Photos by Jim & Regina Devinney
It was a frustrating night in Daleville last Friday when Lord Botetourt opened the 2024 high school football season against visiting E.C. Glass. The Cavaliers lost a game they felt they should have won, falling 11-8 to the Hilltoppers in overtime.
“We should have won 35-0,” said disgruntled LB coach Jamie Harless. “Our kids played their guts out and showed the best effort I’ve seen from our team in years. I’m disappointed in the outcome, but I’m proud of our kids.”
The Cavaliers had three touchdowns called back in this game, including one with just 48 seconds left in regulation of a tie game. Botetourt was called for seven holding penalties and over a dozen overall after having just three penalties of any kind called on them in their two scrimmages combined. The Cavaliers also missed two field goals.
“We had almost 400 yards of offense and I don’t think they even had 100,” said Harless. “We moved the ball.”
Botetourt scored first when Quinten Jones capped off a 50-yard drive with a nine-yard scoring run with less than a minute to go in the first half. The extra point kick missed but Glass was off-sides, so LB elected to go for two with the ball on the one and a half yard line. Tristan Overbay then punched it in for an 8-0 halftime lead.
Glass tied the game with 50 seconds left in the third quarter on a 53-yard TD pass and this time LB was off-sides on the two-point conversion attempt. The Hilltoppers converted to tie the game at 8-8.
Botetourt had a great chance to win the game in regulation but Overbay’s TD run was called back by a penalty in the final minute of the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers tried a 38-yard field goal with four seconds on the clock but it was determined to be wide left.
“It missed by a gnat’s (behind),” said Harless. “At least that’s what they said. The ball was 10 or 15 yards above the upright so it was really hard to tell.”
That sent the game into overtime and Botetourt had the ball first. The Hilltoppers held the Cavs on four downs, then kicked a field goal on first down to win the game.
Botetourt had two 100-yard rushers despite scoring just eight points as Jones had 107 yards on 17 carries and Overbay had 105 yards on 23 attempts. Angel Rigney completed two of four passes for 45 yards in his first game as a Cavalier. Cody McConnaughey had one catch for 33 yards and Conner Dowdy had a 12-yard reception.
Botetourt will try to even the record this Friday when the Cavaliers host Blacksburg. The Bruins snapped a 29-game losing streak in the third game of last season and finished 2-8, losing 83-6 to LB in the process. They opened this season with a 32-12 win over Giles last Friday.
“They’re much better than they’ve been,” said Harless. “They have two running backs who aren’t bad and a pretty good fullback, and they look much better as far as executing.”