Turnovers and Penalties Doom Rams in Loss to Stonewall
QUICKSBURG, VA – An old expression states that you learn from your mistakes. If that’s the case, Strasburg (1-1, 0-0 Bull Run) could spend next week in the classroom. Fumbles, interceptions, penalties, and missed assignments all highlighted the Rams’ youth as they dropped a 20-7 decision to county rival Stonewall Jackson (1-1).
Confronted by a large defensive line, Strasburg struggled to establish a consistent ground attack. The coaching staff turned to sophomore quarterback Parker Neal, but with little success.
Neal attempted 18 passes, completing only five. In contrast, Stonewall, not typically known for its passing game, opened the scoring with a 35-yard bomb.
After a failed opening drive, the Rams punted, giving the Generals the ball at the 35-yard line. On the very next play, Stonewall found the end zone. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Smoot connected with his tall tight end, Thomas Long, who was wide open over the middle. Long caught the pass and sprinted into the end zone untouched.
Both teams exchanged possession for the remainder of the quarter, with Strasburg often facing unfavorable field position. Stonewall capitalized on this advantage. With Generals defenders in the backfield on almost every play, Neal fumbled the ball before he could hand off. Stonewall’s Zack Fadeley recovered the fumble on the 7-yard line. Three plays later, tailback Luis Perez extended the Generals’ lead, scoring from 1-yard out.
The Rams finally gained some momentum and points late in the second quarter. Starting with good field position, Strasburg moved down the field. Neal connected with his senior tight end, Bobby Hendricks, for a 39-yard gain to the 1-yard line. The duo combined for four completions totaling 71 yards in the game. An illegal motion penalty pushed the ball back to the 6-yard line, but it couldn’t stop running back Jason Wilkins from bulldozing his way into the end zone.
This made the score 14-7 in favor of the Generals at halftime.
Trailing by a touchdown, and soon by two, Strasburg relied almost exclusively on the passing game. This strategy yielded few positive results. Neal was constantly under pressure on nearly every play. H was sacked five times and Strasburg managed only 8 total yards in the second half.
Although the Rams’ defense surrendered only 228 total yards, they were often backed against the wall. They gave up several big plays, including Stonewall’s first-quarter touchdown and a 50-yard run by Perez late in the third quarter. The run ended at the 3-yard line, setting up Smoot for a touchdown run. The extra point was blocked, making the final score 20-7.
Minutes later, Neal threw his first interception of the year, which was caught by Smoot.
After rushing for 328 yards last week, Strasburg could only gain 34 yards on 30 attempts. Senior Aaron Barnes led the team on the ground with 33 yards on 10 rushes (3.3 average). Barnes also caught one pass. Caylin Valentine rushed 3 times for 18 yards (6.0 average).