Highlanders have big game in Radford after shutting out Floyd

Lots of VHSL points will be on the line this Saturday when the Glenvar football team goes to Radford for a huge Three Rivers District game with the Bobcats. Game time is a rare 4 pm start at Radford High.

Through last week the Bobcats were ranked third in the VHSL Region 2C rankings while Glenvar was sixth. Since only the top four make the playoffs this year Saturday’s game is critical to Glenvar’s chances. The Highlanders are 1-2 but they would have a shot at moving into the top four with a win Saturday. Appomattox is first, followed by Dan River, Radford, Gretna, Fort Chiswell and the Highlanders.

“This is a huge game,” said Glenvar coach Kevin Clifford. “It’s a huge game for points and also for the Three Rivers District standings. We want to win the district.”

Glenvar opened the district season last Saturday with a 34-0 win over Floyd County on a beautiful day for football at Highlander Stadium. After losing non-district games at Stuart’s Draft in the snow and to Class 5 William Fleming on a Tuesday night the Highlanders had just three days to prepare for Floyd.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” said Clifford. “They played really hard and that was a nice bounce back win. It was a very physical game.”

Unlike the Fleming game, when the Highlanders went down two scores before running a play, Glenvar jumped on top early in this one. The first score came on a 12 yard pass from Aiden Wolk to Jeb Secrist on fourth and goal, as 6’6” Secrist went up and high-pointed the ball between two Buffalo defenders.

Kyle Hanks scored on a two yard run to give Glenvar a 14-0 lead after one quarter, then the Highlanders opened the scoring in the second period on another Wolk to Secrist hookup for six yards.

“He’s so hard to guard, because he’s not only big but he’s very athletic,” said Clifford of Secrist.

Floyd fumbled the kickoff and Glenvar’s Jackson Swanson picked it up and ran inside the 10 to set up the next score, with Hanks going over from the one. That made it 28-0 at intermission and the Glenvar defense kept Floyd out of the end zone in the second half while Glenvar tacked on one more score on a 28 yard hookup between Wolk and a wide open Colvin Delano.

Wolk finished 14 for 30 for 196 yards and three scores. Dagan Williams had four catches for Glenvar, Swanson had three and Delano and Secrist had two each. Hanks led the rushers with 64 yards on 21 carries.

Glenvar’s defense held Floyd to minus two yards rushing and also had three interceptions.

“We still have some things to work on, but you can’t be disappointed with a shutout,” said Clifford.