Zion Gray’s 11-yard touchdown run with one second remaining lifted the Stafford High School football team to an emotional 35-31 victory over Colonial Forge in the Commonwealth District opener for both squads on Friday night.
The host Indians trailed for much of the game, including a 21-7 deficit midway through the third quarter. But they rallied late behind the play of Gray and running back Michael Creamer, who each found the end zone twice.
Gray’s 58-yard scoring run pulled Stafford (5-0 overall, 1-0 district) within 21-14 with 3:34 remaining in the third period. Creamer followed that with an 83-yard TD scamper on the final play of the quarter, reducing the Eagles’ advantage to 24-21.
Creamer’s 8-yard scoring jaunt with 3:52 left in the contest gave the Indians their first lead of the night, 28-24. But Forge (4-1, 0-1) responded with a a 4-yard TD run by Josiah Bryson to go back in front, 31-28, with 1:20 to go. That set the stage for Gray’s game-winner.
Gray, a senior quarterback, finished with 199 yards rushing on 17 carries and completed 6 of 10 passes for 80 yards and a score.
Creamer, a senior who’s committed to play his college football at the University of Richmond, totaled 212 yards on 21 carries.
Bryson paced the Eagles with 81 yards and a pair of TDs on 18 carries. Quarterback Brock Brimhall went 16 of 24 for 160 yards and a score, which covered 13 yards to TaySean Jones in the first period. Freshman wide receiver Darion Majeed hauled in seven of Brimhall’s completions for 111 yards.
The win snaps a 12-game losing streak against Forge and gives Stafford its first 5-0 start since 2017, when it advanced to the state semifinals.
The Indians will stay home for a district clash with Brooke Point next Friday, while the Eagles host Massaponax.
King George 50, James Monroe 0
Dylan Koch passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Foxes to a rout of the visiting Yellow Jackets in the Battlefield District opener for both teams.
All four of Koch’s scoring strikes came in the first half, when King George (2-2, 1-0 Battlefield) built a 43-0 lead. He started off by connecting with Gunnar Reger for a 65-yard TD and finding Charles Johnson for a 23-yard score in the first quarter. In the second, he hooked up with Xavier Price for TDs covering 20 and 60 yards, respectively.
Prior finished with a game-high 98 yards receiving on four receptions.
Not to be outdone, running back Simeon Battle tallied 62 yards and three scores on the ground.
JM (2-2, 0-1) managed just 49 yards of offense and turned the ball over twice.
The Foxes will travel to Courtland for a showdown between district championship contenders next Friday, and the Jackets will host Chancellor.
North Stafford 34, Brooke Point 20
The Wolverines outdueled the host Black-Hawks in a battle of standout quarterbacks.
North Stafford’s Chase Sullivan completed 14 of 25 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns to help his squad notch its first Commonwealth District victory in two years.
Sullivan found Kenaz Sullivan for a 59-yard score late in the second quarter that gave the Wolverines a 21-7 halftime edge. He added a 41-yard touchdown connection with Ricky Adkins in the fourth, which made it 28-13.
Micah Brown, who ran for a game-high 94 yards on 17 carries, added a 40-yard scoring run late in the contest to seal the win for North (3-1, 1-0).
Gabe Dombek went 14 of 28 for 185 yards with a TD and a pair of interceptions for Brooke Point (3-2, 0-1). Jacob Dalton, who was on the receiving end of Dombek’s lone scoring pass, tallied seven catches for 84 yards.
The Wolverines will step out of district play next Friday when they welcome Eastern View, while the Black-Hawks visit Stafford.
Mountain View 21, Massaponax 0
Torie Martin caught a touchdown pass and ran for another to buoy the visiting Wildcats to a Commonwealth District victory over the Panthers.
Martin’s 14-yard scoring reception gave Mountain View (3-1, 1-0) a 7-0 lead in the first period, and his 1-yard touchdown run made it 14-0 in the second.
The Wildcats took a 21-0 lead to intermission after Jaylen Castro’s scoring strike to Jack Lathers with 36 seconds to play in the first half.
Massaponax (1-4, 0-1) mustered only 140 yards of total offense on its way to a fourth straight defeat.
Mountain View will host Riverbend next Friday, and Massaponax will travel to Colonial Forge.
Highland Springs 28, Riverbend 7
Luke Marlowe’s 24-yard TD run gave the host Bears an early 7-0 advantage, but the Springers took control down the stretch to earn a nondistrict win.
Riverbend (2-2) racked up 205 yards on the ground. Mekhi Davis led the way with 86 yards, while JoJo Thomas had 67 and Marlowe finished with 58.
The Bears open their Commonwealth District schedule with a trip to Mountain View next Friday.
Spotsylvania 39, Chancellor 14
Manny Duah totaled 176 yards of total offense and scored three times to lead the Knights to a Battlefield District road victory over the Chargers.
The Knights scored 26 unanswered points in the second half after trailing 14-13 at intermission.
Duah rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and caught three passes for 63 yards and a score.
Colton Jones completed 5 of 10 passes for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Spotsylvania (2-3, 1-1).
Jamareius Billingsley ran for a game-high 151 yards on 16 carries and scored once for Chancellor (0-4, 0-1). Leo Ferguson went 8 of 19 passing for 110 yards and a TD.
The Knights are on a bye next week before hosting Courtland on Oct. 11. The Chargers will visit James Monroe next Friday.
Thursday’s game
Eastern View 42, Caroline 21
The host Cavaliers hung with the Cyclones for more than three quarters, but ran out of gas late in a Battlefield District matchup.
Peyton Fletcher threw for 147 yards and three scores for Caroline (3-1, 1-1). His 8-yard hookup with Blake Morris pulled the Cavs within 28-21 with 10:53 to play.
However, Eastern View (3-1, 2-0) answered with a 65-yard TD pass from AP Hull to Will Butler just 11 seconds later, taking the wind out of Caroline’s sails.
Butler had a huge night, recording 10 receptions for 249 yards and three scores. He caught a 36-yarder in the first period, and his 63-yard TD in the second gave the Cyclones a 21-7 halftime lead.
Hull was sharp, going 14 of 18 for 301 yards through the air. Jahiem Frye chipped in 150 yards and a score on the ground.
Caroline will travel to Culpeper next Friday, while Eastern View visits North Stafford.
