varsity.roanoke.com

ROCKY MOUNT -- After all that work in the chilly rain, both Franklin County's Jamal Spencer and Patrick Henry's Matt Wood were looking forward to playing some more football -- just for different reasons.

Spencer positively glowed after galloping for 122 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles overpowered Patrick Henry 42-0 to win their second straight Western Valley District game.

"We had a hard week of practice," Spencer said after the Eagles (6-1, 2-0 WVD) won their fifth straight game. "Coaches were getting after us so we can get the district this year."

Wood, after being chased and chasing the ball all over the field, admitted "I'm tired."

"I want to go back out there and play again," the Patriots' sophomore quarterback added barely a breath later. "I can't stand the fact of being beaten like this, being beaten at all.

"I'm a fighter, I just want to go out there and fight."

It was the third straight loss for Patrick Henry (2-6, 0-2) and the Patriots have been outscored 115-7 in those three games.

"We're a program trying to rebuild," said PH coach Brad Bradley. "I've been to the top of the mountain and I've been at the bottom. Now we're climbing."

The climb has been made steeper by trouble with the snap, both to Wood in the Patriots' shotgun offense and to punter Robert Bear. The Patriots put the ball on the ground eight times; they only lost one fumble but gave up big yards on several other plays including a snap well over Wood's head and another well above Bear's head.

"The last three games we've had issues with the snap," Bradley said.

"I'll take the credit for that," said Wood, who ran for 35 yards on 21 carries. "If its anything I'm near, I should catch it."

But sometimes it wasn't close, and too often that gave the Eagles the ball in great field position.

"You can't give a team like Franklin County a short field," Bradley said.

Franklin County's offensive line dominated PH. The Eagles needed a third down just once in the first half -- when all of their points were scored -- and three times in the game. They never punted.

Patriots' lineman Neal Pinkney did block a 29-yard field goal try by Colby Boone in the fourth quarter.

Spencer was quick to credit the offensive line, though there were times when he carried Patriots' defensive backs by the twos and threes to gain extra yards.

Spencer scored on runs of 28 and 54 yards. He also caught two passes for 17 yards.

Tailback Tae Gilbert ran for 90 yards on 11 carries, scoring touchdowns from the 2 and the 5.

T.J. Shaw completed six of eight passes for 110 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Thad Basham. Basham brought down scoring passes of 23 and 31 yards.

Shane Preston caught two passes from Shaw for 39 yards.

Tre Preston had a fumble recovery for the Eagles.

With district games against GW-Danville and Halifax left, Spencer said he was ready to get back to work.

"If we keep working hard, I think we can win this district," Spencer said.

Franklin County 42, Patrick Henry 0:

Patrick Henry 0 0 0 0--0

Franklin County 13 29 0 0--42

FC Spencer 28-yard run (Boone kick).

FC Gilbert 2-yard run (kick failed).

FC Gilbert 5-yard run (Gilbert run).

FC Spencer 54-yard run (kick failed).

FC Basham 23-yard pass from Shaw (Preston pass from Shaw).

FC Basham 31-yard pass from Shaw (Boone kick).

PH FR

First downs 6 11

Yards rushing 37-24 31-231

Passes C-A-I 3-5-0 6-8-0

Yards passing 22 110

Penalties-yards 2-31 6-45

Fumbles-lost 8-1 1-0

Punts-average 4-37.0 0-0

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Patrick Henry Wood 21-35, Watkins 3-8, Church 6-13, Walker 2-7, Terry 1-0, Green 1-4, Chisom 1-1, team 2-(-44). Franklin County Gilbert 11-90, Spencer 9-122, Jones 3-11, Mattox 4-15, Ta. Basham 2-9, Anderson 1-(-4), team 1-(-12).

PASSING -- Patrick Henry Wood 3-5-0-22. Franklin County Shaw 6-8-0-110.

RECEIVING -- Patrick Henry Casey 2-11, Walker 1-11. Franklin County Preston 2-39, Spencer 2-17, Th. Basham 2-54.