Published: August 30, 2008 01:22 am      

Richlands outlasts Tigers on new turf

RICHLANDS, Va. — The new turf at EMATS Field got quite a workout in its debut on Friday night before the home team, the Richlands Blue Tornado, secured a 35-18 victory over a fierce pride of Tigers from nearby Honaker to claim the 2008 Clinch River Classic.

A reinforced Richlands defense came alive in the second half to back up Joel Elswick’s three rushing touchdowns and two TD passes to preserve a lead that was as narrow as two points halfway through the third period.

“Honaker’s got a heck of a football team,” said Richlands head coach Greg Mance. “We knew that coming in. … We played more kids than Honaker, and we kind of wore them down in the second half.”

Doug Hubbard, 26-year coach of the Tigers, said, “We just didn’t finish. From the second quarter on, we got out-played. … We executed, gave our quarterback plenty of time to throw, (and) we were doing a lot of good things there early. I don’t know if we got tired or what happened, but from midway of the second quarter on, we just got our butts kicked.”

The Tigers leaped to a 12-0 lead with senior quarterback Justin Hall running for a 3-yard score late in the first quarter and passing to fellow senior David Keene for a 39-yard tally in the second stanza.

Keene also caught a 56-yard aerial to set up the first score. Three Richlands penalties prolonged the Tigers‘ first-half drives. Honaker was unsuccessful on both of its point-after tries in the first half. Christian Hearl intercepted a halfback pass try for a two-point conversion with 8:34 left before halftime.

Richlands quarterback Joel Elswick was hampered early by the loss of center Taber Roberts to a temporary injury during the week.

Elswick had to track down errant snaps, but started finding his range passing in the second quarter. He hit Blayke Wilson for a 39-yard gain, and ended a six-play drive with a TD pass to Bradley Strong.

A nine-play march late in the first half, keyed by a 37-yard completion to Strong, found paydirt with 17 seconds left on the clock, as Elswick connected with Christian Hearl on a five-yard slant-in for the go-ahead score.

Strong recovered a Honaker fumble on the first play of the second half and Elswick conducted the ball downfield, slipping past left tackle for a 5-yard touchdown.

Hall answered on Honaker’s next possession, moving the ball 77 yards and diving over on a 1-yard keeper to bring the Tigers’ deficit to 20-18 with 7:33 left in the quarter. Richlands’ Derek Jackson stopped Hall on the two-point conversion attempt to prevent a tie. The teams traded interceptions on the next two possessions, with pickoffs by Honaker’s Keene and Hearl of Richlands.

The Blue Tornado defense turned up the pressure on Hall, who spent time on the turf early in the fourth quarter with leg cramps. Elswick got two 1-yard touchdown runs to put the game out of reach.

The final score came with 5:20 left in the game when Honaker suffered a bad snap into its end zone on a punt attempt. Chaz Miller had to fall on the ball in the middle of the blue artificial turf.

Mance said, “We didn’t play smart again … but I’m seeing improvement. I thought we blocked better tonight. … We battled back. We got behind, but we never quit. That’s always a good sign. … We’ve got some young kids, but they’re getting better.”

As the game progressed, Mance said, “The line gave Joel time to throw the ball. I thought that was the key. We picked up their stunts and gave Joel time to throw.”

Elswick was the game’s leading ground-gainer with 67 yards on 12 tries. He was 11-for-25 passing for 187 yards and Hall completed 5 of 16 passes for 173.

Keene caught three balls for 111 net yards.

Cody Thomas led Richlands’ defensive statistics with nine tackles, four assists and a sack. At halftime, Richlands principal Karen Webb introduced the man behind the drive to add artificial turf at Ernie Hicks Stadium, Jon Bowerbank of EMATS Corporation, and gave him a plaque inscribed “making dreams a reality.”

Mance said, “It’s fun to get a win on the first night on the new turf.”

The Blue Tornado beat Honaker last year 39-0 in the Tigers’ home debut on their artificial surface, also provided by Bowerbank’s efforts.

Richlands remains at home, hosting Powell Valley next Friday. Honaker begins its Black Diamond District schedule Friday, taking on Twin Valley in Honaker.