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Story part one
By LARRY HYPES
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
TAZEWELL, Va. — Once the rain stopped, it really poured on Tazewell when Giles unleashed a perfect storm in the second half. Brad Kessinger ripped through the Tazewell defense for 165 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries to help break open a tight game as Giles broke loose in the second half to pull away for a 56-7 non-district win over the Bulldogs Friday.
The battling THS gridders (0-4) went into the locker room trailing just 14-7 but Giles’ Cody Vaught returned the second half kickoff 51 yards to the Bulldog 39 and only a touchdown-saving tackle by Chris Hall kept GHS out of the end zone on the opening play. Kessinger scored from 13 yards out with 9:46 left in the third quarter, the first of four touchdowns for the Spartans (4-1) in the period.
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Story part 2
“I thought that kick return really got us going and once we pushed the ball downfield and scored the momentum turned our way,” observed Spartan coach Jeff Williams.
“That first half was real tough. Tazewell football has always been hard-hitting. We expected that. We challenged our players in the locker room a little at halftime and they came out ready to play.”
Giles had 383 total yards including 327 rushing and did not punt, although the Spartans did turn the ball over once on downs. Tazewell had 98 on the ground and 105 yards in total offense. Every drive of the second half started in Tazewell territory as the Spartans kept up the pressure on the hard-luck Bulldogs.
Kessinger, who had scoring runs of 5, 5, 13, and 12 yards, picked up 114 of his yards in the first quarter before the Tazewell defense rose up and began to contain his darting runs which primarily came down the right side during the first half. Mikal Moore was the offensive standout for the Dogs, gaining 85 yards rushing in the first half including a 48-yard scamper in the opening stanza which set up the Tazewell touchdown.
Carter Rasnick bolted down the left side for a 16-yard score with 1:35 to go in the first quarter. Andrew Murray’s kick tied the score at 7-7. Giles took the lead for good on the next series, marching 80 yards in six plays as Kessinger’s second TD – a 6-yard run –came at the 10:52 mark of the second period. Zach Keaton’s PAT gave Giles a 14-7 lead.
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Story part 3
Neither team threw a pass in the first quarter but Kessinger threw five times in the second period. He completed three but the last one was intercepted by Tazewell’s Jalen Jordan in the end zone with just seconds remaining before the break.
Giles, spurred by Vaught’s big return, went into the end zone four times in the third period. Kessinger scored from 13 yards out. He broke into the end zone from 12 yards away at the 4:32 mark to cap a five-play drive that only covered 24 yards. Tyler Nelson’s fumble recovery for Giles on the next series helped set up Ethan Mitchell’s two-yard touchdown.
The Spartans, using THS miscues as a catalyst, scored three times with 87 yards of total offense during the flurry. Giles fourth and final touchdown of the third quarter came when Brooks Haynie took the ball away from the Bulldog runner in the end zone to get the touchdown with just :29 left and push the score to 42-7 after Keaton’s kick. Hunter Mathias sparkled for the Spartans in the fourth period. He scored at the 9:14 mark on a run of six yards (following a THS fumble) and 30 yards with just :41 left, long after Williams had begun liberal substitution. Carson Journell, brother of Virginia Tech kicker Cody Journell, kicked the final extra point. Moore finished with 82 yards rushing to lead the Bulldogs.
“It was just a tough night,” said Tazewell coach Brandon Tate. “Giles was able to take advantage of every break we gave them. They are a good team and you can’t give those kinds of teams any extra advantages. We never stopped playing hard, though. Our players are still getting after it. We just need to turn it around and get a win. It will happen.”
Malik Davis completed one pass while Kessinger completed three for 26 yards. The Spartans led 17-5 in first downs.
Tazewell hosts Lebanon on September 30 in the Homecoming game while Giles is open before beginning district play against Auburn on October 7.
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Story part 4
At Bulldog Stadium/Witten Field
Giles....................................7 7 28 14 — 56
Tazewell..............................7 0 0 0 — 7
First Quarter
G – Kessinger, 5-yard run (Keaton kick)
T –Rasnick, 16-yard run (Murray kick)
Second Quarter
G- Kessinger, 5-yard run (Keaton kick)
Third Quarter
G- Kessinger, 13-yard run (Keaton kick)
G-Kessinger, 12-yard run (Keaton kick)
G-Mitchell, 2-yard run (Keaton kick)
G-Haynie, fumble rec. in end zone (Keaton kick)
Fourth Quarter
G-Mathias, 6-yard run (Keaton kick)
G-Mathias, 30-yard run (Keaton kick)