HINTON – Greenbrier West put together a fabulous team effort Friday night in defeating longtime rival Summers County 52-12 at Garten Stadium. The win was West’s seventh consecutive victory over the Bobcats in a series that’s been played now for 58 straight seasons. Summers County (formerly Hinton) is the only school to remain on the Cavaliers’ football schedule every year of its existence. Last night, it was good to mix it up with a familiar old foe.
Greenbrier West went right to work on the opening drive for a second straight week. After taking only two plays to score on their opening drive of the season against Roane County, the Cavaliers needed only five plays to fire up the scoreboard on the opening drive at Summers County. Emory Sanford set the Cavaliers up with great starting position at the West 44-yard line. Three straight Ben Butler runs advanced the ball to the Bobcat 29-yard line before a Kameron Parker 26-yard sweep to the three-yard line put West in a goal-to go situation. Butler culminated the drive with a 3-yard burst up the middle for his second touchdown of the season. The kick failed but the Cavaliers set an early tone and led 6-0 with only 1:56 off the clock.
The West defense stymied the Bobcats on the opening drive, forcing a three-and-out. Butler made a nice open-field tackle and Vaxton Vaughan defended a pass, nearly intercepting it. Summers County’s utility tool, Braxton Lambert, punted a line drive that Butler fielded at a dead sprint on the West 48-yard line. Vaughan provided just enough of a block to spring Butler down the left sideline. Butler was around the entire Summers County punt team by the time he reached the 30-yard line, easily outracing everyone into the endzone for a 52-yard punt return touchdown. Ironically, West’s last punt return touchdown came one day short of a season ago, also against Summers County. Ryker Ball, a freshman, stepped in a nailed the PAT for a 13-0 lead with 7:36 to go in the first quarter.
Summers County was facing a two-touchdown deficit in the first quarter for the second consecutive game. Beginning their next drive at their own 30-yard line, the Bobcats mixed up several up-the-gut runs from Lambert with short passes from Elijah Franklin to move the ball to the West 30-yard line. The drive looked to be stalling when facing a 4th and 6, Franklin dropped straight back and lofted a pass in the direction of the right corner. Rylan Tabor, a sophomore slot receiver, got past Butler in coverage and fingertipped the ball at the five-yard line, scoring at the 1:46 mark. Vaxton Vaughan intercepted Franklin’s two-point pass attempt, preserving a 13-6 lead for the Cavaliers.
Starting their next drive at their own 32-yard line, the Cavaliers went back to Kameron Parker on first down. Parker found a gaping hole to the right side and carried deep into Bobcat territory before being tackled at the Summers County 18-yard line. The play was partially negated by a holding call, but West did manage a first down from Parker’s effort. Two plays later, Dunbar went back to Parker, this time to the left. Parker got a nice edge block from Mason Ward to spring him for a 25-yard gain. Colton Dunbar finished off the scoring drive with runs of 14 and 16 yards, the later a scoring run that left Bobcats whiffing. West’s point after attempt was partially blocked, but the lead was back to 13 points, 19-6, with 11:24 to go in the first half.
Summers County narrowly escaped disaster on its next series when Shand Plogger stepped in front of a Franklin pass at the West 37-yard line and returned it 63 yards for an apparent score. A block in the back negated the score, bringing the ball back to the Summers County 30-yard line. One play later, Dunbar drifted to his left and lofted the ball to Ward who had gotten deep behind the secondary. The pass was Dunbar’s first career touchdown pass as well as Ward’s first career touchdown reception. Ball added the PAT for a 26-6 lead with 6:27 to go in the half.
The next Summers’ drive turned the ball over on downs, but the Cavaliers could do nothing with the ball either and punted it back to the Bobcats. Summers County punt returner Noah Vanaman opened the door for West when he muffed the punt at his own 27-yard line, but time expired on the Cavaliers. West led 26-6 at the half.
Summers County received the ball in the second half, but Logan Berry quickly saw to it that the Cavaliers got it back quickly. Berry engulfed Lambert on the Bobcat’s first play from scrimmage, stripping the ball away for Ward to recover. West went to work from its own 39-yard line. A Parker sweep combined with a facemask penalty moved the ball to the Bobcat 36. Butler gashed the heart of the Summers’ defense for a gain of 11. Dunbar threw short passes to both Ward and Parker, and another foul was assessed on the Bobcats that moved the ball to the 16. Dunbar rambled over the left side for a gain of 13 yards. Two plays later, the senior quarterback threw a jump pass that was hauled in by Ward for a 3-yard touchdown reception, their second connection of the night. The PAT failed but West had a comfortable 32-6 advantage.
Greenbrier West’s next scoring opportunity would come late in the third quarter. Butler blitzed off the defense’s left edge and had a clear path to get to Franklin who was looking to his left for an open receiver. Butler dislodged the football and Colton Chrisman dove on the ball for the recovery at the Bobcats 43-yard line. The Cavaliers rewarded Chrisman by handing him the ball on first down. The senior bounced to the outside and strode down the sideline, breaking a tackle at the 20-yard line. Vinson Vaughan provided a block inside the 5-yard line to get Chrisman into the endzone. West’s PAT was blocked but the lead was now 38-6.
Summers County added their second score of the night when Franklin connected with D’yondre Wynes for a 19-yard scoring pass against the West reserves with 8:56 to go in the game. A failed conversion made the score 38-12 with Greenbrier West holding a comfortable lead, one they would build on.
The Cavaliers added two late touchdowns, with Vaxton Vaughan notching his first career touchdown run at the 3:55 mark of the fourth quarter. Vaughan’s score came from 25 yards out. Ryan VanMeter forced a Bobcat fumble, and Anthony Martin was able to return it 57 yards for a scoop-and-score with 1:25 remaining. Ryker Ball hit PATs after both scores, helping West earn a 52-12 victory.
Colton Dunbar had a very efficient game at quarterback, going 5-6 for 39 yards and two touchdowns. Dunbar also rushed for 46 yards and a score on seven carries. Mason Ward supplemented those numbers with four receptions for 41 yards and two scores.
Several Cavaliers contributed to a team effort of 30 carries for 300 yards. Kameron Parker carried four times for 74 yards, Ben Butler seven carries for 46 yards and a score, Colton Chrisman three carries for 57 yards and a score, and Vaxton Vaughan reeled off four carries for 44 yards and a score.
The West defense held Summers County to 30 carries for 84 yards. Elijah Franklin completed 15-28 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns along with an interception. Kayden Holland hauled in six of those passes for 26 yards, and Rylan Tabor had three catches for 58 yards and a score. Braxton Lambert carried 20 times for 66 yards. The West defense forced three turnovers, with Shane Plogger pulling down an interception, and fumble recoveries by Mason Ward and Anthony Martin.
At 1-1, the Cavaliers will head to Liberty Raleigh for the first time ever next Friday night. The Raiders (0-1) lost narrowly, 38-30, to Pikeview. Summers County (0-2) will be home to face Meadow Bridge.
Photos from West End Sports Photography:
