The Salem High football team will head into the bye week on a winning note after holding off Cave Spring for a 31-28 win at Bogle Stadium last Friday. Salem is 2-5 heading into the break and hoping to finish strong in the last three weeks and make the VHSL Region 4D tournament. The top eight teams make it and Salem is currently 12th.
There are no undefeated teams in the region. The top five teams have one loss each and they are, in order, George Washington of Danville, Jefferson Forest, Sherando, James Wood and John Handley. Teams six through eight all have four losses, Millbrook, Blacksburg and E.C. Glass. Orange County, Liberty and Halifax are also ahead of the Spartans and hoping to finish in the top eight.
Last Friday at Bogle junior tailback Jordan McCadden put the team on his back with 253 yards rushing on 31 attempts and two touchdowns. With backfield mate Kyshead Arrington missing due to an illness McCadden carried the load as Salem amassed 424 rushing yards against Cave Spring. Sophomore Jaidyn Wood, who started the season on the jayvee team, had 89 yards on four carries, including a run of 54 yards, and senior Tolin Saul ran for 95 yards on 17 carries. Wood and Saul both had touchdown runs.
“We were able to establish some drives,” said Salem coach Don Holter. “We had an 11 play drive and a 19 play drive that both resulted in touchdowns.”
Quarterback Jaidyn Rudisell had his best passing game, completing five passes for 76 yards including a touchdown pass to Michael Crawley. McCadden had two receptions for 42 yards.
On defense Rudisell led the team with 10 tackles while Saul had seven. DaVon Jones had an interception and Jamari Hairston caused a fumble and had two tackles for losses. Robert Herndon had a sack.
Salem is off this week before returning to the gridiron on October 24 to host Pulaski.
“We’ll work on fundamentals Tuesday and Wednesday and then start preparing for Pulaski,” said Holter.
The Salem jayvee team also won last week, shutting out the Knights 37-0 at Salem Stadium.
