Hawks dominate Rams

Strasburg was looking for their first win of the season after losing to Warren County and county rival Central. Skyline was looking for their third win of the season. Dominance was the name of the game by the visiting Hawks as they raced to a 35-0 shut-out of the Rams on Friday night, Sept. 12, in Strasburg.

Playing without starting quarterback Kaleb McKelvey (shoulder injury), the Rams offense never go on track the entire night. The Hawks defense held Strasburg to 94 total yards of offense and the Rams defense was not able to contain the speed of the Hawks allowing 405 total yards of offense, 276 yards on the ground.

Skyline struck early after intercepting a Ram pass and returned it to the Ram 21-yardline. Kieran Caison hit Andrew Thorne in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown and the Hawks never looked back.

Skyline added another score in the quarter as running back Cliff Woodard dashed 39 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. Skyline added another touchdown in the second quarter on a pass from quarterback Nate White to Thorne for a 21-0 lead at the half.

Skyline (3-0) added two more scores in the third quarter by Caison and Woodard to make the final margin 35-0.

Strasburg (0-3) was led by workhorse running back Tanner Orndorff with 74 yards on 25 carries. Strasburg’s next game will be Friday, Sept. 19, at Page County. Skyline will host Central High School that same night.

Falcons rebound; shut out Rams

Angry from the previous week’s overtime 29-27 loss to the Stonewall Jackson Generals, the Falcons (1-1) ran the opening kickoff back 78 yards and went on to shut its other county rival, Strasburg, by a score of 29-0 on Friday night, Sept. 5.

On their second possession, the Falcons wasted no time marching 71 yards in three plays highlighted by Matt Sherfey connecting with Morgan Reynard for a 37-yard touchdown pass. Nick Wakeman converted his second PAT to make the score 14-0 with 8:39 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Falcons added 9 points on a safety and 54-yard touchdown pass from Sherfey to freshman wideout Sean Semones. Wakeman tacked on the PAT to go into the locker room leading 23-0.

The final Falcon score came in the third quarter after Hoyle Laughlin intercepted Ram quarterback Bub McKelvey. The sophomore running back punched into the endzone on a one yard run. The PAT was no good for the final score of 29-0.

The Falcon defense held the Rams (0-2) to 156 total yards highlighted by defensive end John Baroncelli with two quarterback sacks.

Offensively, the Falcons were led by Sherfey completing 9 of 18 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Copenhaver rushed eight times for 41 yards.

The Rams were led in rushing by McKelvey with 59 yards on four carries.

The Stonewall-Central season opening football game Aug. 29 in Mount Jackson was memorable

The Central Falcons took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards on nine plays capped by Hoyle Laughlin’s 5-yard touchdown run to make the score 6-) Falcons. Then, for nearly three quarters, the Falcon offense and defense were virtually non-existent.

Stonewall answered the Falcons’ opening score with a seven-play, 60-yard drive capped by a 29-yard touchdown run by Colton Koontz. The extra point by Juan Luna Gerrero made the score 7-6.

The Generals added two more touchdowns before the half. Koontz scored his second TF on a 1-yard run and freshman quarterback John-Michael Pirtle connect with Philip Hovatter for a 20-yard touchdown pass.

Both extra points by Guerrero were good and the Generals went in at the half leading 21-6.

In the third quarter, neither team scored. However, the fourth quarter proved to be the awakening for the Falcons. Sophomore quarterback Matt Sherfey went to work out of the shotgun formation. With 6:11 on the clock in the fourth, the Falcons went 82 yards on 10 plays capped by Sherfey’s 5-yard TD run. J.J. Armentrout’s 2-point conversion was good to make the score 21-14.

The Falcons executed a picture-perfect onside kick and took over on the Generals’ 49 y ard line. Ten plays later, Sherfey connected with wide receiver Thomas Cooper on a 9-yard TD pass. The extra point by Nick Wakeman made the score 21 all.

The Generals, however, were not finished. They drove down inside the Falcons’ 40-yard line, but were turned away by an interception by Dietrich Day.

In the overtime period, the Generals won the toss and took the fall first. Jordan Laughlin bulled in from 5 yards out and added the 2-point conversion to put the Generals up 29-21. The Falcons scored on their third play with Sherfey connecting with Armentrout. The 2-point conversion pass to Armentrout was knocked away by Derrick Turner which secured the Generals’ overtime win.

Sherfey led the Falcons with 9-21 passing, two touchdowns and one interception. Armentrout caught two passes for 78 yards and one touchdown.

Stonewall was led by Koontz with 108 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. Dylan Dawson chipped in with 83 yards on 19 carries.