Stewarts Creek welcomed itself to a new region (6-4A)with a 45-35 win over the Blackman Blaze at “The Inferno” Friday night.
It marked the first time in school history the Red Hawks defeated Blackman.
“We were hyping it up for tonight,” said senior standout running back Gabe Walker. “We made school history by beating Blackman for the first time ever. It’s just a great feeling.”
“Our backs were against the wall,” Stewarts Creek coach Ben Caudill said. “We went about two weeks without a practice (due to COVID-19). Being able to come out and play like we did is something I’m real proud of our guys for. Anytime you play somebody that’s close the emotions are high, and it was our first region game.”
The game was an offensive slugfest that saw the Red Hawks score 31 unanswered sandwiched between a Jekyll and Hyde Blackman team that averaged under two minutes per scoring drive at peak and averaged a personal foul per possession at low.
Walker was able to shoulder his team for its second straight win with 288 yards of offense, including 236 on 27 carries and five of his team’s six touchdowns.
“I couldn’t do it at all without the line,” Walker said. “They work their butts off. It was a great game and I owe it all to them. But it feels great to be able to carry the weight on my shoulders.”
Walker set two school records on his final touchdown, for most in a game and most in a career (21), which he will double at the rate he has begun this season.
“He (Walker) may have exceeded expectations of people who don’t know him as well,” Caudill said. “He is just a tremendous football player. He hasn’t exceeded mine. He’s done everything I knew he was capable of.”
When needed, Stewarts Creek quarterback Gage Hoover was effective, throwing for 135 yards and two TDs on 6-of-9 passing.
Blackman quarterback Jack Risner, who had an uncharacteristic 54 yards passing in the first half, awoke in the second and finished five yards shy of the 300 mark, with three touchdowns to match.
A continued correlation between success and the Blaze is the involvement of sophomore quarterback Peyton Thomas. What started as a two-quarterback system has evolved into Thomas becoming a true slash, as was evident tonight with 175 yards of offense which included passing, rushing and receptions. He connected with Justin Brown for Blackman’s first touchdown of the game on a 33-yard strike.
“I’m just doing whatever it take to try and help the team win,” Thomas said. “Whatever we go on the game plan in the week. Whatever gets me involved. I try not to be selfish and do what I want to do, just what helps the team. I never thought it would evolve into this. I thought it would be one guy. But we (he and Risner) came out and both earned a role on the field.”
Brown and Ben Marshall remain solid targets as the two combined for 238 yards receiving on 18 receptions. Marshall had a pair of TD grabs, as did Jaylyn Pleasant.
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