Spartans conquer Blue Devils
Giles (42) vs. Grayson County (12)
Written: Nov 17, 2013
By TOM BONE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PEARISBURG, Va. — You can’t contain the Giles Spartans’ single-wing offense. Some nights, you can’t even stop it.
The unbeaten Spartans remained that way Friday night with a 42-12 beatdown of the Grayson County Blue Devils in the first round of the Group 2A West playoffs at a rainy Steven C. Ragsdale Field.
Giles (11-0) got three touchdowns of 50 yards or more in the first half and the defense took over after that.
It took just five plays on offense for Giles to light up the scoreboard, with Brett Whitlow running 67 yards for a score. He added the first of six extra-point kicks for a 7-0 lead.
On the first play of the second quarter, Tyler Perdue got the first of his three touchdowns, on a 17-yard run, after Grayson County had been held to a three-and-out. Later in the quarter, John Teats took a reverse down the home sideline 78 yards and Whitlow’s kick made the score 21-0.
The Blue Devils (5-6) got their first points when quarterback Tyler Lundy made a deceptive fake handoff and dashed around end 38 yards to the end zone.
With a minute left in the half, Giles answered on a 50-yard touchdown run by Perdue for a 28-6 lead at the break.
Giles started the second half with a 76-yard drive, chewing up 6:23 off the clock. It ended with an 8-yard run by Brian Mann.
The contest, practically free of penalties in the first half, played out with several flags and three fumbles after halftime.
Perdue got Giles’ final score with 9:23 remaining in the game, and Clint Bourne ran 1 yard to the end zone for the Blue Devils on the next possession.
Perdue said, “It was slick. It was a physical ballgame.”
Giles head coach Jeff Williams said Grayson County was “a tough, well-coached, physical football team. … We had to get in there and battle tonight.”
Williams said, “I felt like we were blocking really good in there tonight, from left end to right end, they were doing a tremendous job.”
The backs took advantage.
“We feel like we’ve got backs that, once we get them in the open, they’ve got good enough speed that they can take it for a touchdown.”
Mann had 111 yards on 18 carries, while Perdue ran for 105 yards on only eight touches. Teats added 88 yards and Whitlow ran for 86. Grayson County’s leading rusher was John Bilbrey, who had 77 yards on 14 carries but was injured on his first rush of the second half.
On defense, Williams said, “It was a little rough starting out, but probably from late in the second quarter through the second half, they really played great.”
Giles senior lineman Cody Rhodes said, “We came out to block good for our backs tonight.”
Even with the usual large home crowd cheering for the Spartans, the night “felt different,” Rhodes said. “We had more energy on the field from the fans.”
Perdue said, “We’ve got to push it as far as we can go. We’ve got a team that can go deep in the playoffs.”
They will get another chance next Friday night in Pearisburg.
— Contact Tom Bone at tbone@bdtonline.com
At Steven C. Ragsdale Field
Grayson County........…….0 6 0 6 — 21
Giles……………..........……7 21 7 7 — 42
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – GC, James Williams 8-27, John Bilbrey 14-77, Tyler Lundy 6-49, Max Rodgers 2-(13), Logan Sikes 1-2, Jarrien Goins 5-68, Clint Courne 2-9. Giles, Brett Whitlow 9-86, Tyler Perdue 8-105, Brian Mann 18-111, Dusty Boggess 1-3, John Teats 6-88, Jenson Doffin 1-3, Anthony Meadows 5-28, Ben Pratt 4-7, Team 2-(-10).
PASSING – GC, Lundy 3-5-43-0-0, Max Rodgers 1-7-8-0-0. Giles, Mann 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING – GC, Ty Cannady 2-42, James Williams 2-9. Giles, none.
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