The 3-0 Glenvar football team has yet to be tested, but that’s about to change. After opening with three teams that are a combined 1-8 the Highlanders will play one that has yet to lose.
Glenvar will head to Northside this Friday for a battle of unbeaten Roanoke County teams. It will be the first meeting between the two since 1969 when Northside won 40-0 in a game played at Salem Municipal Field before Highlander Stadium was completed. That facility is now Billy Sample Field, and in 1969 Billy Sample was a sophomore playing for Andrew Lewis High School. So, you can pretty much throw that game out the window when trying to predict this Friday’s result.
“This will be a good game,” said Glenvar coach Kevin Clifford. “Northside is super athletic. They run a spread offense and try to use their athleticism to beat you.”
The Vikings have their best team in years. After going winless in 2022 they won two games in ’23 and five last year. They made the playoffs last fall, losing 43-41 to a strong Lord Botetourt team in overtime.
This year they’ve opened with three wins, defeating Pulaski County, 49-20, Cave Spring, 27-0, and Hidden Valley, 58-0 last week. Meanwhile Glenvar has feasted on Galax, Liberty and Cave Spring, running up a three week combined score of 175-3.
Last Friday was Homecoming at GHS and quarterback Brody Dawyot continued his assault on the Glenvar record book with seven touchdowns in a 49-3 win over Cave Spring. He threw for 326 yards and two scores and ran 10 times for 63 yards and five scores. In the first three weeks Dawyot has accounted for 17 touchdowns between passing and running.
Glenvar led this one 28-3 at the half as Cave Spring kicked a field goal for the first points allowed against the Highlanders this season. It was 43-3 with a running clock after three quarters and the Highlanders cleared the bench after scoring one more time to begin the fourth.
In addition to Dawyot, Ranger Swanson rushed for 82 yards. Cooper Mullins caught five passes for 151 yards and a touchdown while Jace Forster had three catches for 61 yards and a score. Haden Henderson had four catches and Cale Vaughan had two.
On defense Jake Franklin led with 10 tackles while Nick Wilson and Rawlin Hanks had eight each. Hanks and Tre Dawyot had interceptions.
Despite the third straight lopsided score Clifford wasn’t totally pleased with the game tape. The Highlanders will have to be at their best this week at Northside.
“We didn’t play great on offense,” he said. “We’re going to have to make some changes up front.”
