In what was a great game this past Friday night, the Alleghany Mountaineers (4-3/0-2) lost a heartbreaker in overtime on the road against the James River Knights (Buchanan) (3-3/1-1) 17-14.
The Knights on homecoming night, sent the fans home happy with Maddox Potter’s 28-yard game-winning field goal in overtime.
The first score of the game came off of Eli Entsminger’s second of his two interceptions in the game. Entsminger had his pass intercepted as Levi Rock came in under the throw and brought it back 32 yards into the end zone. The Knights took a 7-0 followed by a made extra point.
After being held scoreless in the first quarter, the Mountaineers opened up the second quarter with the ball on the Knights five yard line and would eventually push the ball across the end zone for the touchdown. Garrett Via ran for his 18th touchdown rush of the season. The Mountaineers would tie the game following the extra point.
With just under a minute left in the first half, Via had a 30+ yard rushing touchdown taken away due to a holding penalty on the Mountaineers. The Knights keep the Mountaineers off the scoreboard on the drive which would end the first half.
The Mountaineers wouldn’t let that missed opportunity at the end of the first half derail their second half. Early in the third quarter, Dalton Griffith put the Mountaineers ahead for the first time. Brenden Seckner’s extra point put the Mountaineers ahead 14-7.
As quickly as the Mountaineers took the lead, it wasn’t long for the Knights to bounce back to tie the game. With just minutes left in the third quarter, Conner Church rushed into the end zone for a 35 yard touchdown run. The Knights extra point was good which tied the game at 14-14.
Early in the fourth quarter with the score still 14-14, the Mountaineers were in Knights territory around the 30 yard line. On fourth down, the Knights brought the rush as Church put together a big tackle to turn the ball over on downs for the Mountaineers.
With the momentum now going for the Knights, Church broke free for a big rush to bring the ball into the Mountaineers territory. Several plays later, the Knights were in the red zone on the 15 yard line. But on the ensuing play, the Mountaineers brought the rush and stripped the ball away causing the Knights to turn the ball over on the fumble.
Following the Mountaineers fumble recovery, Via broke free for a huge 50 yard rush that brought the team once again into Knights territory. However, the promising drive would result in a turnover on downs despite the Mountaineers getting to the the Knights 17 yard line at one point during the drive.
With the Knights defense stepping up late in the fourth quarter, it was the Mountaineers turn. After the Mountaineers recent turnover on downs, the Church found an open hole and rushed through for a 55 yard run to put the Knights onto the Mountaineers 30 yard line. However, the Mountaineers would only give up four yards on the next three plays and would force an incomplete pass on fourth down to turn the Knights over on downs with under three minutes to go.
Big plays after big plays from both offenses and defenses.
The Mountaineers would move the ball across midfield. With time winding down and just seconds left in the game, Seckner would set up for a potential game winning field goal of 30+ yards, however, due to a bad snap, the Mountaineers would be unable to attempt a game-winning field goal as the Knights brought down the place holder to turn the ball over on downs with four seconds left.
In overtime, the Mountaineers got the ball first. The Knights defense would hold the Mountaineers out of the end zone, however, due to a pair of offensive penalties, the Mountaineers would attempt and miss a 34-yard field goal that wound up missing wide left.
The Mountaineers defense would be the one this time to stop the Knights offense and held them out of the end zone. However, Potter would drill his 28-yard field goal attempt for the Knights overtime victory.
Despite the loss, Via once again put together a big game as he continues to be a defensive nightmare. Via ran for 206 yards along with his second quarter touchdown rush.
Via now has 1,157 rushing yards on the season which moved him up five spots for fourth all-time for rushing yards in a single season. Via surpassed Terrell Givens mark of 1,156 during the 1998 season. It was also the first time since 2014 that the Mountaineers have had a 1,000 yard rusher.
The 18th touchdown for Via, puts him five away from tying Givens 2000 record of 23 for a single season.
The loss was the Mountaineers second in a row and is the teams longest losing streak of the season.
Church led the way for the Knights as he had the third quarter touchdown to go along with a 172 yard performance on the ground.
The Mountaineers will look to rebound on Friday when they head on the road for a big Three Rivers District meeting against the Glenvar Highlanders (4-3/2-1). The Highlanders picked up their fourth win of the season this past Friday following a 33-27 three overtime victory over the Floyd County Buffaloes.
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Mountaineers at Knights (Buchanan)
Team Pts/Qtr/OT Total
AHS 0 7 7 0 0 14
JRHS 7 0 7 0 3 17
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SCORING PLAYS
First Quarter:
James River (Buchanan): Rock INT, PAT – AHS 0, JRHS 7
Second Quarter:
Alleghany: Via rush, PAT – AHS 7, JRHS 7
Third Quarter:
Alleghany: Griffith rush, PAT – AHS 14, JRHS 7
James River (Buchanan): Church rush, PAT – AHS 14, JRHS 14
Overtime:
James River (Buchanan): Potter 28-yd field goal
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