous running clock once the visitors opened a 35-point lead with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.

The outcome was very similar to last year's 41-0 drubbing by the Spartans in Salem Stadium.

"That's the best team we've played by far," Christiansburg coach Tim Cromer said. "I thought we had a little more for them than that. I guess we don't.

It just seems like when you play them, they don't miss opportunities. Then they're going to 'D' you up."

Christiansburg (4-2, 0-1) stayed within reach for much of the first half after Salem drove 75 yards for a 21-yard touchdown run on the opening series by tailback Jonathan Clemo, the game's leading rusher with 99 yards on 17 carries.

Salem broke the Blue Demons with an 89-yard drive featuring three completions by Leftwich, a first-year starter. Nathan Goad's 2-run blast made it 14-0 with 5:48 left in the first half.

Not content, Salem's defense forced two punts in the final 4¹₂ minutes and the Spartans cashed in twice.

First, Leftwich broke loose from the pocket on an innocent-looking scramble, then outran everyone in a blue jersey for a 69-yard TD sprint down the right sideline. Salem added its fourth TD with 43 seconds left in the half as Christiansburg blew a coverage and Evan Fisher was wide open for a 22-yard TD toss from Leftwich and a 28-0 halftime lead.

"He threw the ball on the money when he needed to," Salem coach Stephen Magenbauer said. "If we're running the ball, 7 or 8 a pop, we're not going to throw it against anybody.

Against quality competition, we know we've got to mix it up."

Leftwich did not expect to reach double figures in pass attempts in the first half, when Salem converted on seven of eight third-down plays.

"It surprised me," he said. "I didn't know we were going to pass that much, but I was ready for it."

No one was ready for Leftwich's long TD jaunt. Who thought the 5-foot-11, 171-pound senior had that kind of speed?

"I didn't think I did," Leftwich said. "I could feel the dude running towards me and I was like, 'Oh, I've got to get out of the way.'"

Salem's defense controlled the second half. Cornerback Derrick Hickman and linebacker John Ribble both picked off a pass by Christiansburg quarterback Wes Bond.

Ribble led a dominating performance by Salem's front seven, which also featured big plays by linebacker Richard Dent.

"It was just a matter of we hadn't come out and played consistently yet," Ribble said.

"Tonight we came out and played consistent and got things done up front and all over the defense. I give all the props to our coaches. They put the defense together to shut down the run and shut down the pass."

Unlike 2004, when Christiansburg rallied from a 35-14 deficit for a 36-35 win, Magenbauer had to feel secure when Leftwich hit Brett DeMole on a 25-yard TD pass for a 35-point lead. But in the River Ridge, there are always storm clouds on the horizon. Next Friday the Spartans go to Blacksburg.

"The tests are going to be there," Magenbauer said. "Next week we'll find out a lot."

Salem 7 21 7 0--35

Christiansburg 0 0 0 0--0

Sal -- Clemo 21 run (Murphy kick)

Sal -- Goad 2 run (Murphy kick)

Sal -- Leftwich 69 run (Murphy kick)

Sal -- Fisher 22 pass from Leftwich (Murphy kick)

Sal -- DeMole 25 pass from Leftwich (Murphy kick)

SA CH

First downs 20 8

Yards rushing 39-249 26-87

Passes C-A-I 9-14-0 6-17-2

Yards passing 139 50

Penalties-yards 4-39 5-50

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Punts-average 1-15 5-27

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Salem, Clemo 17-99, Leftwich 6-81, Hudson 9-58, Goad 3-8, Medley 4-3. Christiansburg, Brown 5-32, Johnson 10-31, Evans 7-17, Bond 4-7.

PASSING -- Salem, Leftwich 9-14-0-139. Christiansburg, Bond 6-17-2-50.

RECEIVING -- Salem, Fisher 2-37, Gaines 2-33, George 2-27, Clemo 2-17, DeMole 1-25. Christiansburg, Asconi 3-52, Evans 2-(-6), Dow 1-4