LINDSIDE (WVDN) – A magical season for the Greenbrier West Cavaliers came to a close Friday night in Lindside. Class A No. 1 James Monroe defeated Greenbrier West 48-13 in the quarterfinal round. It was the Mavericks’ second win over the Cavaliers in the 2022 season. James Monroe defeated West 27-0 on Oct. 7 in a matchup of unbeatens. The Mavericks will host No. 5 Wheeling Central on Friday at 4 p.m.
James Monroe opened the game with a methodical, 10-play drive capped by Cooper Ridgeway’s 3-yard touchdown. After moving the ball effectively to begin the game, the Mavericks were faced with a fourth and four from the Cavalier 23-yard line. Maverick quarterback Layton Dowdy took the shotgun snap and scanned the middle of the field for a receiver. West defensive end Cole Vandall barreled toward Dowdy’s backside for what would have been a drive-killing sack, but Dowdy ducked Vandall’s tackle and scrambled to his left for a Maverick first down. Two plays later, Ridgeway notched the first score of the game. An offsides penalty on the point after spurred the Mavericks to try for two. The successful conversion made it 8-0 with 7:30 to go in the opening quarter.
Isaac Agee returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards, giving the Cavaliers excellent field position at the Maverick 48-yard line. West couldn’t move the ball though and narrowly escaped a third down interception at the Maverick 36-yard line. As it turns out, the turnover would’ve been a blessing. A low fourth down snap forced the Cavalier punter Agee to go to a knee to field the football. The officials blew the play dead immediately, giving the Mavericks possession at the West 41-yard line.
It would only take the Mavericks three plays to score. Dowdy rolled to his right and kept the play alive by drifting toward the James Monroe sideline. Braydie Carr ran out of the backfield, and once Dowdy ran out of room, turned up then toward the middle of the field. Dowdy threw across his body, and the ball sailed just wide of both Kadin Parker’s and Ethan Holliday’s reach. Carr grabbed it on the run and coasted into the end zone for a 35-yard score. The extra point failed, but the Mavericks had a 14-point advantage with 5:02 to go in the first quarter.
A personal foul against Greenbrier West was enforced on the kickoff, spotting the ball at the Cavalier 45-yard line for Maverick kicker Owen Jackson. After the kickoff sailed into the end zone, the Cavaliers began their drive at their own 20-yard line. Holliday carried for nine yards on first down followed by back-to-back runs from Ty Nickell. Nickell’s third down carry drew yet another penalty flag, setting up a third and five for West. Lilly took the shotgun snap and fired in the right flat to Holliday, who spun out of an initial tackle attempt. As Holliday started up the field, Jacob Nutter flew up the field and engaged in an open-field block of the Mavericks’ safety, Eli Allen. The block sprung Holliday, and he raced past the Mavericks’ secondary for a 76-yard touchdown. The score was the longest touchdown reception in Cavalier playoff history, and it drew West within eight points of the Mavericks with 3:16 to go in the first quarter.
The Mavericks took possession of the ball and put together a 13-play scoring drive that culminated in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Dowdy to Allen. The drive consumed 6 and a half minutes and put the Cavaliers in a 15-point deficit with 8:45 left in the half.
Following the Maverick score, the teams traded three-and-out possessions. Greenbrier West started to gain momentum on their next drive, taking advantage of running into the kicker penalty to convert a first down near midfield. After Nickell was dropped for a loss on first down, Lilly scrambled to the James Monroe 43-yard line and set up a manageable third and three. As Nickell took the handoff from Lilly, Maverick defensive end Jacob Hall hooked his arm and stripped the ball away. Ridgeway covered it up for James Monroe at their 46-yard line.
Ridgeway burst into the Cavalier secondary on first down for a gain of 13, followed by a short run of 3 yards. Dowdy took the snap and faked right as tight end Nicklas Pitzer released from the left side. Pitzer ran past the secondary and hauled in the Dowdy pass at the Cavalier 20-yard line, breezing into the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown reception. Jackson’s kick made it 28-6 with 1:14 left in the half. It was an ominous deficit for the Cavaliers, who were 0-20 all-time in playoff games that they trailed at the half.
Nevertheless, the Cavaliers came out firing to start the second half. Nickell returned the kickoff to the West 45-yard line. From the shotgun, West faked a handoff to Nickell and gave it to Cole Vandall, going from left to right. Vandall exploded out of the backfield and gained 20 yards. After two short gains, Holliday took a direct snap and bounced to the outside for a gain of 10 yards. Holliday carried two more times, putting West just inside the 10 for a first and goal. Vandall was dropped for a short loss followed by back-to-back Holliday carries. The second carry was a 6-yard touchdown run. Hayden Ridgeway booted the extra point through, and the Cavaliers were down 28-13 with 8:23 left in the third quarter.
The Mavericks put the Cavaliers’ comeback dreams to bed on their next possession, driving 80 yards in 13 plays. Cooper Ridgeway started right and cut it back for a 7-yard score. Jackson missed the PAT, but the Mavericks led 34-13 with 2:38 left in the third quarter.
The Cavaliers would go three-and-out on their next possession and punt the ball away. It would take James Monroe only four plays to score, with Carr splitting the Cavalier defense and scoring on a 52-yard burst. West gambled with a run blitz on the play, but the Maverick play was designed to go to the opposite side. Jackson’s PAT made it 41-13 Mavericks with 11:07 remaining in the game.
The night didn’t get any better for Greenbrier West, when the ensuing kickoff was fumbled away and recovered by the Mavericks. James Monroe took advantage of the short field and frustrated Cavalier defense, scoring on a Cooper Ridgeway run from 13 yards out. The scoring drive was a mere four plays but would provide the final margin of 48-13. Ridgeway’s three-touchdown performance tied Musselman’s Denero Marriott, Williamstown’s Ty Moore and Ritchie County’s Gus Morrison for the most touchdowns allowed by the Cavaliers in a playoff game.
Greenbrier West ends their season with a 10-2 mark. Holliday finished the game with 10 carries for 48 yards and a score, two catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, one kick return for 16 yards and 19 tackles. Holliday won the Rock 95 McDonald’s Player of the Game for his effort.
