The next two weeks will likely determine Glenvar’s seed in the Region 2C football playoffs, which are fast approaching. A couple wins would likely clinch the top seed in the regional for the Highlanders.
Glenvar is now 7-0 overall and top ranked in the Virginia High School League Region 2C rankings. They’ll host the number four team, 6-1 Floyd County, this Friday night, then host 5-2 Giles the following week. Giles is second ranked in Region 2C.
If the Highlanders can beat both they’ll be home for both region games, provided they win the first one. That’s a big deal, because Glenvar has been a bear at Highlander Stadium over the past few years. The Highlanders have won 24 straight home games coming into this Friday’s game with Floyd.
“They’re a good football team,” said Glenvar coach Kevin Clifford of the Buffaloes. “They’re old school. They’re big and physical and they like to run the ball. It will be a tough game.”
Last week the Highlanders were on the road to play the newest school in the Three Rivers District, Alleghany. They’re not exactly old school, preferring to spread the field and throw it as much as run the ball. It didn’t work against the Highlanders, who pitched a 38-0 shutout in Low Moor.
It was the first shutout of the year for the Glenvar defense. The Highlanders had their second string in the game in the closing minutes when they stopped the Mountaineers inside the five in the final minute to preserve the shutout.
“It’s really no big deal to me but the kids like to get a shutout,” said Clifford. “They(Alleghany) were calling timeouts to try and score, so it was kind of nice that our second team stuffed them.”
Colby Street led the defense with a dozen tackles and Maxx Philpott was in the Mountaineer backfield all night. He had 11 tackles, three sacks and two other tackles for losses.
“He was a highlight reel,” said Clifford. “He’s a stud on the line, no one can stop him.”
Brandon Saunders also had 11 tackles, Hunter Stanley had 10 and Noah Lovelace had eight. Stanley also had two and a half sacks.
On offense, Jack Leonard scored five touchdowns for the third game in a row. He now has 24 touchdowns in seven games this season.
“Our offensive line is playing well,” said Clifford. “We’re blocking well all over. The line is the key, but our receivers and h-backs are doing a great job, too. Jack is a hard runner and a good back, and when you get that kind of blocking he’s hard to stop.”
Leonard had 249 yards rushing, his fourth game over 200 yards this season. He’s averaging 201 yards per game and he often sits out the fourth quarter or more with a big lead.
Landry Gerber was 10 for 14 passing for 109 yards. Josh Clifford had four catches for 66 yards, Tyler Beckner and Hunter Phlegar had two receptions each while Logan Williams and Justin Campbell had one each.
Sophomore Kaid Fuhrman was five for five on extra points, and he’s now 35 of 36 for the season. He’s also four for five on field goal attempts and his only misses were the result of bad holds.
Glenvar’s jayvee team also beat Alleghany last week, 40-0, to remain undefeated. The middle school team beat Clifton Middle, 26-6.
Tonight the jayvees and middle school both go to Floyd for this final games of the season.