The old saying goes if you want to win the football game you have to win the turnover battle. That’s usually the case, but it wasn’t at Highlander Stadium last Friday as Glenvar took a 17-13 win over Martinsville in their Three Rivers District opener.
Glenvar overcame four turnovers to win the game, including three in the first eight minutes of play. The Highlanders scored with just over six minutes remaining in the game to take the lead and held on for a Homecoming win in front of a big crowd on the home side.
“I’m super proud of our kids,” said Glenvar coach Kevin Clifford. “They had a little adversity early in the game but they fought back and got the win. I owe a lot of credit to our staff, who has them ready to play every week. My staff is excellent and I’m very grateful for the job they do.”
The game didn’t start out well for Glenvar. After the Highlanders received the opening kickoff freshman Kiptyn Jones’s sideline pass was picked off and returned 45 yards for a touchdown to put the Highlanders behind 7-0 just 48 seconds into the game.
The ensuing kickoff to Glenvar was fumbled and the Bulldogs recovered on the Highlanders’ 36 yard line. The Glenvar defense stiffened at this point and Martinsville settled for a 31-yard field goal attempt that was blocked.
Glenvar’s offense took over and this time they moved the ball behind the running of Garrison Burris and Bryan Mateo, who were filling in for the injured Ranger Swanson. The Highlanders moved all the way to the Bulldogs’ three yard line where they fumbled it away again with four minutes still remaining in the first quarter.
Glenvar’s defense held again and forced a punt. The next possession resulted in a 39-yard field goal by Tyler Shannon to cut the lead to 7-3. Then Glenvar went ahead for the first time with just 44 seconds remaining in the first half as Jones hit sophomore Grayson Harris down the right sideline for a 36-yard TD pass.
The only score of the third period came on a 23-yard run by Martinsville, and the Bulldogs inexplicably went for a two-point conversion. They had a man open in the end zone but the pass was overthrown and the Highlanders remained within three points of the Dogs at 13-10.
Jones orchestrated the winning drive in the fourth quarter. With a third-and-goal at the Martinsville 5 he rolled right, then threw back against the grain to an open Haden Henderson in the far left corner. That gave Glenvar a three point lead, and Shannon’s extra point kick gave the Highlanders a more-than-a-field goal lead at 17-13 with 6:20 to go, and the defense did the rest.
Jones finished the night 15 for 24 passing for 175 yards and two scores. Grayson Harris had four catches for 66 yards, Ben Brown had four for 38 and Henderson had three catches for 42 yards.
Burris led the Glenvar rushing attack with 90 yards on 14 carries. Mateo had 31 yards rushing for a two-headed total of 121 with Swanson in street clothes nursing a high ankle sprain. Clifford hopes to have Ranger back this week when Glenvar travels to undefeated Carroll County.
On defense Henderson had a big game with 11 tackles, including two for losses. Burris and Mateo had 10 tackles each and Jake Franklin and Ryan Harris had nine each.
Now 3-2 at the midway point of the regular season, Glenvar will head to Hillsville this week to take on Carroll County. The Cavaliers are a Class 3 school but a Three Rivers District rival. Once a traditionally weak team, they’re 5-0 this year while outscoring five rivals by a combined 219 to 20. Their wins have come against Christiansburg (30-7), Grayson County (42-7), Galax (49-0), Fort Chiswell (60-0) and Patrick County (38-6) last week.
The Cavaliers were 9-3 last year and went two games deep in the playoffs. However, one of their losses was a 44-19 beatdown to Glenvar at Highlander Stadium. Carroll County has never beaten the Highlanders in eight total meetings, all since 2017.
“They’re a good team,” said Clifford. “They’re 5-0 and averaging 45 points a game. We’re going to have to play well.”
