Knights topple Giants

By Bill Meade Correspondent
Published: August 22, 2008

BRIDGEWATER — Turner Ashby literally added insult to injury Friday night, scoring 28 second-half points to defeat Waynesboro 56-14 in the gridiron opener for both teams.
The night’s offensive explosion broke open a game that had been very much in doubt at halftime, After the Little Giants scored twice before the half.
After Turner Ashby scored twice in the third quarter to open a 42-14 lead, the Giants’ possessive hopes were dashed when senior running back Steven Brown suffered a game-ending knee injury while punting out of his own end zone. The Knights broke through the line and ran into Brown, picking up a roughing the kicker penalty in the process.
All though the Little Giants gained an automatic first down on the penalty, they lost their heart when Brown was ushered from the field.
But even though their starter didn’t return, the Giants didn’t lose their resolve.
“If I thought you gave up, I would be mad,” Waynesboro coach Steve Isaacs said in the post game huddle. “But I didn’t see any of that out there, so there is no reason for me to be mad.”
Junior Justin Clark stepped up in Brown’s absence, breaking off a 19-yard run and then hauling in a 15-yard reception from quarterback Chet Berry before TA regained control of the game.
Trailing 28-0 after the Knights’ Tanner Croy connected on a 50-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Linn with 4:49 remaining in the first half, the Little Giants’ offense and special teams responded.
Brown rumbled for 38 yards, Berry found Brandon White in the flat for eight yards and Brown used his speed on a reverse for a 25-yard TD run.
The Little Giants then executed a perfect onside kick, recovering the ball in front of a stunned TA return team at the Knights’ 47-yard line.
Berry then connected on a 12-yard toss to Tripp Hite and again to Clyde Thompson for a 23-yard gain.
After a holding penalty, Berry hit Thompson twice more, the second being an 18-yard touchdown strike with just 29 ticks remaining. The extra point was good again as Waynesboro cut the Knights’ lead in half.
The Little Giants were unable to slow down Croy through the air or senior tailback Cole Hart on the ground. Croy completed seven of 11 passes, including three TD tosses to Linn. Hart gained 159 yards on 16 carries with one touchdown.
“We were down 28-0, but we kept battling,” Isaacs said. We have 17 sophomores and a lot of them have to play. But it is a lot different than playing against eighth- and ninth-graders than it is playing those guys [TA].”
Before his knee injury, Brown gained 86 yards on 11 carriers.