Saturday, October 31, 2009
Salem shackles Williams, Titans
The Spartans have yet to be scored upon at home this season.
STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times
Salem's Daniel Dyer runs 21 yards for a Spartans touchdown against Hidden Valley in the first quarter of Friday night's game in Salem. Dyer accounted for three touchdowns, two on pass receptions, in the game.
STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS The Roanoke Times
Hidden Valley's David Williams (8) runs with the ball during the third quarter against Salem on Friday night in Salem. Williams was held to 55 rushing yards on 25 carries.
varsity.roanoke.com
Timesland on Twitter
Salem High School's marching band performs a regular halftime show called "The Power of One."
The football team plays a different tune.
It's called the Power of None.
Salem remained unscored upon at home in 2009 as the Spartans held Hidden Valley running back David Williams to 55 yards rushing en route to their fifth shutout of the year with a 28-0 River Ridge District victory at Salem Stadium.
Salem (9-0, 4-0) took advantage of a muffed punt and a fumble to race to a 21-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game. The easy win gave the Spartans the River Ridge District's automatic berth into the Region IV Division 4 playoffs.
Adam McGarrell threw three touchdown passes -- two to running back Daniel Dyer -- as Salem scored all 28 of its points in the first half.
"You can't play a good football team on the road and spot them 21 in the first six minutes of the game," Hidden Valley coach Scott Weaver said. "After the initial shock and awe, the effort was there. We just made too many mistakes."
Salem's defense, which gave up 43 points in a three-overtime win last week at Christiansburg, completely stuffed the Titans (6-3, 2-2), holding the visitors to 75 total yards and four first downs, one coming on a fake punt.
Williams, who entered the night with 2,071 yards and seven games of more than 200 yards, rushed for just 55 yards on 25 carries. His longest gain in the first half was 5 yards as Salem paid little attention to Hidden Valley's downfield passing game.
"No, with David Williams averaging 300 yards a game almost, we were just focused on plugging up the middle," Salem linebacker Seth Fisher said. "He ran outside more than we thought. At halftime we adjusted, although we really didn't need that many adjustments."
Hidden Valley's problems began early.
The Titans stopped Salem's first drive, but Drayton Reynolds muffed a punt for the first time this season and Phillip Hughes recovered for the Spartans at the Titans' 16. Dyer scored on a 7-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
After a 9-yard punt by Ben Radford gave Salem field position, the Spartans made it 14-0 when McGarrell hit Stephen Barnette for a 57-yard TD pass on the next play for a 14-0 lead
Hidden Valley's ensuing play from scrimmage resulted in further damage. Williams lost the football on a sweep to the left, and Fisher grabbed the loose ball and raced to the Titans' 16. Two plays later, McGarrell hit Dyer for a 21-yard TD pass and a 21-0 lead with 5:43 left in the first quarter.
It was just Williams' second fumble in more than 240 carries.
"Clint Peregoy had him by the legs. I was expecting to hit his upper body and tackle him, but all the sudden the ball popped out," Fisher said. "It took one hop and came right to me. I didn't even have to bend down and pick it up."
Salem added a fourth TD with 10.6 seconds left in the half, getting a 19-yard TD pass from McGarrell to a wide-open Dyer. McGarrell's 4-yard pass to Dyer for an apparent TD on the previous play was wiped out by a penalty, but the Spartans had no trouble getting receivers open out of the backfield on numerous occasions.
"We put those in just for this game," McGarrell said. "When they get double coverage on Stephen, we have so much depth we just go to someone else."
Hidden Valley's defense forced three turnovers in the second half, getting an interception by Kolton Lescure and two fumble recoveries.
Salem, minus injured tailback Kirk Coles who might return for the playoffs, stuck to the ground game in the second half. The Spartans' intensity level dropped as McGarrell was late getting on the field after the defense stopped a fourth-down play.
" I was so caught up in the defense doing such a good job, I forgot to run out," McGarrell said.
Who could blame him?
Salem has a chance to shut out a fifth opponent in Salem Stadium next week when the Spartans host Pulaski County, which defeated the Spartans twice last year.
"We're proud to be able to have it against Pulaski," Fisher said. "We'd like to get our payback on them for last year."
Hidden Valley 0 0 0 0--0
Salem 21 7 0 0--28
S -- Dyer 7 run (Shelton kick)
S -- S.Barnette 57 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)
S -- Dyer 21 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)
S -- Dyer 19 pass from McGarrell (Shelton kick)
HV S
First downs 4 11
Yards rushing 40-56 38-124
Passes C-A-I 2-7-1 6-12-1
Yards passing 19 135
Penalties-yards 3-20 3-20
Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-2
Punts-average 6-31.0 5-31.8
Individual statistics
RUSHING -- Hidden Valley, Williams 25-55, Radford 1-10, Patterson 1-3, Simonic 12-(-11), Team 1-(-1). Salem, Dyer 13-55, Collie 13-44, Daniels 5-16, McGarrell 5-7, Fisher 1-3, Team 1-(-1).
PASSING -- Hidden Valley, Simonic 2-6-1-19, Brand 0-1-0-0. Salem, McGarrell 6-12-1-135.
RECEIVING -- Hidden Valley, Powers 1-14, Brown 1-5. Salem, R.Barnette 3-38, Dyer 2-40, S.Barnette 1-57.
