Riverheads racked up 304 rushing yards in taking a 35-12 non-district football triumph over the visiting Tazewell Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
The Gladiators (3-1) won in their first game since having their nation-leading 52-game winning streak snapped on Sept. 9 with a 35-21 setback to Lord Botetourt.
The six-time defending VHSL Class 1 state champs got tested by Tazewell (2-3) for 2 ½ quarters, before putting the Bulldogs away.
The key sequence in the third quarter for Riverheads was a touchdown, onside kick recovery and another TD as a 14-6 lead quickly swelled to a 22-point advantage.
Cody Cash (13 carries, 101 yards, two touchdowns) and Luke Bryant (14 carries, 93 yards, two TDs) led the way on the ground for the Gladiators. Bennett Dunlap passed for 62 yards, rushed for 50 more and also had a rushing TD in the win.
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Sophomore Carter Creasy was 18-of-31 through the air for 195 yards and a touchdown for Tazewell in his return after missing time with an injury. He also rushed for a score.
Cassius Harris (seven catches, 95 yards) and Logan McDonald (six catches, 81 yards, TD) were the top receivers for Tazewell.
Fort Chiswell 36, Giles 20
Fort Chiswell snapped a 16-game losing streak with a Mountain Empire District upset of the Giles Spartans.
Fort Chiswell (1-4) won for the first time since a victory over George Wythe on March 29, 2021. Current Holston boss Chris Akers was the coach of the Pioneers at that time.
Robert “Spider” Thompson is at the helm of Fort these days and his team led the Spartans (2-3) by a 21-7 margin at halftime.
VOLLEYBALL
THS, West Ridge go 4-1 in tourney
Tennessee High and West Ridge each finished with 4-1 records during Saturday’s Mountain Empire Tournament in Johnson City.
THS topped Wise County Central (21-25, 25-16, 25-9), Rhea County (25-15, 25-19), David Crockett (25-15, 25-20) and Greeneville (21-25, 27-25, 15-4) before Daniel Boone bested the Vikings 25-14, 20-25, 15-11 in the Gold Bracket semifinals.
Madison Blair had 47 kills, 33 digs and three aces on the day for THS, while Sophie Meade (42 digs, 29 kills), Ashton Blair (46 assists, 27 kills, 23 digs, seven aces), Sydnee Pendland (63 digs), Bree Adams (70 assists, 23 digs), Marley Johnson 26 kills) and Kira Adams (13 kills) piled up big numbers over the course of five matches.
The Vikings host VHSL Class 1 power Patrick Henry on Monday.
West Ridge topped Greeneville (17-25, 25-12, 15-10), Grace Christian (25-13, 25-12), Johnson County (25-18, 25-12) and David Crockett (23-25, 25-15, 15-12) before Big 5 Conference rival Science Hill earned a 25-22, 25-22 semifinal win over the Wolves in the Gold Bracket semifinals.
Wise County Central went 2-3 and J.I. Burton was 0-4 in representing Southwest Virginia in the event. Central’s wins came over Rhea County (22-25, 25-10, 15-6) and Johnson County (25-12, 25-4), while Volunteer vanquished the Warriors in the Silver Bracket semifinals.
Burton lost to Daniel Boone, South Greene, Volunteer and Jefferson County.
Science Hill stopped Daniel Boone 25-21, 25-19 to win the event, while Volunteer beat Grace Christian in the finals of the Silver Bracket.