The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – Alleghany struggled to slow down Riverheads’ rushing attack Friday night as the Gladiators handed the Cougars a 42-27 loss in an important Shenandoah District football matchup.
Riverheads controlled much of the game on the ground, rushing for 376 yards on 51 carries while finishing with 416 yards of total offense. Alleghany managed 355 total yards but struggled to keep pace with the Gladiators, who built a 21-7 halftime lead.
The Gladiators struck first when Kendal Edwards scored on a 1-yard run with 4:41 remaining in the opening quarter. Bryan Lopez-Rojas added the extra point to give Riverheads a 7-0 advantage.
Riverheads extended its lead early in the second quarter when Skyler Shiflett broke free for an 18-yard touchdown run. Shiflett added his second touchdown of the quarter on a 14-yard run with 1:22 remaining before halftime, pushing the Gladiators’ lead to 21-0.
Alleghany finally got on the scoreboard in the closing seconds of the first half when Elijah “Buddy” Leisure-White scored on a 20-yard run. Mason Hale converted the extra point, cutting the deficit to 21-7 with 13 seconds remaining.
Riverheads continued to find success on the ground in the third quarter. Edwards broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown run with 6:41 remaining, extending the lead to 28-7.
The Cougars answered when Leisure-White scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this time from four yards out. Hale’s extra point brought Alleghany within 28-14 with 3:09 remaining in the third quarter.
Riverheads put the game further out of reach in the fourth quarter when Jackson Fitzgerald scored on a 1-yard run with 8:25 remaining. Edwards followed with his third touchdown of the night, breaking free for a 59-yard run with 3:31 left to give the Gladiators a 42-14 advantage.
Despite facing a 28-point deficit, Alleghany continued to battle in the closing minutes.
Quarterback Talyn Elliott connected with Colten Jack on a 26-yard touchdown pass with 2:50 remaining. Hale added the extra point to make it 42-21.
Elliott found Leisure-White for a 17-yard touchdown pass just over a minute later. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the final score at 42-27.
Leisure-White accounted for three of Alleghany’s four touchdowns, scoring twice on the ground and once through the air. Elliott threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes.
The Cougars finished with 261 rushing yards on 28 attempts, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Elliott and the Alleghany passing attack completed eight of 20 attempts for 94 yards but were intercepted twice.
Riverheads finished with 20 first downs compared to Alleghany’s 19. The Gladiators averaged 7.4 yards per rushing attempt and completed their only pass of the game for 40 yards.
Turnovers also played a role in the district matchup. Alleghany committed two turnovers, both interceptions, while Riverheads played turnover-free football.
There was plenty of laundry on the field as the Cougars were penalized six times for 55 yards, while Riverheads was flagged five times for 41 yards.
