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Photos by STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times

Salem's Stephen Barnette runs 81 yards down the sideline for a touchdown in the first half of Friday night's game as Cave Spring's Josh Woodrum chases him.

STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times

Salem's Stephen Barnette hauls in a pass over Cave Spring's Reece Kemp at the 36-yard line.

A pass from Josh Woodrum is incomplete to Cave Spring's Ryan Gerhardt (20) in the first half of Friday's game against Salem.

Cave Spring's student section showed up Friday night dressed for a "white out."

What they got was a shutout.

Remaining unscored upon at home in three games this season, Salem more than upheld its No. 1 ranking in Timesland with a 42-0 River Ridge District drubbing of second-ranked Cave Spring at Salem Stadium.

The Spartans (6-0, 1-0) limited the Knights to 115 yards total offense and blew out to a 35-0 halftime lead against an opponent that entered the River Ridge opener with a similar unbeaten record.

"They played a great defensive game," Cave Spring coach Tim Fulton said. "They pushed us more than anybody else has pushed us. There's nothing else you can say.

"They fly to the ball. They know their assignments. They strike you. They put away what we wanted to do."

It didn't take long.

Salem defensive back Hunter Thompson intercepted a pass from Cave Spring's Josh Woodrum on the Knights' first play from scrimmage and returned it 44 yards to the 2-yard line.

"We went over that route in practice the entire week," Thompson said. "He looked at the guy the entire time. I just ran to it and picked it off."

Adam Collie's 2-yard TD run on the next play put Salem up 7-0 and the rout was on.

Salem quarterback Adam McGarrell completed seven passes in the first half for 213 yards. Five throws went to 6-foot-3 senior receiver Stephen Barnette for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

McGarrell and Barnette hooked up on a 6-yard fade route for a TD then took advantage of single coverage for a 77-yard home run and a 21-0 lead with 1:11 left in the first quarter.

"Every time I see one-on-one my eyes light up real big," McGarrell said. "I'm thinking touchdown every time."

"Every time we read single coverage, we're on the same page every time," Barnette said.

Salem added two more TDs before halftime on a 3-yard run by halfback Kirk Coles and a 76-yard pass from McGarrell to fullback Daniel Dyer, who did most of the work down the sideline after the catch.

Cave Spring (5-1, 0-1) reached the Salem 17 on its first drive of the second half, but Barnette made another big play as he streaked 88 yards for a TD after picking off another Woodrum pass.

The interception return -- Barnette's second for a TD this season -- was not his lone big play on defense. On Cave Spring's second play from scrimmage in the first quarter, Barnette put a hit on talented Knights receiver Quentin Dill that knocked Dill from the game.

"The hit, I didn't really like because Quentin Dill is one of my good friends," Barnette said. "I felt a little bad about that."

Dill had his left arm in a sling after the game. Lineman Tucker Green had his right knee wrapped. The Knights already were without the services of receiver Eric Jacobsen and defensive stalwart Corey Reese.

Fulton said none of Cave Spring's new injuries appeared serious.

"We got beat up," Fulton said. "We got nicked up a little bit. We'll retool over the weekend."

Sam Wright was Cave Spring's leading rusher with 27 yards on three carries. Woodrum passed for 82 yards

Under VHSL rules, the second half was played with a continuous running clock because of Salem's 35-point lead. The Spartans ran just nine plays in the final two quarters, all running plays.

"It really sort of clicked tonight," Salem coach Stephen Magenbauer said of his 65th win at Salem in 5 ¹₂ years. "Sometimes everything clicked."

Cave Spring 0 0 0 0--0

Salem 21 14 7 0--42

S -- Collie 2 run (Shelton kick)

S -- S. Barnette 6 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)

S -- S. Barnette 77 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)

S -- Coles 3 run (Shelton kick)

S -- Dyer 76 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)

S -- S. Barnette 88 interception return (Jeffries kick)

CS S

First downs 5 9

Yards rushing 20-33 27-92

Passes C-A-I 10-22-2 7-12-1

Yards passing 82 213

Penalties-yards 4-22 5-34

Fumbles-lost 4-0 1-0

Punts-average 8-34.5 4-39

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Cave Spring, Wright 3-27, Gearhardt 5-14, Cole 3-6, Newsome 3-5, Baker 1- (-1), Woodrum 5- (-18). Salem, Daniels 9-43, Coles 4-26, Collie 5-14, Medley 3-9, Dyer 1-5, Brooks 3-0, McGarrell 2- (-5)

PASSING -- Cave Spring, Woodrum 10-21-2-82, Baker 0-1-0-0. Salem, McGarrell 7-12-1-213

RECEIVING -- Cave Spring, R. Kemp 2-22, Gearhardt 2-16, Anderson 2-7, Coles 2-6, Micklem 1-30, O'Keefe 1-1. Salem, S. Barnette 5-136, Dyer 1-76, Coles 1-1.