Bobcats Win in First Round of Playoffs

Bobcats Win in First Round of Playoffs
Bryant Weaver side steps a defender and rushes down the sidelines for the TD. (Elizabeth Kanipe photos/Patriot Publishing)

By ELIZABETH KANIPE

Patriot Publishing

It’s usually harder to beat a team the second time you face them in the same season.  Radford faced Patrick County for the second time in five weeks after beating them 28-14 in regular season play.  This time the victory was easier as the Bobcat offense was able to take advantage of good field position to post a 34-14 victory.

Radford recovered a fumble near midfield to start their first possession.  Ten plays later, JD Grubb plunged into the endzone from 4 yards out to put the Bobcats ahead.   At the end of the first half, Radford took possession at the Cougar 33 after a shanked punt.  Luke Gaither connected with Colton Garner-Rollins for a 10 yard touchdown three plays later.  The Bobcats led 14-0 at halftime.

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Louis Webster punches through a 43-yard field goal.

The Bobcats received the second half kickoff and drove deep into Cougar territory but the drive stalled and Louis Webster kicked a 43 yard field goal.  It was Webster’s longest field goal of the year.  Radford extended the lead to 24-0, when Bryant Weaver returned a punt 60 yards for his first touchdown of the season.  Patrick County got their first score on a Easton Harris 74 yard run around the right end.  The two point conversion failed.  Radford recovered the attempted onside kick to start their drive at midfield.  The drive stalled in the red zone and this time Luciano Pugliese kicked a 29 yard field goal to make the score 27-6 late in the third quarter.

The Cougars answered on their next possession with a 43 yard touchdown run.  The extra point snap was bobbled and kicker Erik Martinez-Tejada picked up the loose ball and threw it to the end zone where Mitchell Stovall caught it between two defenders.  Patrick County shrunk the Radford lead to 27-14 early in the fourth quarter.  The Cougars recovered their onside kick but the Bobcat defense forced a turnover on downs and took over at midfield.  Gaither ran the ball in from 2 yards out to extend the lead to 34-14.  The Radford defense would hold again and the offense ran out the clock.

For Radford, Gaither completed 17 of 27 passes for 240 yards.  Sincere Taylor led all receivers with 5 catches for 71 yards.  For Patrick County, Harris carried the ball 14 times for 133 yards and one touchdown.

The Bobcats move on to the Region 2C semifinals and will host Gretna at 7pm at Bobcat Stadium next Friday.