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East Rockingham (3-2) at Rockbridge County (0-5) WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Prasnicki-Ross Field at Veterans Stadium in Lexington. Tickets are $7.
LAST YEAR: Despite leading for much of the first half, the Wildcats suffered a 47-35 road loss to East Rockingham. It was the highest point total of the season for RC, which took an 8-0 lead right away after Simon Emore returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, and the Wildcats converted the two-point attempt. Elijah Fox ran the ball in for a TD early in the second quarter to put RC up 15-7, but the Eagles scored three unanswered TDs. A TD run by Fox cut ER’s lead to 27-23 at halftime. The Eagles scored the next two TDs to go up 40-23 before RC responded with two TDs, on passes from quarterback Jayden Layman to Simon Emore, but the Eagles made a final TD to seal the win.
THE SCOOP: The Wildcats are coming off their first shutout loss of the season, a 41-0 setback at Broadway, while the Eagles are coming off their first shutout win of the season, a 21-0 home win over Harrisonburg. ER quarterback Parker Siever ran for a 2-yard TD and completed a 38-yard TD pass to Xavia Brown, who also scored on a 9-yard run. ER also earned a decisive win over Page County, 45-8 on Sept. 13, before falling to a tough Buffalo Gap team 40-11 the following week. In the Eagles’ wins, defense has been key, not allowing any of the opponents they’ve defeated to score in double digits.
THE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: The Wildcats, who played shorthanded last week, will have a hard week of practice to try to produce some offense. We expect them to have more success at home, but the Eagles will deal them a 35-21 loss.
