The Lord Botetourt football team can all but clinch the top spot in the Region 3D playoffs with a win over Franklin County Friday night. The Cavaliers will host the Eagles in a Blue Ridge District game in Daleville, beginning at 7 p.m.
It will be the last home game of the regular season for the Cavaliers, but it won’t be their last home game, as LB is assured at least one home game for the playoffs and likely more. The Cavaliers have won seven straight games after losing their opener to E.C. Glass and they’re the top ranked team in the region with a rating of 25.87. Bassett, at 6-2, is second with a rating of 23.62 and Magna Vista, at 5-3, is third at 23.37.
Franklin County is big points for LB if the Cavaliers can win Friday night. The Eagles are a Class 6 team, which means more points, and they come to town at 5-3 and ranked fifth in Region 6A. If LB can win Friday that will likely clinch the top seed for the playoffs regardless of what they do in their final regular season game at Staunton River on November 4.
“Franklin County will be a challenge,” said LB coach Jamie Harless. “They’re big and athletic and they play pseudo-Salem football. JR (Franklin coach Edwards) does a good job with them.”
Photos by Jim & Regina Devinney
Botetourt is coming off a 48-7 victory over winless Northside in Roanoke County last Friday. The once mighty Vikings are struggling through a tough season and Lord Botetourt had little trouble dispatching the host team.
“We made a few more penalties than I would have liked but, other than that, I thought our whole team played well,” said Harless. “It was a beautiful night for football. Whenever we go to Northside I marvel at the beautiful skyline. It was just a great night for football.”
The Cavaliers were never threatened in the game as they put up 35 points by halftime. Jakari Nicely opened the scoring with a 19-yard TD run and Tristan Overbay took one in from 10 yards out as LB led 14-0 after the first quarter.
Overbay had a 73-yard run to open the second quarter scoring, then Tuck Brookman picked up a fumble and ran 21 yards for a score. Zion Woody capped off the half with a five-yard run.
The second half opened with the clock running due to the 35-point lead, but Northside’s only score temporarily put that on hold. Nicely’s three-yard TD run set the clock moving again and Jakari added his third TD of the night on a three-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Overbay finished with 154 yards rushing on seven carries while Nicely had 124 yards on 15 attempts. Woody had 54 yards rushing on eight tries. Nicely completed one pass on the night for 37 yards to Dalton Oxley.
A win over Franklin Friday will clinch at least a tie for the Blue Ridge District championship. LB is undefeated in the district while Franklin County and Staunton River both have one BRD loss each, and those are the last two teams on Botetourt’s regular season schedule. The Cavs can clinch it outright this week with a win and a Staunton River loss at William Fleming.
