Football vs Broadway

Posted: October 5, 2013

By MATTHEW STOSS

Byrd Newspapers

HARRISONBURG — On the first play of the game, James Wood quarterback Cam Butler ran 43 yards to spark a 65-yard scoring drive.

It was a preview of things not to come.

Butler’s dash was only a blip as Broadway’s defense held the Colonels to just 39 rushing yards the rest of the way en route to a 24-3 non-district football victory Friday night.

“Our defense in the run department has been tested all year, and we’ve done well and responded,” said Broadway coach Brad Lutz. “Coming into this game, we really knew we would have to focus on stopping the pass and they ran quite a bit.”

So did the Gobblers (2-3).

Led by running back Austen Delawder, Broadway rushed for 324 yards on 51 carries, sustaining long, physical drives and wearing down the Colonels (0-5), who were playing without their head coach. Mark McHale was ejected in last week’s loss to Fauquier.

The Virginia High School League’s penalty for an ejection is a one-game suspension. Quarterbacks coach Josh Copp subbed in Friday.

Copp said the Gobblers’ clock and ball control — they scored on drives on 14, 10, nine and 10 plays — were demoralizing.

“They got first- and second-and-21s and they were able to convert those, and defensively, that just kills you,” Copp said. “That deflates you a lot.”

Delawder had a lot to do with it. The 6-foot, 185-pound junior ran for a career-high 153 yards on 19 carries. He averaged 8.0 yards per carry, and Broadway averaged 6.3 yards a carry as a team.

“I feel great,” Delawder said. “I couldn’t have really done it tonight without the [offensive] line opening up big holes, and I’m just filling the holes and hitting it and driving my feet.”

Delawder gave Broadway the lead for good, scoring on a 1-yard run with 3:43 left in the first quarter. After James Wood took a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal by William Spears, the Gobblers scored 24 unanswered points, starting with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Delawder’s touchdown.

“We were looking to gain the momentum. They came out and had a quick strike down the field, and our defense held them to three points,” Lutz said of Butler’s 43-yard run. “And then our run game took over, and I was excited about how the kids responded. From Day 1, we preached to our kids we want to pound the rock, and we felt like our kids, they believed tonight and they executed well.”

Broadway also used some boldness, attempting two onside kicks (recovering one) and one fake punt on fourth-and-10 that Jacob Depoy ran 34 yards to keep the Gobblers’ first scoring drive going.

“That’s justwhat we do up front — just pound people,” Broadway offensive lineman Nathan Brady said.

James Wood quarterback Cam Butler went 6 for 15 for 87 yards. The 6-foot, 165-pound senior also rushed six times for 55 yards but left game early in the fourth quarter after injuring his left knee while being sacked.

“They’re going to evaluate him tonight and tomorrow,” Copp said. “I’m not exactly sure what the prognosis is, yet.”

The Colonels finished with just 82 yards rushing.