The Glenvar Highlanders are the number one seed in the Region 2C playoffs that will start this Friday at the sites of the top four schools. Glenvar will host Nelson County at 7 pm Friday at Highlander Stadium to open the post-season.
Glenvar may or may not be without all-state quarterback Brody Dawyot this Friday night. Dawyot banged up his shoulder in the first half of last week’s 24-6 win at Floyd County and sat out the second half. The good news is x-rays showed he didn’t have a broken collarbone, as feared, and he was listed as questionable at mid-week.
Whether Dawyot plays or not, the Highlanders will be big favorites over Nelson, the eighth seed with a 5-5 record. Cale Vaughan played quarterback in the second half against Floyd and Highlander coach Kevin Clifford gets his ire up when fans suggest Glenvar can’t win without Dawyot, who is undoubtedly one of the best players in the state.
“We’re not a one trick pony,” he said. “I’ve won over 160 games as a head football coach and the train doesn’t stop. We have a bunch of really good football players on this team.”
A senior, Dawyot hasn’t missed a football game in four years on the varsity. Vaughan has
gotten limited work behind center in practice, especially once the season started.
“He never gets team reps,” said Clifford. “We’re a small school and can only do so much in practice, but I’m proud of the way Cale filled in last week. I have confidence in him if he needs to play. We’ll pre- pare like he’s going to play, but we won’t know until later in the week.”
Dawyot threw three more passes after he was injured last week, including a touchdown pass that put Glenvar up 14-6. Dawyot completed all 11 of his passes for 134 yards and two TDs before leaving the game. He ran three times for 53 yards.
Vaughan, who is a pitcher on the baseball team with a strong arm, completed nine of 20 passes for 119 yards. Cooper Mullins had nine catches for 156 yards and a TD and Jace Forster had six catches for 78 yards and two scores. Tre Dawyot had four catches for 27 yards and Ranger Swanson rushed 15 times for 87 yards.
With Dawyot on the sidelines Glenvar’s defense proved to be the difference against a solid Floyd team. They shut out the Buffaloes in the second half to seal the deal.
“They scored on their first drive and that was it,” said Clifford. “They have a good team. Their quarter- back (Sam Phillips) would be the best in the district if not for Brody.”
Rawlin Hanks led the defense with 15 tackles and Jake Franklin had a dozen. Mullins had nine tackles, Dalton Shoemaker had eight and Vaughan had six. Hanks, Franklin and Shoemaker all had sacks and Vaughan had an interception.
With the win Glenvar finished the regular season with a 10-0 record, just the third time in school his- tory that’s been accomplished. The Highlanders have won 10 or more games in a season 10 times and nine of them have been with Clifford as coach. He won’t be looking past Nelson this week.
“They have some good looking skill kids,” he said. “Winning is hard. Regardless of who is at quarterback we’re going to win with special teams and defense.”
Other first round playoff games find second seeded Gretna hosting Dan River, third seeded Floyd hosting James River in a rematch of a close regular season game and Radford at home against Appomattox in the four-five game.
Through the regular season Glenvar’s 27.00 power rating is fourth in the state among all Class 2 teams. Armstrong High of Richmond is first at 28.80 fol- lowed by Poquoson (28.20), Union (27.40) and the Highlanders. Gretna is ninth, Floyd is 14th and Radford is 21st.
The Glenvar jayvees wrapped their season last week with a 32-14 win over Floyd at Highlander Stadium. The jayvees finished with an 8-1 record.
