By RODNEY YOUNG
NRVSports.net
Playing on a cold, breezy Friday afternoon the home town Blue Devils of Grayson County easily defeated the George Wythe Maroons 42-15 to capture the Class 1 Region C title for the second straight year.
Grayson had nine runs of 25 yards or more as they physically whipped the Maroon up front. Dazion Thompson scored three touchdowns and Parker Dowell also scored three times. Thompson rushed for 240 yards on 13 carries, while Dowell carried the ball 13 times for 177 yards. The Blue Devils finished with 515 rushing yards and 526 total yards.
Grayson took the kickoff and moments later scored on a Dowell two-yard run off the right end. That capped a 56 yard drive on nine plays.
George Wythe would come right back and score on an 11-yard quarterback sneak from Isaac Smith, but their point after kick was wide right and it was 7-6 Grayson with 4:08 left on the clock in the first quarter.
Grayson got back on the scoreboard with 10: 36 of the second quarter as Dowell broke free for a 78 yard jaunt and Makray Goad’s kick upped the score to 14-6.
The Maroons would cough the ball up and Grayson recovered and two plays later Thompson broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown. The extra-point kick made it 21-6 with 8:09 remaining in the first half.
George Wythe (8-5) would then drive the ball to the Grayson 15 but was stopped on third down. Lucas Mabry would then hit a 31-yard field goal for a 21-9 score going into intermission.
Grayson would strike again, this time Thompson would scamper 51 yards around right end and down the Grayson sideline to paydirt, and Goad’s kick made the score 28-9, with 3:11 remaining in the third quarter.
George Wythe, with 9:41 left in the game got a Kaiden Irby five-yard touchdown run, but Mabry’s kick was wide right and the Maroons trailed, 28-15.
The Blue Devils (9-4) after the kickoff would score one their first play from scrimmage with Thompson out running the Maroon secondary for a 62-yard touchdown to make the score, 35-15.
The final score came at the six-minute mark left in the contest with Thompson scoring on a 37-yard run to make the final 42-15.
“We made too many mistakes and beat ourselves the first time we faced the Maroons, “ said Grayson head coach Stephen James. “I thought our offensive and defensive lines did a great job today and we were physical. We made plays and we will get to work next week.”
The regular season saw the Maroons defeat the Blue Devils 28-26 and Grayson seemed to remember that game Friday. Grayson has now won seven consecutive games since that loss back on October 10th.
The win sends Grayson County to the State Semi-finals next Saturday against Rye Cove. Time and place to be announced.
Grayson 7 14 7 14 – 42
Geo. Wythe 6 3 0 6 -15
Rushing – Grayson – Dowel 13-177- 3 Tds., Thompson 13-240-3 Tds., McMillian 3-64, Mav. Goad 4-26, Mak. Goad 2-8, GW – Irby 22-204- Td., Golliher 7-27, Smith 6-10-Td., Bralley 2-10, Rivens 1- Minus(-6)
Passing– Grayson – Mav. Goad 2-5-0 Ints.-0 Tds.- 11 yds., GW- Smith – 10-22- 0 Ints.-0 Tds.- 48 yds.
Receptions – Grayson – Mak. Goad 2-11, GW- Skeens 2-8, Bralley 3-16, Rivens 2-10, Irby 1-9, Crigger 2-5
First downs – Grayson 17, GW – 14
Fum.-lost– Grayson 2-0, GW – 2-2
Penalties – Grayson 8-80, GW- 3-20
Total Yds. – Grayson 526, GW- 293
Punts-avg,- Grayson 3- 14.6, GW- 3- 44.6
Total TO’s – Grayson 0, GW – 2
Rushes-yds.- Grayson 35-515, GW – 38-245
