SALEM BOTOTOURT WRITE UP

[zack 10]

DALEVILLE -- Lord Botetourt's season opener couldn't have ended soon enough, after an hour-plus rain delay pushed the final horn of its 44-9 drubbing by Salem well past 11 p.m.

 

Lightning forced both teams indoors with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter after Salem began the season with a 16-play, 75 yard scoring drive that ate up the first five minutes of the game.

 

An hour and a half later, the Cavaliers came storming back after Salem's third snap following the delay soared over the head of quarterback Nick Leftwich and went out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

 

But Salem answered by converting a fourth-and-8 from its own 32-yard line when Leftwich hit Korey Gaines for his first touchdown pass in his debut as Salem's quarterback.

 

"It was good to get the jitters out," said Leftwich, the team's fourth starting quarterback in four years. "A lot has been said about another new year and another new quarterback, so it felt good to prove that I could do some things and the O-line did great. We really did a good job of refocusing after the long break."

 

Botetourt responded 20 seconds later when quarterback Emory Straub hit a streaking Casey Weddle for a 71-yard pass and catch on the first play of the ensuing drive.

 

Jonathan Clemo quickly regained the momentum for the Spartans 16 seconds later, returning the kickoff 96 yards right up the middle to put Salem ahead 20-9.

 

"I just looked and saw a huge hole to the right," Clemo said. "The next thing I knew, the kicker was the only one to beat."

 

Clemo picked up another touchdown in the third quarter before running mates Harrison Hudson and Antonio Medley both scampered for 40-yard touchdown runs to end the rout.

 

Salem's three tailbacks combined to rush for 204 yards on 28 carries.

 

"The kick return really hurt us," Lord Botetourt coach Tater Benson said. "We had the great touchdown pass and then that hurt. We were confident we could play with Salem but we just didn't show it. There is a reason why they win all those championships."

 

 

 

Salem 7 16 14 7--44

 

Lord Botetourt 2 7 0 0--9

 

 

S Clemo 3 run (Murphy kick)

 

LB Salem snaps football out of end zone

 

S Gaines 32 pass from Leftwich (kick failed)

 

LB Weddle 71 pass from (McNeil kick)

 

S Clemo 96 kickoff return (Murphy kick)

 

S Murphy 40 FG

 

S Clemo 3 run (Murphy kick)

 

S Hudson 40 run (Murphy kick)

 

S Medley 40 run (Murphy kick)

 

 

S LB

 

First downs 13 6

 

Yards rushing 219 72

 

Passes C-A-I 5-11-0 3-11-1

 

Yards passing 78 110

 

Penalties-yards 3-25 5-45

 

Fumbles-lost 3-1 2-1

 

Punts-average 1-36 2-35

 

Individual statistics

 

RUSHING -- Salem, Clemo 16-98, Leftwich 5-6, Goad 8-21, Hudson 9-60, Medley 3-46, Team 2-(minus-12). Lord Botetourt, Colombini 14-68, Perdue 4-12, Straub 3-3, Arritt 1-1, Hargrove 1-0, Team 1-(minus-4).

 

PASSING -- Salem, Leftwich 5-11-78. Lord Botetourt, Straub 3-10-110, Foley 0-1-0.

 

RECEIVING -- Salem, Gaines 3-61, Clemo 1-9, Goad 1-8. Lord Botetourt, Weddle 1-71, Landis 1-36, Perdue 1-3.

....