(Photography courtesy Tina Quesenberry)

Max Meadows…Under new head coach Josh Wingate, the Fort Chiswell Pioneers rushed for 322 yards with Denver Brown scoring five touchdowns in a game that trounced the Indians of Rural Retreat 45-21.

Brown had 21 rushes for 204 yards. He also scooped up a fumble and raced 33 yards for another score. Senior Aaron Crawford picked up an Indian fumble and raced 66 yards to pay dirt. Senior quarterback Brody Crockett had the other Pioneer score on a five yard run up the middle.

Rural Retreat got all three of their touchdowns from wide receiver Lucas Brewer. He scored on an 18-yard reception from Isaac O’Neil, a 31-yard pass from O’Neil and also scored on a 51-yard run. Brewer caught three passes for 74 yards and rushed the ball five times for 65 more yards.

Fort Chiswell scored with 9:09 left in the opening quarter on a Brown 21-yard run, but their two-point conversion pass was no good. Crawford then picked up a loose pigskin and raced 66-yards for six, and again the two-point run was stopped. They would then get a 33-yard run from Brown, and Jacob Turpin’s point after kick made it 19-0 with still three minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

The Indians would finally score as Brewer caught a pass from O’Neil for six. O’Neil’s kick made it 26-7 at the intermission.

The second half saw Fort Chiswell score again on a Brown 33-yard fumble recovery and run, but the kick was wide left.

Rural Retreat would then get a Brewer touchdown catch from O’Neil with 8:01 to go in the third quarter. After they held the Pioneers to three plays and out, they would drive the ball and on second down, Brewer would take the handoff around left end and cut back on his way for a 51-yard jaunt. O’Neil’s kick cut the Pioneer lead to 38-21.

Fort Chiswell would get their last score from Brown as he ran over a couple defenders for a six-yard touchdown. The score had capped a seven play, 60-yard drive to put the came away. “I’m relieved and happy,” said Pioneer head coach Josh Wingate, his first as a head coach. “We got a lot of things to work on and straighten out, though. I thought we lost some of our intensity there in the third quarter and let them get back, somewhat back into the game.”

The Pioneer defense surrendered 244 total yards. They gave up 138 of those in the third quarter. Offensively Fort Chiswell had 363 yards of offense. They had 322 rushing yards for the game.

Fort Chiswell and Rural Retreat both have new head coaches that were trying to win their first game. The Pioneers will travel to Wytheville next Friday to take on their other county rival, the Maroons of George Wythe.

 

 

 

Fort Chiswell 19 7 12 7 – 45

Rural Retreat 0 7 14 0 – 21

 

 

Rushing – FC – Brown 21- 204 yds., Crockett 12 – 77 yds.

 

– RR – Brewer 5 -65 yds, O’Neil 12 – 58 yds.

 

 

Passing – FC – Crockett 4 -8 – 2 ints.- 0 Tds. – 41 yds.

 

– RR – O’Neil 3-11 – 3 ints.- 2 Tds. – 74 yds.