Speed.
Agility.
Overstreet.
More specifically, Lucas Overstreet.
If three words comes to mind about Tuesday’s home varsity game at Mountaineer Field for the Alleghany Mountaineers, those come to mind.
In non district varsity football action Tuesday night, the Staunton River Golden Eagles defeated the Mountaineers 37-6.
Golden Eagles quarterback/linebacker, Overstreet was the difference maker in the game.
Not only did he make a handful of tackles on defense, but largely and most importantly, he was dominant on the offensive side of the ball.
Overstreet had four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in the game.
He finished the game 9-for-11 passing with 193 yards in the air while also his speed and agility in the run game with 59 yard rushing including a touchdown from six yards out. Five of Overstreet’s completed passes were of 21+ yards. Overstreet also committed one turnover, a third quarter fumble.
The offense from Overstreet was too much for the Mountaineers to overcome. The Golden Eagles scored on their first three drives of the game and it really set the tone.
The Mountaineers played better offensively on Tuesday than they did last Friday against James River, but they could not find their groove until the second half. By that point, the team was trailing by 30 points.
In the first half Tuesday night, the team only had 36 yards on offense (not including kick or punt returns) and only managed one first down which came early in the second quarter with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.
In the second half the team had 101 yards on offense and also had six first downs.
Despite the game being out of reach by midway in the second half, the Mountaineers showed heart and determination.
The team did not want to be shutout for a second consecutive game.
On the last drive of the game, the Mountaineers trailing 37-0 and facing a running clock, started their drive on their own 29 yard line. Along with moving the ball and thanks to three Golden Eagles flags (two offsides, one roughing passer), the Mountaineers were able to find their only redzone appearance in the game.
On the final play of the game, quarterback Kole Caldwell connected with Garrett Via for a five yard touchdown.
The sideline for the Mountaineers and team were ecstatic. After being held scoreless for the previous seven quarters (dating back to last game), the team wanted that touchdown.
The play almost never happened though as the Mountaineers got the play off with less than a second in the game and some of the Golden Eagles defensive players thinking the game was over.
Nonetheless, the Mountaineers got on the scoreboard and if nothing else, can be used as momentum going into their game tomorrow night when they host the 5-1 Glenvar Highlanders.
Caldwell finished the game, 4-for-10, 28 yards passing and the one touchdown, his second of the season.
Via, doubled his reception total on the season in the loss to the Golden Eagles. Heading into the game, he had two on the season and finished the game Tuesday night with two receptions for 10 yards and the touchdown.
The touchdown for Via was his fifth total touchdown of the season which leads the Mountaineers individually. Via also contributed with 22 yards rushing.
Senior, Waylon Campbell, finished the game with 38 yards rushing on 12 carries. Campbell was also the player who converted the sack and forced fumble on Overstreet in the third quarter.
Overstreet wasn’t the only Golden Eagles football player who shined though in the win, star running back, Ja Lin Martin led the way for the Golden Eagles with 90 yards rushing, 46 of them coming on a rushing touchdown.
Malakhi Gregory, also was a spark for the Golden Eagles offense and helped snag two of the three passing touchdowns from Overstreet. Gregory finished the game with three receptions, 114 yards receiving and the two touchdowns. All three receptions for Gregory were of 25 yards or more with 55 being the longest reception in the game.
Not to be out shadowed by Overstreet, Martin, and Gregory, Macon Ayers finished the game with 40 yards rushing, with an average of 10 yards per carry.
Lets recap the full game.
The Golden Eagles had the ball to start the game. Facing a third-and-12 from their own 45 yard line, Overstreet dropped back and threw the ball down the left side of the field to a wide open Gregory for the first score of the game.
With a 7-0 lead, the Golden Eagles sent the Mountaineers offense to the sidelines quickly after a minute and 38 seconds with a three-and-out.
Four plays later on the Golden Eagles next drive on offense, Overstreet dropped back and once again found a wide open Gregory for the score, this time from 34 yards out.
The speed and agility from the two were trouble all game long.
Leading 14-0, the Mountaineers offense on their second drive looked promising. Facing a third-and-four, Campbell was only able to get a yard close to the first down mark. The Mountaineers were sent back to the sidelines for a second consecutive three-and-out.
Already with a two-score lead, the Golden Eagles wanted more and used a seven-play drive to get back in the endzone. This time coming with the running game, a six yard touchdown run from Overstreet. The Mountaineers though, did block the extra point. It was the teams second extra point block of the season.
With only a few minutes left in the half, the Golden Eagles used up the remaining three+ minutes of the game clock and converted a 28 yard field goal as time expired to take a 23-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, there were no points scored in the third quarter. One key highlight from the quarter come from Campbell of the Mountaineers who sacked Overstreet and forced him to lose the ball. The ball was recovered by Nathan Clark.
The Mountaineers though did not take advantage of the forced turnover despite grabbing a big fourth down run from Campbell of three yards that set up a fresh set of downs. The team was forced to punt, however, three plays later.
In the fourth quarter on the first play, Overstreet connected with Joshua Bisnett from 24 yards out for the score. Bisnett finished the game with two receptions for 45 yards.
With a little over 11 minutes left in the game, Wyatt Campbell was behind center this time for the Mountaineers and helped guide the team to two first downs on their drive.
Despite the two first downs, the Mountaineers wound up turning the ball over on downs when Campbell couldn’t avoid the rush from the Golden Eagles and was brought down for the sack.
Campbell finished the game with 32 yards rushing and an incomplete pass.
Following the turnover on downs, the Golden Eagles needed one play to find the endzone, a 46 yard rushing touchdown from Martin and a made extra point gave the Golden Eagles a 37-0 lead.
With just over seven minutes left in the game and as mentioned at the beginning of the article, the Mountaineers faced a running clock, but did manage to find the endzone to deny the Golden Eagles of the shutout when Caldwell connected with Via for a five yard touchdown.
It will be short work for the Mountaineers as they prepare for the Highlanders tomorrow night. The team will have played three games in eight days following the game tomorrow night.
Reminder, tomorrow night is Youth Night. Youth cheer and football athletes will be recognized before the game at 6:30 p.m.
Team/Quarter/Pts/Ttl
SRHS 14 9 0 14
AHS 0 0 0 6
Golden Eagles Statistics
Total Yards: 439
Pass. Yds: 193
Rush. Yds: 246
KR Yds: /
PR Yds: /
First Downs: 12
Penalties: 6
Total Plays: 41
T.O.P.: 21:11
Mountaineers Statistics
Total Yards: 193
Pass. Yds: 28
Rush. Yds: 101
KR Yds: 72
PR Yds: /
First Downs: 7
Penalties: 4
Total Plays: 35
T.O.P.: 26:49
Scoring Drives
First Quarter – Overstreet to Gregory 55yds, 7-0 (extra point good), 10:22
First Quarter – Overstreet to Gregory 34yds, 14-0 (extra point good), 5:48
Second Quarter – Overstreet six yard rushing TD, 20-0 (extra point blocked), 11:07
Second Quarter – Graham Gibson 28 yard field goal, 23-0 end of half
Fourth Quarter – Overstreet to Bisnett 24yds, 30-0 (extra point good), 0:00
Fourth Quarter – Martin 46yd rushing TD, 37-0 (extra point good), 7:49
Fourth Quarter – Caldwell to Via 5yds, 37-6 (extra point not attempted, 0:00
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