Spartans take 10-0 record into postseason
Giles (57) vs. Glenvar (21)
Written: Nov 09, 2013
Staff report
GLENVAR, Va. — The road to a state championship in Group 2A West will have to come through Pearisburg this postseason.
Giles confirmed this fact on Friday night as they completed an undefeated regular season with an impressive 57-21 win over Glenvar in the regular season finale for both teams.
The Spartans (5-0, 10-0) were dominant on both sides of the ball. The single wing offense rushed for over 450 yards while the Giles’ defense forced seven Highlander turnovers.
“Finishing (the regular season) undefeated is a heck of an accomplishment, especially with the teams that we played,” Giles head coach Jeff Williams said. “The Three Rivers District is always as tough as nails.”
Giles will now be the No. 1 seed in Group 2A West, while Glenvar (5-5, 3-2) came into the game rated 13th and will await its postseason fate this weekend.
The game was scoreless through most of the first period before the Spartans broke through on John Teats 15 yard TD run with 15 seconds left in the period to go up 7-0. The score was set up by an interception from the Spartans’ Dakoda Shrader on the previous play.
Glenvar tied the game at 7 early in the second period when quarterback Levi Mullins hit wide receiver Jake Shaffer in the back right corner of the end zone on a nine-yard pass. It was the first of three touchdown passes for Mullins on the night.
Giles, however, took the lead for good at the 9:12 mark of the second when Brett Whitlow busted up the middle for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 14-7.
Whitlow, Teats and Tyler Perdue each scored two touchdowns for Giles. Perdue scored one of his on an 80 interception return late in the fourth quarter that wrapped up the scoring.
Perdue, who finished with 151 rushing yards, credited the offense’s success to his offensive line and the rotation he is in with fellow running back Brian Mann. Typically Perdue and Mann alternate offensive possessions in the Spartan backfield.
“Me and Brian have been doing that all year,” Perdue said. “It helps me out a lot to stay fresh.”
Mann had 91 yards on ground including a 30-yard TD run midway through the third that put the Spartans up 29-7.
“We’ve got some guys that can really haul the mail and our offensive line stepped up,” Williams said.
Glenvar’s offense also had success moving the ball, but were hampered by seven turnovers including five interceptions of Mullins.
“There’s a reason why Giles is 10-0 and probably is going to go far in the playoffs, but we weren’t protecting the ball,” Glenvar head coach Kevin Clifford said. “No one can overcome seven turnovers.”
Now with the regular season behind them Giles is looking ahead to the possibilities the postseason presents.
“If we play like we’ve been playing then we’ll be fine,” Perdue said.
At Glenvar
Giles...............................7 15 21 14 — 57
Glenvar...........................0 7 7 7 — 21
G - Teats 15 run (Whitlow kick)
Gl - Shaffer 9 pass from Mullins (Thompson kick)
G- Whitlow 49 run (Whitlow kick)
G- Teats 4 run (Perdue run)
G- Mann 30 run (Whitlow kick)
G- Perdue 69 run (Whitlow kick)
Gl - Martin 71 pass from Mullins (Thompson kick)
G- Whitlow 60 run (Whitlow kick)
G- Graham 26 run (Whitlow kick)
Gl- Shaffer 21 pass from Mullins (Thompson kick)
G- Perdue 80 interception return (Whitlow kick)
———
TEAM STATISTICS
Giles Glenvar
First Downs 16 17
Yards Rushing 455 141
Passes C-A-I 1-4-0 13-27-5
Yards Passing 27 276
Penalties-Yards 4-40 2-11
Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-2
Punts-average 2-38.5 2-35.5
———
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING - Giles, Perdue 9-151, Whitlow 9-130, Mann 13-91, Teats 5-31, Boggess 1-(-5), Meadows 2-16, Graham 4-37, Pratt 1-4. Glenvar, Smith 23-139, Mullins 2-2.
PASSING- Giles, Mann 1-3-0-27, Perdue 0-1-0-0. Glenvar, Mullins 13-27-5-276.
RECEIVING - Giles, Boggess 1-27. Glenvar, Martin 6-189, Shaffer 2-30, Clifford 4-41, Lovelace 1-16.
|