Late Alleghany Score Spoils Riverheads' Fourth-quarter Rally

GREENVILLE – Riverheads overtook Alleghany with a TD and two-point conversion with 1:46 left in the game, but that turned out to be plenty of time for Alleghany quarterback Des Jordan to engineer the winning drive.

Jordan connected with Brady May on a 47-yard scoring pass with 51 seconds left in the game for a 36-29 Alleghany victory, spoiling an improbable fourth-quarter comeback.

Riverheads had no answer for the Cougars passing game as Jordan completed 15-of-22 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns. The Alleghany QB ran for the Cougars’ other score.

“That quarterback is pretty good. I hope we don’t see anyone as good as him for a while,” said Riverheads head coach Ray Norcross.

While the Alleghany pass attack gave the Gladiators fits, the Riverheads running game pounded the Cougars for 338 yards on the ground. Preston McCauley gained 113 yards on 14 carries from his fullback position. Jackson Fitzgerald added 92 yards on 15 carries and Skyler Shiflett finished with 74 yards on 15 carries.

“Back in the fall, we had to fill some holes on the line, but they’ve gotten better every week. We scored 29 points on that team, I think that’s the most they have allowed this year,” said Norcross. “That’s one of the best Class 3 teams in the region. Our guys are hurting right now. But I’m glad they have bought into what we’re doing and have continued to work. I’m not much into moral victories. If we keep getting better and we’re healthy, I think we’ll be in good shape for the playoffs.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Allegany took the lead on a 16-yard pass from Jordan to Talyn Elliott. Mason Hale added the first of his five successful extra points for a 7-0 Cougars lead.

Riverheads tied the score late in the half with a 66-yard drive. Fitzgerald ripped off a 21-yard gain to the Cougars’ 39 and quarterback Kendal Edwards gained 25 yards on a keeper for a first down at the Alleghany 12. Fitgerald capped the drive with a 3-yard run and the PAT by Bryan Lopez-Rojas tied the score at 7-7 with 2:09 left in the half.

Riverheads then got a glimpse of things to come as that proved to be plenty of time for Alleghany to answer. 

Pass completions of 23 yards to May and 19 yards to Carter Nicely helped move the ball to the Riverheads’ 25. On fourth-and-15, Jordan found Nicely for 19 yards and a first down at the 6-yard line. On the next play, Jordan hit Elijah Leisure-White for the score with 13 seconds left in the half, sending the Cougars to the locker rook with a 14-7 lead.

Alleghany took the second half kickoff and drove 65 yards to pad its lead. A 16-yard pass to May and a 17-yard completion to Jaquin Godfrey move the ball deep into Gladiators’ territory. Jordan finished the drive with a 16-yard scoring run for a 21-7 lead with 8:26 left in the third quarter.

The Gladiators responded with an impressive drive, keeping the ball on the ground and moving from their own 19 to the Cougars’ 9. McCauley did much of the damage with 36 yards. On first-and-goal from the 9, Riverheads mishandled a pitchout and the Cougars fell on the loose ball to keep its two-score lead. 

Riverheads’ defense registered a stop early in the fourth quarter and then the fun began. 

Fitzgerald returned an Alleghany punt 34-yards to the Cougars 36-yard line. On the next play, Alleghany picked off a pass, but the Cougars were called for pass interference, giving Riverheads a first-down at the 21. McCauley scored on the next play, but the PAT was wide, leaving Alleghany with a 21-13 cushion.

Less than two minutes later, Jordan and Elliott hooked up for 55 yards and a TD to take a 28-13 lead with 8:10 remaining in the game.

Riverheads had the answer, going 70 yards in six plays. A 22-yard run by McCauley moved the ball into Alleghany territory at the 36 and Fitzgerald followed with a 15-yard run. Fitzgerald found a hole and raced 21 yards for the TD with 5:39 left. Edwards passed to Fitzgerald for the two-point conversion, trimming the deficit to 28-21.

The Gladiators then got the big play they needed when McCauley recovered the onside kick at the Cougars’ 45. Runs of 12 yards by Shiflett and 13 by McCauley moved the ball to the 15-yard line. Faced with fourth-and-3 from the 8, the Gladiators gave the ball to Fitzgerald and he found the end zone to make it a one-point game. Riverheads converted the twopoint conversion to take the lead, setting the stage for Alleghany’s game-winning drive.

The Gladiators still had a glimmer of hope due to a huge penalty against the Cougars. On the go-ahead TD play, Covington was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Riverheads elected to take the penalty on the kickoff and after the Cougars’ converted the two -point conversion, they had to kick off from their own 25.

Fitzgerald returned the ball 41 yards to the Alleghany 44. Riverheads moved to the 33, but a mishandled pitchout resulted in an 8-yard loss and sealed the Gladiators’ fate.

Riverheads will be back in action next Friday with a short trip to Staunton to play the Storm on Halloween night.