Richlands completes 10-0 regular season
Richlands (69) vs. Tazewell (18)
Written: Nov 05, 2011
By MIKE DAVIS
for the Daily Telegraph
TAZEWELL Va. — The Blue Tornado had several scenarios on the table when they played the Tazewell Friday night at Bulldogs Stadium.
They needed a win and some help from other teams to win home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and they were looking at securing their eighth consecutive Southwest District title.
All of which had one common denominator and that was getting a win in week 10. After putting 41 points on the scoreboard in the opening half, the Tornado scored 28 points in the second half to finish their second consecutive perfect regular season record with a 69-18 district win over the Bulldogs.
“We really proud of our football team,” Richlands head coach Greg Mance said after the game. “We’re looking forward to the playoffs and continuing to get better each week.”
The Tornado rolled up 342 total yards on the night with 145 passing from Reece Strong completing 4-of-7 passing attempts with one interception and three touchdowns. Devon Johnson carried the ball eight times for 123 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns.
The Bulldogs maintained the majority of their offense on the ground with 210 rushing and 75 passing for a game total of 285 yards.
Richlands scored their first touchdown of the night on the second play from the line of scrimmage after Strong had tossed a 35 yard pass to Devon Johnson who took the ball to the Bulldogs 30-yard line. Strong kept the play action on tap and found D.J. Flack open for a 30-yard touchdown with 32 seconds gone from the first-quarter clock.
The Tornado defense swarmed the Bulldogs offensive set and took the line of scrimmage backwards for 10 yards before Tazewell punted the ball away.
Richlands went for another quick sore when Strong threw his second touchdown of the evening on a 65-yarder to A.J. Johnson. Strong added his second extra point of the evening on a night when he would complete 9-of-10 PATs.
The Bulldogs ignored the scoreboard and kept coming after the Tornado defense and began to push the ball forward on their next series even getting a first down on a fourth-and-one into Richlands territory. Then, the inevitable bit the Bulldogs when a fumble at the Tornado 40-yard line fell Richlands way and A.J. Johnson picked up the loose ball and ran it back 58 yards for a touchdown giving the Blues a 21-0 lead.
The Tornado scored three more times in the second quarter with two coming from Bulldogs turnovers. The scores came when Strong found Sam Lawson for a 15-yard touchdown after A.J. Johnson recovered another fumble at the Tazewell 34-yard line.
The score capped a two-play drive. Devon Johnson scored on a 6-yard run and a 47 yard run before the end of the half taking the Tornado score to 41-0.
Carter Rasnick provided a Bulldogs highlight in the second quarter when he intercepted a Tornado pass and the Tazewell special teams blocked a Richlands extra point after the last score of the half.
Following the break, Richlands added 14 points in each of the third and fourth quarters Devon Johnson rambled 23 yards in the third and Ben Brown squirted in from the 1-yard line for the third quarter scores.
Then, in the fourth Richlands scored twice beginning with a 75-yard kickoff return from Lawson and a 26-yard run by Chandler Quick.
The Bulldogs kept battling and interrupted the Richlands scoring late in the third and early in the fourth when Andrew Murray took an errant snap over his head from the 37-yard line and ran through the broken field bringing the home team to their feet for a 63-yard scoring run.
Then, Tazewell put a couple of short touchdowns on the board when Steven Wright ran in a 1-yard score before the end of the third and Kyle Sheets ran in a touchdown from the 2-yard line in the fourth.
The Blues will continue into the post season following a bye week when they return to action on Nov. 18 in the regional semifinals.
At Bulldogs Stadium
Richlands...........21 20 14 14 — 69
Tazewell.............0 0 12 6 — 18
First quarter
R – Flack 30-yard pass from Strong (Strong kick)
R – A.J. Johnson 65 yard pass from Strong (Strong kick)
R – A.J. Johnson 58 yard fumble return (Strong kick)
Second quarter
R – Lawson 15-yard pass from Strong (Strong kick)
R – Devon Johnson 6-yard run (Strong kick)
R – Devon Johnson 47-yard run (kick blocked)
Third quarter
R – Devon Johnson 23-yard run (Strong kick)
R – Ben Brown 1-yard run (Strong kick)
T – Murray 63-yard run (kick no good)
T – Steven Wright 1-yard (conversion no good)
Fourth quarter
T – Kyle Sheets 2-yard run (conversion no good)
R – Lawson 75-yard kickoff return (Strong kick)
R –Chandler Quick 26-yard run (Strong kick)
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