The James River football season ended last Friday with a loss to Floyd County in the first round of the Virginia High School League Group 2C playoffs. It was the second loss to the Three Rivers District rival Buffaloes this season and not much different than the first.
Floyd was host for last Friday’s game and came away with a 26-21 win. When the two teams played in Springwood in October, Floyd won 28-21. In both games the Buffaloes scored a fourth quarter touchdown to take the lead and River’s last drive ended with an interception.
“Identical as two football games in two places could be,” said River coach Jack Baker. “Both were close football games and we came up a little short.”
One difference between the two is that Floyd led 21-0 at the half before River stormed back to tie when the two played in Springwood. Last Friday it was 20-14 Buffaloes at halftime with River scoring in the third quarter to take a 21-20 lead. The Knights received the second half kickoff and, starting on their own 20 after a touchback, embarked on a balanced 16-play drive to take the lead. The drive took 7:03 off of the clock and included five passes and 11 runs with Ryder Ward scoring the touchdown on a five-yard run.
River held the lead into the fourth quarter and it held up until the Buffaloes scored on an eight-yard run by Max Harris with six and a half minutes left on the clock. The extra point try failed and a touchdown would give River the lead. However, quarterback Merit Hammons was shaken up and had to leave for a few plays and when he returned the Buffaloes picked off a pass to end the threat.
“We had two possessions in the fourth quarter but couldn’t score,” said Baker. “We moved the ball but we couldn’t get it in the end zone.”
Senior Gavin Binns ended his James River football career with another outstanding effort. Gavin rushed 29 times for 196 yards and scored both first half touchdowns.
Hammons, a freshman, ran 15 times for 74 yards and completed four of 14 passing attempts for 59 yards. Ward had two catches for 21 yards and Bentley Painter and Ashton Orange had one reception each, with Painter’s going for 35 yards.
Photos by Leigh Downey
On defense, Jack Beheler led the Knights with nine total tackles. Binns had eighth, Ryan Daniels had seven and Sam Wilson and Jayden Alston had six each, with Wilson registering four solos. Alston had two tackles for losses and Ward had an interception for the Knights.
River, the sixth seed in the playoffs, hung right with the third seeded Buffaloes. The Knights had 17 first downs to 14 for Floyd and led in time of possession, 26:30 to 21:30. River outgained their host 342 yards to 325.
Floyd now advances to a Region 2C semifinal game at Gretna. In the other region semifinal, top-seeded Glenvar will host Radford.
River ends the season at 5-6 and the Knights came up short in winning their first ever playoff game. However, the five wins is the most since River went 5-5 in 2021 and tied for the most since an 8-3 season in 2018.
“Five of our losses weren’t that different, we just needed a little more,” said Baker.
The Knights had just one lopsided defeat, a 42-0 loss to undefeated Glenvar. They were competitive in all the others.
“We competed and we fought,” said Baker. “I never questioned the effort or desire. That was excellent.”
This was Baker’s first season as head coach. The James River High School grad will lose 11 seniors off this year’s team but a large junior class will return. Central Academy Middle School had a 5-1 record and, with a full off-season before next year, Jack will be walking the halls looking for possible football players.
“Our jayvee team was competitive and we took five of their kids for the varsity,” said Baker.
Jack came here to build a program, and he feels like it’s going in the right direction.
“I’m pleased but not satisfied,” he said. “When I came here I expected it was going to take more than a year.”
