CHARMCO – All losses are not created equal. In the context of standings, mathematical ratings, and bottom-line results, a loss is an “L.” In the context of what you learned and how you performed, a loss can be a teaching tool, a transformational moment. Greenbrier West entered Friday night’s contest with Mt. View with the sting of an ugly loss to Midland Trail fresh in their minds. Against the Patriots, the Cavaliers played largely uninspired football. It simply wasn’t the finest moment for the blue and gold. What the Cavaliers did in the loss to the Golden Knights might just establish their identity for the remainder of the season as they fought and scraped for every inch of ground they gave or got. These Cavaliers banded together in a way that can carry a team to their dreams and goals.
The first quarter was like the early rounds of a heavyweight prize fight. Both teams took their time poking at the opposition to see what might be effective. Greenbrier West was content to keep the ball on the ground, pounding it into the guts of the Mt. View defense. The Cavaliers took their time between snaps, then chewed up distance three and four yards at a time. The Knights tested each side of the field, mixing up-the-middle runs with quick passes to the outside. Both teams used the feeling-out process to the tune of two possessions each heading into the second quarter.
Greenbrier West would get the first break of the game after Joey Terry and Ty Nickell dropped Mt. View running back Thomas Bell for a 28-yard loss on a swing pass. Ryan Long, the Golden Knight’s junior quarterback, took a short drop out of the shotgun and looked to his left. Daron Vaughan applied pressure from Long’s left and forced him to release the pass. His intended target, Justin Haggerty, was crossing the defense left to right with West freshman linebacker Evan Vandall in pursuit. The throw came in a little high and was tipped in the air. Chase McClung, the leading interceptor for the Cavaliers with four coming into the game, snatched the ricochet and returned it to the Knight’s 19-yard line. Needing only three plays from there, Nickell got in the endzone on a one-yard carry, and burst in for the conversion and an 8-0 lead three minutes into the second quarter.
The Cavaliers wouldn’t wait long for their second break. On the ensuing kickoff, Evan Vandall and Tucker Lilly were able to poke the ball away from Mt. View returner Jaylen Hall’s arms. Jacob Nutter recovered for Greenbrier West at the Knight 33-yard line, giving the Cavaliers a short field to work with. Once again, it would be only three plays before the Cavaliers would score, this time on a 26-yard Ty Nickell run through the heart of the Mt. View defense. The conversion failed but the Cavaliers led 14-0 with seven minutes left in the first half.
Mt. View would start their next drive at their own 41-yard line and worked their way into Cavalier territory with runs by Bell and a short throw by Long to Hall. From the Cavalier 48, Long sent three receivers to his right. Jason Haggerty was the widest of the three and ran a streak toward the Cavalier endzone. Long dropped the ball perfectly into the arms of Haggerty, just beyond the reach of Cavalier Josh Jones. The catch moved the Knights to the Cavalier 7-yard line. Three plays later, Bell snuck through the line for a 2-yard touchdown run. The conversion failed and the Cavalier lead was 14-6 with 2:05 left. Greenbrier West would run the clock down to end the first half.
The Cavaliers would find a little more magic on the second half kickoff when Parker’s kickoff squibbed to the right and careened off two separate Golden Knights. Evan Vandall pounced on the ball among a swarming mass of Cavaliers at the Mt. View 41-yard line. West had immediate momentum and wanted to cash in on the turnover. Nickell and Parker carried for short gains and an offside penalty moved the ball to the Knight 30-yard line. Cole Vandall got in on the action, keeping an option for 17 yards and carrying a second time to the Knight 10-yard line. Nickell earned the Cavaliers a first-and-goal at the Mt. View four-yard line, and Jayden Robinson was stopped for no gain. On second and goal, the Cavaliers opted to run the option to the right with Kadin Parker at quarterback. Just as Parker made the decision to cut up the field and keep the football, he lost traction on the slippery turf. As he was falling, he lost the football and the Knights recovered. It was a huge, lost opportunity.
Mt. View had escaped at least momentarily. After a third down completion worked the ball out to Knights 20, Long would make a mistake. Flushed from the pocket by Vaughan, Long scurried to his left and started up the field. Just as he dodged Cole Vandall, McClung created his second turnover of the night with a crushing hit that dislodged the football. Cole scooped the loose ball off the turf and drug three would-be Knight defenders to the 16-yard line. A false start would back West up five yards, but Nickell got the penalty yardage back on the next play. On second down, the Cavaliers snuck McClung off the line from the tight end position on the left side. As he ran by Knight linebacker Justin Haggerty, Haggerty turned and gave Chase. Vandall was dropping straight back and got immediate pressure from the defensive end coming from his right side. Vandall released the ball in McClung’s direction, but Haggerty leapt high and one-handed the football, intercepting it at the Mt. View 5-yard line. The Knights had escaped two premium scoring opportunities for Greenbrier West.
Back-to-back carries from Bell carried the Knight’s from their own 16-yard line to their 45. After a completion to midfield and a carry for no gain. Mt. View faced a third and ten from their own 45. Hall lined up wide to the left and bounced off the line of scrimmage. Cole Vandall, in press coverage, slipped to the turf as Hall ran past him. Long was looking in Hall’s direction from the outset as West had rolled their safety to the left side of the Cavalier defense to help with the three wide receiver formation Mt. View was using on that side. Hall easily hauled in the catch at the West 38-yard line and raced into the end zone untouched for a 55-yard score. The Knights lined up for a PAT, but a false start killed the play at the snap. The Knights were attempting to run a fake. After the penalty backed the Knights up to the eight, a sweep to Travis Bell was stopped at the 20-yard line as the Cavalier defense held strong to keep the lead 14-12 with 2:35 left in the third quarter.
With a little more than a quarter to play, the Cavaliers began their next drive at their own 28-yard line. Nickell and Parker took three downs to squeeze out a first down, and Cole Vandall’s 15-yard carry staked the Cavaliers at the Knight 40-yard line. Vandall carried a second time to the Mt. View 31, but Hall went low on the tackle and injured Vandall’s left ankle, forcing Cole to the sideline. Parker stepped back under center, but a holding call backed the Cavaliers up and quelled some of the momentum. On third and eleven from the Mt. View 41, Vandall reentered the game. Parker slashed out of the slot and headed up the West sideline, breaking open at the 25. Vandall’s throw was too strong and went beyond Parker’s outstretched hands. The Cavaliers decided to punt with a lead and field position in their favor.
The Golden Knights went strictly to the air attack. A false start backed Mt. View up five yards, but a completion to Bailey and a pass interference call moved the ball to the Knight 35. Terry sacked Long for a seven-yard loss, but Long connected with Hall for 16 yards. Thomas Bell carried for a first down to the Knight 45. On first and ten, Long zipped a slant pass to Hall who had lined up on the left side of the offense. As Hall made the catch, Nickell turned and delivered a huge blow on Hall. It would’ve been a devastating tackle if Nickell had wrapped him up, but Hall maintained his balance and zipped down the Mt. View sideline for his second 55-yard touchdown reception of the night. Long tried to connect with Hall in the corner for the conversion, but the pass was incomplete. More importantly for Mt. View, they had grabbed the lead with 6:09 left in the game.
Nickell gave the Cavaliers great starting position when he returned the kickoff to the West 43-yard line. On first down, Nickell began to take the handoff running right to left in the backfield. 6’5”, 420 pound Knight defensive tackle Jacob Hall stood in Nickell’s way, and Nickell mishandled the handoff leading to a Golden Knight recovery. The turnover came at a bad time when the game clock was a serious issue for a team that was now trailing.
Thomas Bell jetted through the Cavalier defense for a 20-yard gain and suddenly the Knights weren’t just content to maintain their lead. They wanted more. Long fired a pass into the endzone that was knocked away by Parker. Bell was stopped for a short gain, and Long lined up in the shotgun with an empty backfield. Once again, Joey Terry tracked Long down and sacked him, this time for a nine-yard loss. On fourth down, Long had a receiver break open at the goal line, but his overthrow turned the ball back over to the Cavaliers.
Working with short time, Parker moved back to the quarterback position. Parker and Nickell both tried to gain some Cavalier momentum, but a holding call backed Greenbrier West up to their own 25. On third and thirteen, Vandall stepped back under center. Trying to connect on the same play they had overthrew earlier, Vandall lofted the ball to Parker in front of the West sideline. Parker had broken open past Hall, but this time the Golden Knights had Bailey slide his coverage over the top of Parker and he intercepted Vandall’s pass at the West 49, ending the Cavalier’s upset bid. The 18-14 loss, however, did not end the Cavaliers season.
The WVSSAC released their final playoff ratings on Saturday. Greenbrier West won a three-way tie-breaker with Sherman and Clay-Battelle to claim the 11th seed in the 2021 Class A playoffs. The Cavaliers will travel to 6th rated, 8-2 Williamstown on Saturday, November 13th at 1:30 P.M. The Yellowjackets and Cavaliers met in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Class A playoffs in Charmco. Greenbrier West dropped that meeting 34-22.
Mt. View 0 6 6 6 – 18
Greenbrier West 0 14 0 0 – 14
8:44 2nd Ty Nickell 7yd TD, Nickell run
7:06 2nd Ty Nickell 26yd TD, Run failed
2:05 2nd Thomas Bell 2yd TD, Run failed
2:35 3rd Jaylen Hall 55yd pass from Ryan Long, Run failed
6:09 4th Jaylen Hall 55yd pass from Ryan Long, Pass failed
Passing – (GW) Cole Vandall 0-3-2-0-0, Kadin Parker 0-1-1-0-0 (MV) Ryan Long 10-15-2-197-2
Rushing – (GW) Ty Nickell 27-117yds, 2 TD (7,26); Cole Vandall 4-43; Kadin Parker 7-35; Jayden Robinson 3-7 (MV) Thomas Bell 20-147 TD (2); Tony Bailey 3-12; Jaylen Hall 1- (-2); Travis Bell 1- (-2); Ryan Long 5- (-26)
Receiving – (MV) Travis Bell 5-153 2 TD (55, 55); Jason Haggerty 2-53, Tony Bailey 2-10; Thomas Bell 1 (-28)
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