The James River football team dug themselves into a hole they couldn’t climb out of last Friday in Radford as they dropped a 38-22 decision to the host Bobcats. It was the Three Rivers District opener for both teams.
“We had about a five- or six-minute stretch where everything went against us and that was the difference in the game,” said River coach Jack Baker. “Other than that we played them even, but we were always playing to catch up.”
Radford led 24-0 at the half. The Bobcats kicked a 32-yard field goal to open the scoring, then scored on a 50-yard pass play for a 10-0 lead after one quarter.
The Knights looked like they were going to get right back in the game early in the second quarter but things went south when Radford’s Pace Prioleau picked off a pass and returned it 100 yards for a score. Then the Bobcats scored again with just six seconds remaining in the half.
Radford opened a 31-0 lead with a third quarter touchdown and that’s how it stood after three periods, but the Knights didn’t give up. They scored 22 fourth quarter points to make the score respectable with Gavin Binns scoring on runs of 57, 32 and four yards.
“I wondered how we’d respond when we got behind, but the kids never gave up,” said Baker. “They played hard until the end. If not for that five or six minutes in the first half we would have been right in the game.”
Photos by Leigh Downey
The statistics showed a much different game than the score. James River had more yards gained, 275 to 259 for Radford, and both teams had a dozen first downs. River had 56 yards in penalties and Radford had 55. Radford had two turnovers and River had one, although it was the 100-yard pick six.
Individually, Binns rushed for 193 yards on 28 carries for an average of nearly seven yards per attempt. Merit Hammons ran for 23 yards and was 10 for 18 passing for 54 yards. Ryder Ward had three receptions and Nate Stewart had two.
Defensively, Efraim Echarravia had 10 total tackles, including five solos. Eli Baldwin had eight tackles, Ryan Daniels had seven and Jack Beheler, Briar Sink and CJ Mullins had six each. Wyatt DeWhirst and Josiah Merchant had interceptions.
Now 3-2, the Knights will try to get back on the winning side of the score this Friday with a home game against Martinsville. The Bulldogs are off to a 1-3 start. They won their opener over district rival Patrick County but lost their last three to Magna Vista, 38-0, Dan River, 28-22, and 42-0 to Glenvar last week.
“They’re a very dangerous team,” said Baker. “They’re athletic and they have some size. It’s going to take our best effort to beat them.”
