By RODNEY YOUNG
NRVSports.net
Playing on a very warm evening in Hillsville, the home-standing Carroll County Cavaliers defeated Three Rivers District foe Glenvar Highlanders 38-21.
The Cavaliers rushed the ball 58 times for a punishing 360 yards. They had 428 total yards as they just couldn’t be stopped on the ground. Eight different players would carry the pigskin for the Cavaliers.
Hunter Gravley had 146 yards on just nine carries. Ayden Dickerson had 13 carries for 63 yards. QB Colton Gravley had 10 rushes for 54 yards, and Keyon Ketterer had eight rushes for 32 yards and scored three touchdowns. Waylon Crotts also had double-digit rushes with 10 carries for 36 yards.
The Cavaliers’ full-house backfield seemed to pick up first downs when they wanted to. They led 16-13 at intermission and, on the opening drive of the third quarter, they began an 11-play, 77-yard drive that took over eight minutes off the clock.
Glenvar actually got on the scoreboard first.
Freshman QB Kiptyn Jones ran in from six yards out, and his point-after kick had the Highlanders up 7-0 with 37 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
Carroll County would score at the 6:40 mark of the second quarter. QB Colton Gravley scored on a five-yard quarterback sneak. Dickerson would get the two-point conversion run to put the Cavaliers up 8-7.
Glenvar would answer as Grayson Harris caught a 28-yard touchdown pass, but the two-point pass was knocked down, leaving the score 13–8 Highlanders, with 3:07 before intermission.
Carroll County would go back ahead with just 39 seconds left in the half when Hunter Gravley scored on a 32-yard jaunt off tackle and down the Highlander sideline. Dickerson would run the two-point conversion in to give Carroll a 16-13 lead at intermission.
Receiving the second-half kickoff, Carroll County would go on a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped off by Ketterer catching a 37-yard pass from Colton Gravley. He would then run around the right end for the two-point conversion to extend their lead to 24-13.
Glenvar’s Benjamin Brown caught a short screen pass, avoided a couple of tackles and raced 69 yards down the Highlander sideline for six. Harris would catch a two-point pass in the right corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to three, 24-21.
Carroll County would go back to their ground game as their drive would be topped off with a Ketterer six-yard run with 9: 47 left in the game, putting them up 30-21.
The Cavalier defense would stop the Highlanders (3-3) one more time and would put the game away. Ketterer would score on a one-yard plunge, and Conner Reece would catch the two-point conversion pass to put the final score at 38-21.
Carroll County head coach Seth Greer said, “We made some mistakes, but the heart of our team is our offensive line. We had to earn this win here tonight, and I’m proud of the guys.” Coach then added, “Hunter Gravely is a ball player, all 150-155 pounds of him. We tell the guys to trust each other, and I know it’s an old thing, but a team wins and has to play together.” Coach Greer then remarked, “I think this is the first time Carroll County has beaten Glenvar in football.”
The Cavaliers’ defense held the Highlanders to four yards rushing on five carries.
The win has the Cavaliers at 6-0, and they have a bye next week. They will take on the Floyd County Buffaloes at home on Friday, October 16, at 7 pm.
Carroll Co. 0 16 8 14-38
Glenvar 7 6 8 0-21
Rushing– Carroll – H. Gravely 9-146, C. Gravely 10-54, Dickerson 13-63, Ketterer 8-32, Crotts 10-36, Dalton 6-22, Nicholson 1-3, VanSlee 1-3, Glenvar- Burris 1-2, Remington 1-19, Jones 3-
minus (-17)
Passing – Carroll – C. Gravely – 2-5-0 INTs- 1 TD. -68 yds., Glenvar – Jones – 10-25- 2 INTS., 2 TDS., 215 yards.
Receptions– Carroll – Ketterer 1-37, Reece 1-31, Glenvar- Harris 5-95, Brown 2-74, Henderson 3-46
First Downs– Carroll 20, Glenvar 9
Fumbles / lost- Carroll 3-1, Glenvar 3-1
Penalties – Carroll 5-36, Glenvar 7-62
Total Yds.- Carroll 428, Glenvar 219
Punts/avg. -Carro;; 1-33.0, Glenvar 3-43.0
Total TOs – Carroll 1, Glenvar 3
