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The Rockbridge County High School football team fell 38-20 on the road at Blacksburg on Friday night.
But the Wildcats (0-4) fought to the end and put 20 points on the board in the fourth quarter, the most they’ve scored in a game so far this season.
With nine seconds left in the final quarter, the Wildcats were trailing 38-14. RC took a final timeout to set up one last play. Quarterback Jayden Layman kept the ball and dove to the pylon for a touchdown. The twopoint attempt that followed was no good, bringing the final score to 38-20.
Even though the Wildcats were not going to pull out a win with one play left, head coach Martin Cox said it was important to finish the game.
“We’re starting to understand that you have to play the game all the way to the end,” he said.
RC started the game driving strong in the first 8:45. Their drive was halted after a holding penalty set them back to secondand- 19. Layman failed to execute on two pass attempts, and the ’Cats were forced to punt.
The Wildcats spent most of the game driving the ball on the ground, and they were not able to find much success early on. The Bruins (2-2) controlled the first half of the game, darting to a 38-0 lead.
Blacksburg’s momentum began with a touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Karpa to receiver Luke Poff, who sprinted down the right sideline for the touchdown. The Bruins set up for the extra-point attempt, but Karpa held onto the ball and threw it into the end zone for a successful two-point conversion on the trick play, putting the home team ahead 8-0.
Karpa, out of the pocket, again connected with Poff, who ran the ball down to the 5-yard line on a third-and-long play near the end of the first quarter. Tight end Addison Bass made the TD reception, and the PAT kick gave the Bruins a 15-0 lead with 1:37 left in the period.
After back-to-back incomplete passes by Karpa, forced by Caiden Cavasos and Gabriel Wade, at the start of the second quarter, Karpa threw a dime to receiver Xavier Price on thirdand- long. Price accelerated into the end zone, and the extra point put Blacksburg up 22-0 with 11:23 left in the first half.
The Wildcats continually failed to execute with the ball in their possession. Layman was sacked by linebacker James Rich in the ’Cats’ end zone on a third-and-long play, resulting in a safety for the Bruins. With 9:31 left in the half, RC trailed 24-0.
The Bruins eased their way back down the field two more times in the second quarter for a score of 38-0 at halftime.
The third quarter saw backto- back-to-back turnovers by the two teams in the last five minutes.
Bruins linebacker Aydian Eldridge intercepted a pass attempt by Layman. Quarterback Chanler Montgomery was now in the game for the Bruins, and his pass, intended for Price, was intercepted by RC’s Elijah Fox. The Wildcats then fumbled the ball at their own 11-yard line, and the Bruins recovered it.
The third quarter ended with a 28-yard field goal attempt by the Bruins. Evan Maxwell blocked it, and the clock ticked down with no points scored in the quarter.
Cox said his team failed to capitalize on turnovers. “We made too many mistakes at the wrong time,” he said.
But he did get to see his team control the fourth quarter. Running back Josiah Saunders received the handoff to start the quarter, striding down the middle into Bruin territory before being tackled at the 36-yard line.
With 8:52 remaining on the clock, the Wildcats stood at firstand- goal for the first time in the game. Saunders got the handoff again and made his way into the end zone for the first RC touchdown of the night. The ’Cats now trailed 38-6 after a failed twopoint
attempt.
The Wildcats held the Bruins to three-and-out, regaining possession. With just over four minutes left on the clock, Layman was finally pushing the ball through the air. He connected with receiver JP Welsh in the end zone to top off another RC drive. The Bruins’ lead was cut to 38-14 following a successful two-point conversion by the ’Cats.
The Bruins were stopped again early in their next possession by the Wildcats’ defense, and RC capitalized on one last touchdown as the clock hit 0:00 to end the game.
Fox led the Wildcats with 93 rushing yards on nine attempts. Maxwell carried the ball 13 times for 78 yards, and Layman completed 8-of-14 passes for 80 yards.
The ’Cats lost the game, but by the lowest margin so far this season.
“We saw a little improvement, just not enough,” Cox said. “We’re focused on trying to do what we have to do to get better.”
The second-year coach said he is emphasizing tackling in space at practice and getting his players used to the varsity level of play. Cox said he is focused on developing the young men that make up the small RC roster.
“We haven’t had anyone give up on themselves or their team,” he said. “They’re committed to this team and getting better every day.”
RC will open up Valley District play at home against Broadway on Friday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
