Putting forth an impressive effort, the Rockbridge County High School football team came up short 35-21 at home against Shenandoah District rival Stuarts Draft on Friday night at Prasnicki-Ross Field at Veterans Stadium in Lexington.
The Wildcats (0-5 overall, 0-3 district) trailed 35-7 just past the midway point in the fourth quarter, but they kept battling. RC sophomore quarterback Taylan Tyree made a 39-yard touchdown pass to Maliq Corbin with 4:27 left. After the RC defense forced a three-and-out by the Cougars (4-1, 3-0), RC’s Marquise Beverly blocked a Draft punt, and the Wildcats got the ball at the Draft 30-year line. After a series of runs and a pass, the Wildcats scored the final TD of the game on. A 4-yard pass from Tyree to Cole Fine with 16.2 seconds. Trey Rhamey, who converted all three of his extra-point kicks, put his final kick in before the Cougars received the ball and took a knee to let the clock expire.
Earlier in the game, RC’s Carson Fridley intercepted Draft quarterback Jake Yow on the Cougars’ first drive, giving the Wildcats the ball at their own 9-yard line. Just two plays later, though, Draft’s Brandon Pritchett intercepted Tyree at the RC 31. After several short runs, Yow passed to Zakarre Hymes-Williams, who ran away from defenders for the first TD of the game. Luke Young converted the PAT to give Draft a 7-0 lead with 5:40 left in the first quarter.
The Wildcats answered back on their next drive, gradually getting the ball down the field and finishing with an 8-yard TD pass from Tyree to Harvey Presnell, and Rhamey’s PAT tied the game 7-7 with 9:51 left in the first half.
Draft would score two more TDs in the second quarter, on a 1-yard run by Levi Bartels and a 3-yard run by Nathan Ramsey, to go up 21-7 with 1:46 left in the first half. In the final minute of the half, Presnell intercepted Yow at the Draft 49, but the half ended with Tyree running out of bounds.
The Cougars extended their lead to 27-7 about two minutes into the third quarter when Hymes-Williams ran for a 1-yard TD. Draft would make it 35-7 with 5:30 left in the game when Yow made a 22-yard pass to Bryce McGuffin.
Among those stepping up on defense for the Wildcats by making tackles were Tyree, Shayde Tomlin, Hudson Pugh and Isaiah Ezell.
The Wildcats will continue district action when they take on Buffalo Gap (4-1, 3-0) in Swoope next Friday at 7 pm.
For the story, photos, stats and a prediction for next week, please see our Sept. 30 newspaper.
