Wolverines bite ’Cats, 30-14

DUSTIN BYARS ...threw for 200 yards and scored on a 10-yard run. WOODRUFF – It was a game of two halves.

Woodruff sprinted out to a 28-0 halftime lead, but held off the feisty Blacksburg Wildcats to take a 30-14 victory on Friday at W.L. Varner Stadium.

The Wolverines (2-2) were paced in the first half by tailback Jonathan Jeter’s two touchdowns, and surprised Blacksburg’s defense with an aerial attack that produced a score in the second quarter.

“That’s what we didn’t prepare for,” said Blacksburg coach Robbie Blanton, who saw his team fall to 0-4. “We came in with the mindset on stopping the run, and they throw the ball, which is very unusual considering they’re traditionally a run-oriented football team.”

LEDGER PHOTO BY LARRY B. LITTLEJOHN Blacksburg’s Steven Ross (6) gets set to bring down Woodruff’s Franklin Higgins (33) after he intercepted a pass in third quarter action Friday night. After giving up a safety on the first series of the third quarter, which gave the Wolverines a 30-0 advantage, Blacksburg’s defense stiffened to hold Woodruff scoreless the rest of the way.

“I’m very disappointed we’re 0-4,” Blanton said. “But I think we grew up tonight.”

Woodruff coach Al Roebuck said that Blacksburg’s defense played inspired football in the second half.

“We wanted to work on some things we haven’t seen, but their defense played pretty good in the second half,” he said. “But I credit our kids with playing well in the first half.”

Jeter, who would finish with 143 yards (127 first half) on 20 carries, scored on a 7-yard run with 5:44 to go in the first quarter, to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead. The 4-play, 30-yard drive was set up by an interception of a Dustin Byars pass by James Woodruff.

Blacksburg looked set to tie the game after marching to the Woodruff 17 yard line. But Tramon Garrett thwarted the opportunity with an interception at the 22.

On second-and-7 from the 44, Jeter reeled off a 49yard run to the 7. He capped the drive with a 9-yard burst up the middle, to give the Wolverines a 14-0 lead with 8:23 showing. Steven Lane added the point after.

Woodruff then went to the air on its next series with John Ravan tossing a 23yard scoring pass to T.J. Johnson. Lane added the extra point for a 21-0 margin with 2:56 left in the half.

Jeter once again reeled off a long run – this time a 37yarder – to the Blacksburg 20. On third down, Ravan tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Woodruff with :46.6 seconds to go for a 28-0 advantage. Lane added his final point after.

“We always talk about bending and not breaking on defense,” Blanton said. “But we seemed to break at the worst possible time, giving up big play after big play.”

After giving up a team safety with 10:51 showing to trail 30-0 in the third quarter, the Wildcats came to life.

Byars finished off a 5play, 70-yard drive with a 46-yard touchdown strike to Steven Ross at the 7:37 mark of the period. Dylan Johnson’s extra point was good and the Wildcats trailed, 30-7.

The Wildcats tacked on their final points when Byars scored on a gutsy 10-yard run around right end. Johnson nailed the extra point for the final margin with 6:37 to go in the fourth quarter.

Blanton saw some life in the Wildcats’ running game with junior Marvin Ford getting his first start at tailback. He finished the night with 58 tough yards on 17 carries.

“Manny ran the ball hard for us tonight,” he said. “Hopefully, that will give us something to look forward to when the region schedule starts.”

But the Wildcats have one more non-region game on the slate at Ware Shoals on Friday. The Hornets (3-1) were a 40-21 winner over Dixie.

“We’ve got to get better and we’re progressing in some areas,” Blanton said. “Being 0-4 is awful.”