Gallery by Ashley Honaker
Lindside – Following two straight losses to open the season, a young James Monroe squad started to find itself with a staunch defense and timely scoring from its offense.
Friday night when Class A No. 15 Greenbrier West rolled into town, the Mavericks continued that trend to push their winning streak to five straight games.
Piling up over 400 yards of total offense, Class AA No. 16 James Monroe pulled away late for a 32-6 over its rival from Greenbrier County on Senior Night.
“It was good win for us tonight. We got a little sluggish there coming out in the second half, but we picked it back up,” James Monroe head coach John Mustain said. “This is a young team. I think 33 of our 46 or so (players) are 9th and 10th graders. Several of those 10th graders are playing (varsity). Then you get into some of our older kids where we have a couple of juniors and a senior that this is the first year that they have ever started. You deem them as young too, at least as far as experience goes. We have a streak going here, but we have three tough ones left. We will see how it goes.”
The Cavaliers put themselves behind the eight-ball early when a shanked punt gave the home team the ball at the West 22-yard line.
Three plays later, senior quarterback Layton Dowdy hit Ryan Mann on a three-yard strike for a 6-0 lead.
The Mavericks returned the favor when a fake punt went awry giving the visitors the ball at the James Monroe 33-yard line. However, West failed to take advantage of the gift, moving the ball just seven yards before turning it over on downs.
“We got in some tough situations and we were able to keep them out of the end zone all but that one time. Greenbrier West has some very good players,” Mustain said. “The quarterback (Evan Vandall) runs well and (Brandon Poticher) runs well. (Colton Dunbar) is a heck of a receiver. I always worry every time we go out if the kids are thinking it is a team that lost (17) seniors last year. You have to treat every game as if it is the toughest game of the year. Sometimes it is hard to get kids to do that.”
The biggest positive on the night for the Mavericks was the offense seemed to feed off of each defensive success.
Following the turnover on downs, James Monroe marched 74 yards in 10 plays capped by a seven-yard plunge from Dowdy for a 12-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Dowdy gave West fits all night with his arm and his legs, throwing for 95 yards and one score, while rushing for 129 yards and two more trips into the end zone.
“I thought we played with a lot of fire and a lot of intensity tonight. If you can get them to play like that, there is a chance that good things can happen,” Mustain said. “Those seniors, especially the ones that have played basketball as well, they have had a heck of a four year run. I don’t know what the future holds, if we are going to get into the playoffs or not. Hopefully they keep playing hard and whatever happens, happens.”
Greenbrier West’s lone scoring drive came midway through the second period. Sparked by a 24-yard pass from Vandall to Dunbar, along with a pair of James Monroe penalties, the Cavs cut the lead in half on a one-yard sneak from Vandall.
James Monroe quickly answered moving the ball from its own 32-yard line to the West 23-yard line with just over two minutes remaining in the half.
Dowdy then dropped back to pass and was forced to scramble. As he moved out of the pocket, he was met by several Cavalier defenders and appeared to fumble the ball. West picked up the ball and was headed for a tying score when the referee’s whistle blew the play dead. The fumble was ruled an incomplete pass which sent the Greenbrier West sideline into an uproar.
“We thought it was a scoop and score,” Greenbrier West head coach Kelly Vaughan said. “The ball game at that time was 12-6 and at least we tie it up. However, one play is not going to determine the outcome of the game.”
The Mavericks quickly threw some salt into the open wound when two plays later Dowdy rolled in from 18-yards for an 18-6 advantage at the break.
Following an interception from Vandall early in the second half, West went on a 14-play drive that took it inside the Mavericks 10-yard line. Once again, the home team stiffened and forced a crucial turnover on downs.
“We were in the red zone a couple of times and didn’t put the ball in, but that is not the first time it has happened. It happened against Man and it happened last week against Fort Frye,” Vaughan said. “That is on us. We have to get better there. If we can’t get the ball in from the eight-yard line in, that is on us. We have not stoned it up in there physical enough to get the touchdowns. We were still in the game when we moved the ball down the field. but you also have to give James Monroe credit. They play hard.”
James Monroe put the game on ice with a pair of scores from Brock Parker in the final period. One came from 14 yards out the second was from 22 yards to seal the win.
“We have a couple of kids that are dinged up and banged up. Then we had a couple of more hurt tonight. It is just one of those years,” Vaughan said. “We have had younger kids that have had to go out there and play. A couple of them got thrown into the fire tonight. It is a different level when you are playing JV to varsity, against quality. James Monroe is a quality team. I think the world of coach (Mustain) and his program. He thinks the world of our program. It’s a good rivalry, but we have to get better.”
James Monroe (5-2) travels to Midland Trail Friday night, while Greenbrier West (4-3) looks to bounce back at Petersburg Friday.
GW: 0 6 0 0 – 6
JM: 6 12 0 14 – 32
First quarter
JM: Ryan Mann 3 pass from Layton Dowdy (kick blocked)
Second quarter
JM: Dowdy 7 run (kick no good)
GW: Evan Vandall 1 run (pass incomplete)
JM: Dowdy 19 run (rush failed
Fourth quarter
JM: Brock Parker 14 run (Peyton Gardinier kick)
JM: Parker 22 run (Gardinier kick)
Stats:
Rushing: (GW) Evan Vandall 22-60-1Brandon Poticher 12-30, Joevun Robinson 1-2; (JM) Brock Parker 9-101-2, Layton Dowdy 12-129-2, Ben Comer 4-55, Ryan Mann 5-49.
Passing: (GW) Vandall 14-29-1-83-0; (JM) Dowdy 11-21-1-95-1
Receiving: (GW) Poticher 1-10, Kamden Sams 4-8, Ben Butler 1-8, Colton Dunbar 8-57; (JM) Kadyn Hines 1-22, Parker 2-(-5), Mann 5-59-1, Comer 2-17, Baylee Ridgeway 2-15.
