Playing four quarters
Richlands (35) vs. Buckingham County (20)
Written: Nov 20, 2015
 By MIKE DAVIS
for the Daily Telegraph
RICHLANDS, Va.— The Richlands coaching staff stressed all week that the game against Buckingham County Friday night would take four quarters.
They were right.
Richlands (11-1) overcame a six-point deficit at the halftime break to score 21 unanswered points in the second half to beat the Knights, 35-20 at Ernie Hicks Stadium/Emats Field.
“The key was the defensive stop before the end of the first half,” Richlands head coach Greg Mance said. “If we go into halftime down by two scores that would put us behind the eight-ball. Our defense held them and we challenged our kids at halftime, made a few adjustments and came out and played lights out (in the second half).”
Richlands started the opening half by going down field in four plays for a touchdown aided by an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Knights. The drive lasted one minute and went 56 yards, capped by John-Luke Asbury finding Scottie Ball down the sideline for a 35-yard score. Nick Barrett kicked his first of five extra points on the night.
The Knights bounced back and answered in three plays, taking the ball from their 27-yard line, scoring on a 4-yard run around the right end by Leon Ragland. The snap was fumbled and the extra point never got off the tee.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Knights caught everyone by surprise with a short high kick which they recovered at the Tornado 45-yard line. Buckingham quickly changed the scoreboard once again on the third play of the drive when Ragland bolted into the Tornado secondary and scored on a 40-yard run.
Daniel Brickhill threw a complete pass to Ragland on the conversion to take a 14-7 lead over the Blues.
The Knights took a two-score lead over Richlands again after the Blues defense had gotten a stop on the previous drive to force a punt. Then, a fumbled snap by the Tornado led to Buckingham’s Brycen Newby picking up the ball at the Tornado 18-yard line and running it in for the score. The extra point was called wide leaving the score at 20-7.
Richlands pulled to within six points before the end of the half when Asbury found Ball in the right corner of the end zone for a jump ball and the touchdown with less than seven minutes to go in the first half.
Buckingham County had an opportunity to put Richlands in a deep hole by driving the ball from their own 25-yard line to the Tornado 2 the final six minutes of the half before they met a stellar defensive effort by the Blues.
The Knights had the ball in the red zone for 10 plays and couldn’t punch it giving the Tornado the ball on downs.
Richlands ran out the clock for the final 22 seconds. That defensive stand carried over into the second half with the momentum clearly shifting over to the home team.
Buckingham got the ball to start the second half and met the fierce attack once again by the Richlands defense, having to punt the ball after failing to get a first down.
The Tornado took the ball at the Knights 35-yard line and scored in one play when Nick Blankenship burst through the line for a 35-yard touchdown run.
The Richlands gave the Knights a repeat performance on the ensuing drive and they had to punt the ball, giving the Tornado the ball at Buckingham’s 32-yard line. It took the Tornado three plays to strike when Asbury threw a 17-yard touchdown to Cody Howie set up by an 18-yard pass from Asbury to Ball, who made a sensational leaping catch.
Richlands put it out of reach with 3:14 t0 play in the third quarter when Asbury made a read on a mismatch on the right side with the Buckingham safety and threw a seam route to Austin Atkinson who raced 73 yards for the score.
Asbury finished the night with 233 yards completing 11-for-22 passes for four touchdowns. Ball had four catches for 102 yards and Atkinson had three catches for 97 yards to lead the Tornado receiving corps. Blankenship carried the ball 14 times for 75 yards and a touchdown for Richlands.
B.J. Gough led the Knights on the ground with 150 yards on 27 carries and Ragland ran for 112 yards on 18 totes with two touchdowns.
“Two good programs battling,” Knights head coach Craig Gill said. “Two great coaching staffs and I’m proud of the players they played their hearts out.”
Buckingham finished their season 10-2, while Richlands will travel to Appomattox next Saturday to face the unbeaten Raiders. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m.
At Ernie Hicks Stadium
Buckingham..............14 6 0 0 — 20
Richlands...................7 7 21 0 — 35
Scoring Summary
First quarter
R— Ball 35 pass from Asbury (Barrett kick)
B – Ragland 4 run (kick failed)
B – Ragland 40 run (Ragland pass from Brickhill)
Second quarter
B – Newby 18 fumble return (kick no good)
R – Ball 9 pass from Asbury (Barrett kick)
Third quarter
R – Blankenship 35 run ((Barrett kick)
R – Howie 17 pass from Asbury (Barrett kick)
R – Atkinson 73 pass from Asbury (Barrett kick)
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