Luray (3-1) at Parry McCluer (3-1)
WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Robert E. Williams in Buena Vista. Tickets are $7. LASTYEAR: Led by Ryan Jenkins’s 185 yards rushing and three touchdowns, Luray finished with 330 yards on the ground and scored on all but two of their possessions to roll past the Blues, 48-8, last season in Luray. Caleb Cyphert added two TDs for the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, the Blues mustered only 81 yards rushing and committed three turnovers, failing to crack the scoreboard until the final two minutes of the game.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: There’s good news and bad news for Parry McCluer as the Blues reach the midway point of the regular season. The bad news is that Luray brings back two-thirds of the offensive firepower that ran wild on the Blues a year ago. Included in that group is Jenkins, who has moved to quarterback to become a true dual threat. Evidence of this can be found in his effort in a 49-26 win over Stuarts Draft, when he rushed for over 200 yards and threw for 110 more to lead the Bulldogs. Cyphert will line up beside Jenkins in Luray’s spread offense and will share running duties with Jenkins and has been particularly effective when he gets to the outside. After its season-opening 14-6 loss at East Rockingham, Luray has averaged 52.7 points per game, including a 54-0 victory over Rock Ridge last Friday night.
SCOUTING THE BLUES: The good news for PM is that its defense seems to be better equipped to take on Luray’s powerful attack this season. Led by linebacker and leading tackler Parker Snider and a big defensive front, the Blues have allowed more than 200 yards of total offense just once this year and twice have held opponents under 100 yards rushing. Offensively, the Blues boast a pair of capable backs, with Brody Coleman and Snider getting the bulk of the carries. Coleman has 365 yards and five TDs entering the game, while Snider has rushed for 348 yards and six touchdowns. The Blues have been prone to putting the ball on the ground, however, fumbling 13 times in the first four games, losing five of them. T HE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK:
Friday night marks the last contest of a three-game home stand for the Blues, who split the first two contests in Buena Vista. To win this one, they must take care of the football and control time of possession to keep Jenkins and company off the field. The Bulldogs will get the ball just enough, however, to top the Blues for the second straight year, 28-14.
