If Friday night is any indication of what the future holds for the Spotsylvania High School football team, a return to glory may be on the horizon.
Braden Hodges threw for 174 yards and a touchdown, and the Knights cruised to a 28-8 victory over Fluvanna County in Vern Lunsford’s first game as head coach at his alma mater.
“I thought it was a great atmosphere,” said Lunsford, who went 59-21 with five district championships and a regional title over the past seven seasons as King George’s skipper. “I’m just really happy and proud for everyone associated with Spotsylvania High School.”
Hodges completed 12 of 19 passes while operating out of the spread offense that Lunsford’s King George squads featured during their successful run. Hudson Callahan was his favorite target, catching five passes for 107 yards and a score.
Braylon Puller and Colton Jones were both effective in the running game for the Knights Puller rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Jones had 33 yards and two scores on three attempts.
“Braden Hodges really did a great job of stepping into a new offense and getting the ball to our playmakers in space,” Lunsford said. “We wanted to spread it out amongst a few guys, and Puller and Jones both did a good job running the ball and giving us a spark.”
Not to be outdone, Timmy Sullivan recorded nine solo tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks to spearhead the Knights’ defensive effort.
Lunsford offered praise for the Spotsylvania faithful who packed the stands.
“It was awesome to see a great crowd,” he said. “We appreciate the support, and I’m happy we got a win for them.”
Spotsylvania (1-0) will visit Massaponax next Friday.
Riverbend 68, Chancellor 7
Camden Simmons had a pair of touchdown catches, and Ian Shook passed for a score and ran for another as the host Bears routed the Chargers.
Simmons finished with 97 yards receiving on five receptions. Shook, making his first start at quarterback since transferring from Massaponax, was a perfect 4-for-4 passing for 53 yards and added 34 yards on the ground.
Chancellor struggled from the outset, with Shook and Simmons giving them fits. The Chargers mustered just 54 yards of total offense and trailed 49-0 at halftime.
Riverbend (1-0) stays home for a tilt with Forest Park next Friday, while Chancellor (0-1) will host Fluvanna in its home opener on Sept. 12.
Courtland 35, Massaponax 6
Chieftain Watson threw for 111 yards and three TDs, and Ahmari Boxley hauled in a pair of scores and returned an interception for another in the Cougars’ easy win over the visiting Panthers.
Watson threw touchdown strikes of 49 and 29 yards to Boxley to open the scoring, and Boxley jumped a Kenneth Pyatt pass and raced 94 yards to the end zone, giving Courtland a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Josiah Patty caught Watson’s other scoring pass, a 7-yarder in the third period.
Massaponax was led by Joe Sanders, who rushed for a game-high 131 yards on 20 carries. But the Panthers committed four turnovers, with Pyatt getting picked off twice and losing two fumbles.
Courtland will travel to Louisa Friday, while Massaponax welcomes Spotsylvania for its home opener.
James Monroe 47, Westmoreland 7
The host Yellow Jackets had little trouble dispatching the Eagles at Maury Stadium. Ishmael Ross got JM on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a 20-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Quarterback Ryan Wolfenbarger passed for two touchdowns, one each to Jakhi Hayden (47 yards) and Johnathan Lee (21 yards). Kamrin Kea added touchdown runs of 5 and 8 yards. Jamari Brooks and Jaquan Reynolds provided JM’s final two scores of the night on runs from 52 and 13 yards, respectively.
JM (1-0) will visit Charlottesville on Friday.
Thursday’s Games
Caroline 83, J.R. Tucker 12
The Caroline High School football team rolled to an 83-12 season-opening victory over visiting J.R. Tucker Thursday night, setting a school record in points scored.
The Cavaliers were one point short of the county record of 84 points scored by Bowling Green against Essex in the 1974 season.
Caroline senior Blake Morris amassed 225 total yards (137 passing, 88 rushing) and five touchdowns, including three on the ground in his first start at quarterback.
Senior two-way lineman Tronte Ballard scored on a return of a muffed punt and also recovered three of J.R. Tucker’s five fumbles. Senior defensive lineman Christian Blevins scored on a sack and fumble recovery in the end zone.
Cavaliers’ senior wide receiver Xavier Pryor, a King George transfer, finished with 107 receiving yards. He scored on a 55-yard touchdown reception from Morris in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers (1-0) led 56-12 at halftime after scoring four touchdowns in each of the first two quarters. They ran just five plays in the second half, four for scores.
Senior running back Tre Coles provided 72 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries. Senior receiver Josiah Davis scored on a 4-yard reception. Junior running back Trason Fletcher reached the end zone on a 66-yard sprint and fellow ball carrier Dre Coleman added a 14-yard score. Freshman backup quarterback Rashawn Rollins closed the scoring with a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Morris and brother Blair Morris recorded one interception each from their defensive back positions.
The Cavaliers will see if they can build on their effort in a road contest next Thursday at Colonial Heights.
Brooke Point 65, King George 0
The Black-Hawks amassed over 300 yards rushing on their way to shellacking the host Foxes.
Corey Reid ran for 161 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries to pace Brooke Point’s ground game. Anthony Robinson Jr. added 93 yards and a pair of scores on 13 attempts, and Jaelyn Cox added 64 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.
Black-Hawks quarterback Malachi Redfern connected on 5 of 7 passes for 147 yards and three scores. Cox, Justin Davis and Aviance Young Jr. each had a touchdown catch.
Meanwhile, King George was held to minus-18 yards of total offense by a swarming Brooke Point defense.
Brooke Point plays its home opener against Colgan next Friday, while King George visits Orange.
Colonial Forge 34, South County 14
Brock Brimhall threw three touchdown passes, and Torie Martin ran for 119 yards and a score as the Eagles picked up a road win over the Stallions.
Brimhall was 18-of-29 passing for 131 yards, connecting with TaySean Jones, Jeremiah Schneider and Darion Majeed for touchdowns. Jones led the receiving corps with five receptions for 84 yards.
Martin started the scoring with a 75-yard jaunt in the opening stanza. Jeremiah Wise returned a punt 55 yards for a score later in the period to stake Forge to an early 14-0 lead. The Eagles led 34-0 through three quarters.
Colonial Forge (1-0) will play host to Patriot next Friday in a rematch of last November’s Region 6B championship game, which the Eagles won.
Mountain View 28, Gainesville 0
Amari Collier and Darnell Crockett combined for 105 yards and three touchdowns on the ground as the Wildcats overwhelmed the visiting Cardinals.
Gus Sigler had an efficient night through the air, completing 8 of 11 passes for 71 yards and a score. Chris Gordon was on the receiving end of that touchdown from 21 yards out.
Mountain View (1-0) will welcome Battlefield Friday.
Battlefield 14, North Stafford 13
The Wolverines fell to the homestanding Bobcats in heartbreaking fashion after a whirlwind final few minutes.
Leading 13-0 entering the frame, North watched its lead evaporate down the stretch. First, Ethan Stowell hooked up with Brandon Murray for an 8-yard touchdown pass to pull Battlefield within 13-7 with 4:01 left to play. Then, with no time left on the clock, Stowell connected with Keaton Ramey for a 6-yard, game-winning score.
Ramey’s touchdown came on an untimed down, which was set up by a pass interference call against the Wolverines on the previous play.
North built its advantage on the backs of Kenaz Sullivan and Chase Sullivan. Kenaz returned a punt 45 yards for a score, and Chase scrambled 4 yards to pay dirt. Both touchdowns came in the second quarter.
Chase Sullivan also completed 18 of 21 passes for 208 yards.
North Stafford (0-1) travels to Osbourn Friday.
Woodbridge 54, Stafford 40
The Indians came up short against the visiting Vikings in a high-scoring affair.
Clayton Lemke accounted for five touchdowns for Stafford, throwing for three and running for two. K.J. Morton caught two of Lemke’s scoring strikes.
Stafford (0-1) will visit Unity Reed Friday.
