The Shadow
OFF TO THE RACES — Covington’s Kashawn Carter (21) leaves Parry McCluer defenders in his wake en route to his second touchdown of the evening. Carter’s 58-yard ramble cut Parry McCluer’s lead to 21-13, but the Blues would remain unbeaten with a 28-13 decision over the Cougars at Casey Field. Carter finished his night with 110 yards rushing and two TDs. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
OFF TO THE RACES — Covington’s Kashawn Carter (21) leaves Parry McCluer defenders in his wake en route to his second touchdown of the evening. Carter’s 58-yard ramble cut Parry McCluer’s lead to 21-13, but the Blues would remain unbeaten with a 28-13 decision over the Cougars at Casey Field. Carter finished his night with 110 yards rushing and two TDs. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE REFEREE — Covington coach Rod Tenney discusses a call with an official during Parry McCluer’s 28-13 win over the Cougars Friday night at Casey Field. The loss dropped the Cougars to 4-4 on the season. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE REFEREE — Covington coach Rod Tenney discusses a call with an official during Parry McCluer’s 28-13 win over the Cougars Friday night at Casey Field. The loss dropped the Cougars to 4-4 on the season. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
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Somewhere, the late Bobby Williams is smiling.
The legendary coach produced five state championships running predominately out of the straight T-formation, and that style has been resurrected by Mike Craft, the current Parry McCluer coach who played under Williams back in the ’80s.
The style is about as basic as the traditional uniforms worn by the Blues, but if it works, don’t knock it.
Ryheem Dawson rushed for 146 yards on 38 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns Friday night, as Parry McCluer defeated Covington in a battle of Pioneer District heavyweights, 28-13.
With his workmanlike effort, Dawson became Parry McCluer’s all-time leading rusher and scorer, breaking records held by Timmy Jones for approximately 35 years.
Parry McCluer’s grind-it-out style bested Covington’s quick-strike offense on this evening. Lightning-quick Kashawn Carter countered Dawson with 110 yards on 15 carries and scored both Cougar touchdowns.
“The kids knew it was a big game, and I don’t think there’s anything left in any of them,” said Covington coach Rod Tenney, applauding the effort of his Cougars. “They left it all on the field.”
Carter got the Cougars on top early with a late first-quarter touchdown. He took a handoff and ran right up the middle for the score.
Derek Dressler tacked on the point, and the Cougars enjoyed a 7-0 lead.
The Blues countered on their next possession. Aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on a late hit that was questioned by the Covington sideline, Dawson capped a 12-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Christian Rice kicked the point to tie it at 7-7.
Logan Arthur’s 34-yard touchdown gave the Blues a 14-7 halftime advantage, and they increased that lead to 21-7 on a Dawson touchdown late in the third.
Dawson carried seven times in the 10-play drive, but it was his 27-yard reception on 3rd-and-9 from the Parry McCluer 37 that proved to be the biggest play of the drive. It was Parry McCluer’s only pass completion on the night.
The Cougars found themselves down two scores, but it didn’t stay that way long.
On the second play from scrimmage after the kickoff, Carter broke into the clear and rambled 58 yards to the end zone, cutting the Covington deficit to 21-13 with just 29 seconds left on the third quarter clock.
“Derek Dressler had almost begged to run that hole,” said Tenney, describing Carter’s second touchdown. “He said he was handling his man. We ran about three plays there in a row and got into the end zone. That’s why I take part of the blame for that.”
The Cougar defense held the Blues to a 3-and-out, and Covington had the ball back at their own 46 after a 26-yard punt.
They moved the chains once and got as deep as the Parry McCluer 36 before turning it over on downs.
The Blues took over with 7:17 left in the game and nearly ran out the clock.
Following a Covington timeout after they thought they had forced a Blues fumble, K.J. Cook added a final touchdown with just eight seconds left in the game, accounting for the 28-13 final.
“We played hard. We just had trouble getting some things going, and I take the blame for that,” Tenney said. “We did some things there at the end. We pounded the ball in the middle, and maybe we should have been doing that all along.”
With their ball-control style, the Blues ran 64 plays to Covington’s 43. The Blues had the only turnover on the evening, a desperation heave on the final play of the first half that was intercepted by Covington’s Darnell Tolson.
“They get ahead of you and sit on it,” Tenney said. “It works for them. They’ve done it for a lot of years, and it’s very successful for them. That’s how people win championships.”
“That’s Bobby Williams football,” he added.
With his 146-yard night, Dawson now stands at 1,227 yards on the season with 22 touchdowns.
The 9-0 Blues can complete an undefeated regular season next week when they travel to winless Bath County.
Meanwhile, the 4-4 Cougars prep for a trip to James River next week before hosting Bath in their regular season finale.
The Knights scored their second win of the season Friday, a 26-21 decision over Greenbrier West.
“James River’s had our number the last couple of years,” Tenney concluded. “We need to go over there and win a big one.”
