The Salem High football team was staring down the barrel of an 0-5 start last Friday when Spartan football showed up. Salem rode the mules for 96 yards in the final five minutes to pull out an 18-16 win over visiting Blacksburg at Salem Stadium.
“We needed that,” said a relieved Salem coach Don Holter. “That was the best series our offensive line has had this year. The young men understood what was at stake.”
This was a closer game than expected against a team that hasn’t beaten Salem but five times in the last 45 meetings, going back to when they were still Indians. But the Bruins came to play Friday and after a nice drive in the first quarter and a field goal three minutes into the second they had a 10-0 lead.
Salem fired back on the next series. Jordan McCadden, who has been hampered with injuries in the early season, broke off a 72 yard run with 7:54 remaining in the half. The extra point was no good as Salem cut the lead to 10-6.
The Spartans held on the next series and took it in again with just 4.7 seconds remaining until halftime. Kyshead Arrington bulled his way in from the one yard line and Salem had the lead for the first time this season. The Spartans failed on a two-point try but led 12-10 at intermission.
The Bruins regained the lead just over two minutes into the second half. They went for two and failed but led 16-12 and the natives were getting restless on the home side. That’s how the score stayed until Blacksburg punted the ball to the Salem four with 5:13 remaining on the clock and the Spartans behind by more than a field goal.
At that point the offensive line took over and backs Arrington and McCadden started to rip off solid runs. The Spartans moved to the Bruin 19 yard line with just over a minute to go and then McCadden wove through the defense for what proved to be the deciding touchdown. Salem came up just short on the two-point try and a field goal could still break Spartan hearts. However, Jayden Wood came up with a big interception to steal the deal and the Spartans finally had a win in the last game of September.
“Moments like that make them grow up a little faster,” said Holter. “We have a lot of young guys and they’re growing up. It’s a shame we put ourselves in that circumstance but it was good to come out with a win.”
McCadden finished with 217 yards rushing on 21 attempts and Arrington had 95 yards on 13 carries. Jaidyn Rudisell completed just three of seven passes for 14 yards but there were a couple that could have been caught for big gains that fell incomplete.
On defense Arrington led Salem with 10 tackles. Tolin Saul and Gabe Johnson had nine each and Rudisell had eight.
This week the Spartans are back home to host Patrick Henry. The Patriots are off to a fast start at 5-0 with wins over Southern Alamance of North Carolina, E.C. Glass, Franklin County, William Fleming and a 55-0 win over Hidden Valley last week. They have wins over three teams that have beaten the Spartans so Salem will likely have their hands full Friday night at Salem Stadium.
“They have a good football team, and it’s always a challenge when you play PH,” said Holter.
