Saturday, September 04, 2010
Salem sloppy but gets by Lord Botetourt
Salem Spartans 18, Lord Botetourt Cavaliers 13
varsity.roanoke.com
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After the end of the football game between host Salem and Lord Botetourt, Spartans players were spotted leaving the field, looking at their feet and shaking their heads as they walked.
Nobody wearing the home burgundy seemed too happy.
The first game of the Spartans season was in the books. You might have thought it had gone badly for proud Salem.
Actually, the Spartans won 18-13.
But that wasn't until they managed to hold off a spirited fourth quarter Cavaliers' rally that wasn't stopped until defensive end Phillips Hughes sacked Lord Botetourt quarterback Will Cline, forcing a fumble that ended hopes of an upset.
"You can ask anybody here, we came into this game light-headed, just kind of relaxed about it, you know, it's Botetourt," linebacker Seth Fisher said. "They came out and they whupped on us some. We were all shocked, but we played through it luckily."
Salem, which outgained the Cavaliers 273-152, had to overcome five lost fumbles and 80 yards worth of penalties. Still, matters seemed well in hand when 5-foot-5 running back Jordan Daniels disappeared into a knot of defenders at the LB 29 and emerged seconds later in the Cavaliers' end zone with 7 minutes, 17 seconds left in the third. Although the conversion kick was blocked (Salem went 0-for-3 on PAT kicks), there was little reason to believe Lord Botetourt had much comeback left.
The momentum turned when the Cavs recovered a muffed punt by Salem's Chad Fisher at the Spartans 38.
Six plays later, Lord Botetourt coach Tater Benson called for a razzle-dazzle pass off a their jet sweep play for the third time. For the first time, it worked, with wingback Jay Phillips heaving a left-handed strike to Conner Bronson, who scored from 12 yards out. There was 7:24 left as the conversion kick was missing the uprights.
"We should have scored on that play all three times," Benson said. "That time, we finally did."
The next Spartans possession ended on a fumbled, snap by quarterback Adam McGarrell. Logan Caldwell recovered for the Cavs.
"All the backs need to get two hands on the football, including me," McGarrell said. "I need to get my snaps. Losing fumbles like that is ridiculous."
McGarrell completed seven of nine passes for 161 yards. Hughes caught three balls for 35 yards.
Lord Botetourt turned the late fumble recovery in a TD -- a 34-yard scoot by Phillips.
Hughes was involved in a lot of action. The biggest play he made came early in the game when he picked up a fumbled and raced 70 yards for his teams first score early in the second quarter.
"Honestly, I just saw the ball and it just hopped right into my hands," he said. "Then I just took off."
Benson credited his team.
"Nobody gave us a chance coming over here," he said. "I couldn't be prouder of this group."
Lord Botetourt 0 0 0 13--13
Salem 0 12 6 0--18
S -- Hughes (fumble return (kick failed)
S -- Bishop 1 run (kick failed)
S -- Daniels 29 run (kick blocked)
LB --Bronson 12 pass from Phillips (kick failed)
LB --Phillips 34 run (Phillips kick)
LB SA
First downs 11 14
Yards rushing 51 161
Passes C-A-I 7-15-1 7-9-0
Yards passing 101 125
Penalties-yards 3-25 8-80
Fumbles-lost 3-1 6-5
Punts-average 3-36 2-32
Individual statistics
RUSHING -- Lord Botetourt-- Phillips 1-34, Bourne 5-17, Stone 9-11, Bronson 2-5, Richardson 4-5, Cline 9-(-9), Poindexter 1 (-2). Salem -- Daniels 11-69, Medley 11-51, Fisher 7-24, Bishop 5-11, McGarrell 5-1).
PASSING -- Lord Botetourt -- Cline 6-13-0 -- 89, Phillips 1-2-1 -- 12. Salem -- McGarrell 8-9-0 -- 148.
RECEIVING -- Lord Botetourt -- Williams 4-46, Bronson 2-38, Phillips 1-'7. Salem --Hughes 3-35, Whitley 2-50, Fisher 1-19, Peregoy 1-15.
