Blacksburg running back Trevon Clark puts a hand on a Chester player for balance Friday as he searches for running room in the playoff game.
The Chester Cyclones tore through Blacksburg Friday, scoring 31 points off turnovers and big plays on special teams in a 50-6 win in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Chester wing back Darriyarn Baxter scored on a 60-yard touchdown run on the third play of the game. Aided by a personal foul penalty, Blacksburg tackled Shrine Bowl tight end Terry Radford at the 6-yard line on fourth down to end the Cyclones second drive.
Chester quickly forced the Blacksburg offense to punt for a second straight drive and took over near midfield. Three plays later, Chester senior quarterback De’Imari Cockrell scored on a 17-yard run for a 14-0 lead to start the second quarter.
The Cyclones recovered a Blacksburg fumble at the 13-yard line. The Wildcats defense once again stepped up and forced the Cyclones to settle for a 31-yard field goal.
Chester partially blocked a Blacksburg punt that was caught in mid-air by Cyclones linebacker Hudhaifah Taylor, who returned the blocked punt for a 22-yard touchdown for a 24- 0 Chester halftime lead.
“Chester is a really good football team. They are extremely well coached,” Blacksburg head coach Josh Batchler said. “Chester’s defense gave us problems with our blocking schemes. They confused us upfront with their run blitzes. We have to do a better job of not being predictable on offense.”
Chester’s Jakobe Starks-Wright intercepted Blacksburg at the 39-yard line on the first play of the second half. The Cyclones took advantage of another short field as wide receiver Amari Nesmith caught a 28-yard pass to the 11-yard line on one of their rare pass attempts.
Starks-Wright scored on an 11-yard run two plays later. After holding Blacksburg without a first down, Chester running back Caleb Feaster picked his way through the Wildcats defense for a 39-yard touchdown run for a 38-0 lead midway through the third quarter.
Blacksburg responded with a highlight reel 75-yard touchdown run by Trevon Clark. Clark followed a couple of combination blocks by Blacksburg offensive linemen and raced untouched past the Cyclones defense.
Chester pushed their lead to 44-6 on Taylor’s 26-yard run.
Blacksburg wide receiver Jacob Gattling returned the kickoff to the 47- yard line, but the Wildcats were unable to take advantage of the good field position.
Chester scored its final points after the Cyclones took over at the 8-yard line following a special teams mishap on a Blacksburg punt attempt. T’Mari Caldwell scored on a 1-yard run.
Blacksburg senior linebacker Ryley Burton blocked the extra point.
Burton was one of nine seniors who ended their careers Friday by playing in Blacksburg’s first playoff game since 2019. Blacksburg will return 16 starters next season.
“I’m extremely proud of our seniors. They played tonight in the first playoff game in their careers,” Batchler said. “Our seniors have left our program better than they found it. We’ve got to get back into the weight room and get bigger and stronger.”
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