Cavaliers Come Up Short vs Cadets

CHARCMO – All good things must come to an end, or so they say.  In Charmco, the Cavaliers would’ve just as soon stayed the course rather than change direction. Fort Frye, Ohio, ended Greenbrier West’s school-record 16-game home winning streak last night with a 27-0 win over the Cavaliers. While West may have lost the battle, they can still win the war.  Sitting at 4-2, Greenbrier West will remain in the top 16 of the WVSSAC’s Class A playoff ratings with a lot left to fight for.

A three-and-out series was not how the Cavaliers had hoped to start the game, but a fourth and one at their own 29-yard line forced West to punt.  Evan Vandall’s pooch punt ended up being a stellar 51-yard kick, flipping the field and pinning the Cadets at their own 20-yard line. Pinning may be the wrong vernacular in this instance. Tyce Beardsley ranged from right to left from his wing position to take a jet sweep handoff from quarterback Grady Hesson. Working from the short side of the field, Beardsley hit the Fort Frye sideline, sidestepped Kamden Sams, and raced 80 yards for the game’s first score.  It was the second time this season the Cavaliers had allowed a score on the opponents first offensive play. Tytan Waller sailed the PAT through the uprights for a 7-0 lead only 1:47 into the game.

Greenbrier West seemed destined for another three-and-out on their next series but a roughing the passer call on senior defensive end Treven Nicholson bought the Cavaliers a new set of downs. On third and six from their own 44-yard line, Vandall dropped back and tried to hit Sams with a slant to the left. Vandall’s pass was low and hit left guard Colton Caruthers in the back of the helmet, sending the football high into the air. Junior Cadet Kainan Bradford looked more like a punt returner than a linebacker as he settled under the ricochet and claimed an interception, returning it to the Cavalier 32-yard line.

Two plays later, it appeared that Beardsley had his second scoring run of the night, but Fort Frye was flagged for holding on the play, and the Cavaliers had a temporary reprieve. From the West 37-yard line, Hesson connected with Beardsley for a 16-yard completion. Fullback Zavier Springer barreled up the middle for a gain of four yards before a false start penalty briefly paused the Cadets’ momentum. Miller and Beardsley carried Fort Frye to the 16-yard line and the Cavaliers obliged the Cadets with an offsides. From there, Beardsley again took the jet sweep to the left, changed direction, and cutback into the West endzone for a nine-yard touchdown run. Brandon Poticher sliced through the line to block Waller’s PAT, but Fort Frye led 13-0 with 3:51 left in the first quarter.

With momentum clearly on the side of the visitors, the Cavaliers were snakebit again on third down. Poticher took a handoff to the left and veered back to the middle of the field with enough yardage for a first down.  Hesson flew in from his safety position and although not cleanly, put enough of a hit on the ball to dislodge it as Poticher went to the turf. Maddox Huck was in the right place at the right time and covered up the Cavalier miscue.

The relentless Cadets attacked immediately. Hesson play-faked to Miller, rolled to his left, and hit a wide-open Tytan Waller who had released from the tight end position. Bradley Hodge recovered to bring down Waller at the West 12-yard line, saving a touchdown.  On the next play, Miller took the handoff from Hesson and cruised twelve yards for an apparent Cadet score, but Fort Frye was flagged for a block in the back. Backed up to the 14-yard line, Hesson again dropped straight back looking to pass. Colton Caruthers applied pressure and flushed Hesson out of the pocket to his left. Colton Dunbar finished the pass rush by forcing Hesson to release the ball before hammering him to the turf. The pass rush was indeed effective as Kamden Sams positioned himself for his team-leading fifth interception, pulling the ball down in front of Cadet receiver Clayton Miller.

West couldn’t do much with their newfound fortune, though. Another three-and-out possession resulted as the game moved into the second quarter. The Cadets subsequent drive would be short-lived, however, when Hesson threw his second interception of the first half. Hesson rolled left and tried to hit Beardsley, but the pass sailed high.  Vandall swooped in from his safety position to secure the ball for the Cavaliers.

West did manage one first down on the next series but punted on the next set of fresh downs. Fort Frye wasted no time on their ensuing series.  Marching 68 yards in 6 plays, Miller capped the Cadet scoring drive with a seven-yard touchdown run.  Miller added the conversion run for a 21-0 advantage with 6:13 left in the half.

West mounted its best drive of the night on the next possession. Starting at their own 35-yard line, the Cavaliers mounted a 15-play drive to the doorstep of the Cadet’s goal line. A run by Joevan Robinson resulted in no gain followed by a tunnel pass to Dunbar that netted –1. Things began to click when Vandall hit Ben Butler on an out pattern for 15 yards. Vandall connected with a sliding Kamden Sams for a six-yard gain before Brandon Poticher was tripped up for no gain. A false start briefly backed the Cavaliers up five yards, and a Vandall scramble netted only two yards. West was bailed out by another sliding grab by Sams resulting in a 9-yard gain.

With a fresh set of downs, Vandall zipped a slant pass to Dunbar for a 17-yard completion and the Cavaliers were suddenly sitting at the Fort Frye 22-yard line. Poticher mustered a yard on his next carry before Vandall tried to connect with Dunbar again down the middle of the field.  There was contact on the play, but no flags flew. Vandall went back to Dunbar on the next play, and the junior wideout rumbled down to the Cadet five-yard line. Vandall’s first and goal carry went for no gain, and West tried to go back to the pass on second down. Bradford blitzed over the left side of the Cavalier line and dislodged the ball from Vandall momentarily. The ball was recovered by Vandall at the nine-yard line, saving the drive. The senior quarterback launched a pass in Dunbar’s direction on third and goal that sailed over the corner of the endzone and fell incomplete. Facing a fourth and goal, Vandall rolled to his left with three receivers in the pattern. Vandall spotted Dunbar near the goal line and rifled a pass to him. Dunbar reeled in the catch, but Beardsley was able to knock the Cavalier tight end to the ground shy of the score.  It would be as close as West would get to scoring the rest of the night.

Clayton Miller would score the final points of the night with 4:28 to go in the third quarter on a 33-yard run. Wallers PAT would sail wide-right, but the Cadets held a 27-0 advantage. Greenbrier West would scratch around and find some success running the option in the second half but never mounted a serious threat to score.  The Cavalier faithful did receive a major scare late in the fourth quarter when Evan Vandall had to be attended to by the medical staff and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. X-rays and tests were negative, and the senior expects to be back in action when the Cavaliers head to Lindside next Friday to face James Monroe.

Speaking of next week’s matchup, while it won’t have quite the same head-to-head playoff implications it has the past two seasons, it will have a major impact for both squads. The Mavericks are now in Class AA but are clinging to the 16 ^th spot in the ratings. Greenbrier West is one position better in Class A at #15, so both schools will be looking for a major playoff boost with a win. Who would have it any other way when these two meet?

C.W. Sturgell was named the McDonald’s of Rainelle Rock 95 Player of the Game for his performance at right guard, rock-solid defense, and his booming punt late in the fourth quarter. Be sure to vote in the WV Daily Mail’s Player of the Week poll.

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