LINDSIDE – Momentum is a funny thing in sports. Some would scoff and say it’s just superstitious notion. Others recognize the effect it has on a team. It can be a good thing, or it can be negative. It all depends on which side of the pendulum you’re on. For a brief moment Friday night in Lindside, Greenbrier West seemed to seize momentum. The moment was fleeting, however, and the pendulum swung hard in favor of James Monroe. The results would be devastating for the Cavaliers and culminated with a 32-6 loss to their arch-nemesis.
Slow starts have plagued Greenbrier West in their last two contests. A quick three-and-out proved costly for the Cavaliers on their first possession when Evan Vandall’s punt came out short and high, giving the ball a hard backspin when it landed. The result of the kick was a net zero, giving the Mavericks possession at the Greenbrier West 22-yard line. The Mavericks made quick work of the short field, using three plays to score on a three-yard scoring pass from Layton Dowdy to Ryan Mann. Brandon Poticher sliced through the line to block the PAT, giving James Monroe a 6-0 lead with 9:00 left in the first quarter.
Greenbrier Wets managed a first down on their next drive, but the possession fizzled when Vandall was flagged for intentional grounding, forcing another West punt. A holding call on the Mavericks put James Monroe in a hole they couldn’t dig out of, forcing them into a punting situation. It appeared the Cavaliers caught a major break when Maverick punter Wilson Boggess felt pressure from Joevan Robinson and tried to scramble and throw a pass. Boggess” pass fell short and incomplete, giving West possession at the James Monroe 33-yard line.
Vandall went to work with a nine-yard completion to Colton Dunbar followed by a Vandall run for a first down. Another Vandall carry was followed by a near disaster. A pitch to Brandon Poticher was met simultaneously by Ryan Mann, forcing a scramble for the ball. West recovered and nearly scored on the next play when Vandall fired a pass to Poticher across the middle of the field. The pass was slightly behind Poticher who reached back but couldn’t complete the catch. On fourth down, Vandall’s pass was too high for Kamden Sams and the Cavaliers turned the ball over on downs.
James Monroe set out on a 10-play scoring drive, adding to their lead with 11:37 to go in the first half. A couple of Dowdy designed runs chewed up the bulk on the yardage, and Dowdy kept the ball himself and darted in the endzone from seven yards out for the score. Peyton Gardinier’s kick sailed wide to the right, but James Monroe had a 12-0 advantage.
Greenbrier West had a three-and –out on their next possession. West’s defense forced James Monroe into a turnover on downs, giving West favorable starting position at their own 43-yard line. A Dunbar catch and run for 25 yards put the Cavaliers at James Monroe’s 23-yard line. After a series of short runs and pass completions’, the Cavaliers finally got on the scoreboard. With 4:23 left in the second quarter, Vandall surged ahead on a hard-earned, one-yard quarterback keep. West then lined up for a two-
point conversion, aligning themselves in a muddle huddle formation. Vandall’s conversion pass was short, though, and West trailed by six as the game moved closer to halftime.
The Mavericks wanted to answer the Cavaliers’ score if possible before heading into the halftime break. Starting at their own 32-yard line, James Monroe quickly advanced into West territory. Dowdy, Frederick Parker, and Mann all carried the ball. With a first and ten on the West 23-yard line, Dowdy dropped back looking to pass. Colton Caruthers and Logan Berry converged on Dowdy and crashed into the Maverick signal caller, dislodging the football. Senior linebacker Bradley Hodge scooped up the football and raced 70 yards into the James Monroe endzone. Confusion ensued. While one official dropped his bean bag, indicating he saw a fumble, the referee signaled an incomplete pass. Not only did he signal an incomplete pass, he flagged Hodge for a delay of game. More flags followed. The Cavaliers were also penalized for a sideline warning and an unsportsmanlike conduct. West head coach Kelly Vaughan called a timeout to discuss the fouls with the referee, but the conversation fell on deaf ears and after the dust settled, the Mavericks had a first and goal at the West nine-yard line.
Strange thing, momentum. Instead of a game-tying defensive score, West now had their backs to the wall with James Monroe looking to add to their lead. Two plays later, Dowdy scored from 19-yards out to increase the Maverick advantage to 18-6. Adding injury to insult, senior Cavalier linebacker C.W. Sturgell went down with an ankle issue and had to be attended to by both schools’ training staff. Sturgell would not return but it was later determined that his injury was not nearly as severe as the team first feared.
As the second half started, the beleaguered Cavalier defense stood tall and forced a three-and-out. With a chance to stay in the game, the West offense went to work. Relying on a mixture of runs and passes, many to Colton Dunbar, the Cavaliers methodically moved down the field. Chewing up seven minutes on the third quarter clock, West used 14 plays to drive to the Maverick eight-yard line. Vandall nearly turned the ball over on first down when the ball was fumbled, but it was ruled a Cavalier recovery. A Vandall run to the left on second and goal went for no gain. Vandall took two stabs at the endzone with passes to Ben Butler and, finally, Colton Dunbar. The West drive came up short, however, and the Cavaliers turned the ball over on downs. It was eerily similar to the 15-play drive West managed before halftime of the Fort Frye loss, also failing to score. It would be West’s last serious scoring threat of the night.
James Monroe chewed up a chuck of yardage and the clock on their ensuing drive. Starting at their own eight-yard line, the Mavericks put together a ten-play drive that consumed the remainder of the third quarter. The drive stalled at the Greenbrier West 20-yard line. The Cavaliers would put two first downs together before a Vandall pass intended for Dunbar was picked off, ending yet another West offensive possession.
Frederick Parker would cap the game for James Monroe with two, late fourth quarter scoring runs. Parkers first score came from 14 yards out and his second touchdown was a 22-yarder. Gardinier added the extra point on both scores for a 32-6 win. The Mavericks rolled up 315 yards on the ground with four touchdowns.
Vandall tied a Cavalier record for pass attempts in a game with 28, completing 14 throws for 86 yards. Colton Dunbar had a career-high 8 catches in the game, tallying 60 yards on the receptions. Dunbar was selected as Rock 95’s McDonald’s Player of the Game for his effort.
The 4-3 Cavaliers head to Petersburg next Friday. James Monroe, 5-2, travels t
