Kibler Leads Strasburg to Victory

STRASBURG, VA – Head coach Glenn Proctor emphasized the strength of his defense before the 2004 season began. Ten experienced starters returned to a unit that had shown flashes of brilliance the previous year, despite facing numerous challenges.

In the first two games of the season, the Rams’ defense has been a dominant force. Four fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and only six points allowed in two games have set an impressive early tone for the Strasburg (2-0, 0-0 Bull Run) squad.

For the second consecutive week, a strong defense and a methodical, conservative offense propelled the Rams to a 22-6 non-district victory over rival Stonewall Jackson (1-1).

Strasburg capitalized on an early General fumble to score first. After recovering the fumble in Stonewall territory, the Rams marched down the field, methodically advancing towards the goal line. It took four plays from the one-yard line to score, but on fourth down, freshman Josh Kibler took a pitch left and scored. Ryan Swanger’s extra point gave Strasburg a 7-0 lead with 6:15 remaining in the first quarter.

Moments later, Kibler added to his point total.

After forcing the Generals to punt, punt returner Caylin Valentine showcased his speed, agility, and a bit of luck to set up Strasburg’s offense. Valentine muffed the wobbly punt but calmly recovered it while several Stonewall defenders closed in. He reversed field, running towards the right sideline and receiving key blocks before being tackled deep in General territory.

On the next play, junior quarterback Parker Neal delivered a perfect swing pass over a defender to Kibler. Kibler accelerated towards the end zone, eluding several tackles. Neal’s two-point conversion run extended the lead to 15-0.

Stonewall Jackson managed to score late in the second quarter with a nine-play, 54-yard drive. Running back Luke Wilson’s two-yard touchdown capped the possession. The two-point conversion attempt failed after a fumbled exchange between the quarterback and center.

This late score provided the Generals with some momentum, but with only two minutes remaining in the half, Strasburg responded.

Starting from their own 40-yard line, the Rams utilized their rushing attack to advance 60 yards. With only six seconds left in the quarter, Kibler fumbled the ball into the end zone while attempting to score his third touchdown. Offensive tackle Robbie Gossard recovered the fumble, and another Swanger extra point gave Strasburg a 22-6 halftime lead.

The score remained unchanged for the rest of the game as both teams exchanged possessions without much success.

The Rams employed two late drives to consume nearly thirteen minutes of game clock, leaving Stonewall with little time to mount a comeback.

Senior Brian Blevins led the Strasburg rushing attack with 12 carries for 50 yards. Kibler added 37 yards on seven carries and two receptions. The Rams combined for 183 rushing yards on 46 attempts.

Neal completed 2 of 8 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Winchester Star: Kibler’s Two Scores Lift Rams

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).

Winchester Star: Generals Shut Down Strasburg

Miller’s Trickery Seals Victory for Strasburg

STRASBURG, VA – A high school football game is a dynamic contest played in four 12-minute quarters. Momentum can shift dramatically within these 48 minutes. A single big play, a fumble, or a costly penalty can determine the outcome. In Strasburg’s thrilling 15-14 victory over Stonewall Jackson, one play proved pivotal in shifting the momentum.

The Generals dominated the first half, rushing for 140 yards and leaving the Rams struggling to keep pace. However, midway through the third quarter, Selvin Martinez caught a 40-yard pass, setting the stage for senior Sam Robinson’s two-yard touchdown run.

With the score now 14-13 in favor of Stonewall, placekicker Paul Ziacoma lined up for the extra point with quarterback Cody Miller as the holder. Instead of kicking, Miller smoothly rolled to his right and passed to a wide-open Matt Kupeski, who made a sliding catch for the two-point conversion. This gave Strasburg the lead and injected them with the momentum they needed to secure the victory.

The game initially appeared to be an offensive shootout. Stonewall marched down the field on their opening drive, gaining five to ten yards per rush. The Rams’ defense struggled to contain them, only stopping the Generals’ advance by recovering a fumble near the goal line.

Strasburg’s offense responded with equal ease. Late in the first quarter, Miller connected with Robbie Starkey on a 62-yard touchdown pass. Starkey finished the game with six receptions for 147 yards, a season-high performance.

Stonewall battled back in the second quarter, scoring on a one-yard run by Tony Viola and a 65-yard touchdown reception by Clint Deskins.

The Generals held a 14-7 lead at halftime, but their offensive stalled. Strasburg’s defense stiffened in the third quarter, limiting Stonewall to just 49 total yards for the remainder of the game.

A crucial stop late in the fourth quarter sealed the victory.

With Stonewall driving into Ram territory, Clyde Pangle burst through the line and sacked Josh Donald, forcing a fourth-and-eleven situation. The Generals failed to convert, allowing Strasburg to drive down the field and run out the clock.

Winchester Star – Strasburg Slips Past Generals