Radford…Sometimes its not how you start but how you finish. That was the case for Fort Chiswell as they came from behind twice and scored with just 1:05 to go. The Pioneers took their first lead of the game as they pulled out a 20-14 thriller over the Radford Bobcats.
Radford was honoring their 1971 state championship team at halftime while enjoying a 7-0-intermission lead. With a scoreless first half until 14.3 seconds before half, the Cats got a 35-yard touchdown pass from Trace Shepherd to Jeremy Chadwick, and place kicker Michael followed up by splitting the uprights.
The second half saw the Pioneers go to a “wildcat formation” with senior Colby Rider toting the pigskin. He took a snap from center and went off right endvfor a 58-yard touchdown. Tyler Dunford’s point after tied the contest with 5:51 left in the third quarter.
Radford came right back driving down the field and from 10 yards out, Dale Stanley went off left tackle untouched into the end zone.
The Pioneers would score again with Rider going up the middle of the line at his own 34. He ran over two or three Bobcats and bounced out to his right and scampered 66 yards for the tying score just 52 seconds after Radford had taken the lead.
The game became a field position proposition as the two teams traded four punts in the fourth quarter. Fort Chiswell would take over at their 31 and manage to garner a first down at their own 43. Quarterback Warren Moore picked up three yards to the 46. On the next play Moore dropped back and heaved the ball down the field. Colby Rider jumped up over the Bobcat defender and some how stayed on his feet for a 54 yard touchdown with 1:05 left to take their first lead of the game and to pull out a big win on the road for the Pioneers.
Rider rushed the ball 15 times for 176 yards in the second half; 144 came in the third quarter alone. He scored all three of the Fort Chiswell touchdowns as he caught one pass for 54 more yards. Moore completed eight of 17 passes for a touchdown and 133 yards. He also had one intercepted.
The Pioneer defense was a big story of theme as well as they held Radford to minus 7 yards rushing in the first half. They only gave up one yard in the game on 26 rushes. “I thought our defense kept us in the game,” said Fort Chiswell head coach Todd Tiller. “I know Radford is 0-2, but Coach Saunders had them ready and took it to us the first half.” He then added, ”The wildcat seemed to turn things around for us. It got things rolling. My hat goes off to our kids. They fought and clawed all game long. It’s a big win for us and this team has each others’ back. They are like brothers and I’m proud of them here tonight.”
The first half wasn’t the prettiest played game. Both teams had a total of just eight first downs. Radford (0-3) had just 92 yards of offense with 35 of that coming on one play. The Pioneers (2-1) had just 57 yards.
Like Coach Tiller said, ”A win is a win and this one was earned the hard way.”
Radford head coach Matthew Saunders remarked, ”Big plays have killed us this season, so far. The Pioneers wildcat bothered us on defense and our defense was on the field too much tonight. We are struggling offensively and that’s my fault. Our defense ran out of gas.”
Fort Chiswell has a bye this coming week and Radford will travel to Craig Co. for a 7 pm kick off.