Lord Botetourt used a fierce ball control game on offense, and the Cavalier defense held the Titans to 14 yards on the ground, as Botetourt defeated Hidden Valley 22-14 in non-district football last Friday night at Dwight Bogle Stadium.
First-year Botetourt head coach Jamie Harless returned to the same field where he helped orchestrate many wins as the former defensive coordinator for Cave Spring. Friday night, he and his Cavs made themselves right at home.
Lord Botetourt came out strong, scoring on an Alex Hampton 14-yard run midway through the first quarter. Hampton, the new-found Cavalier quarterback making his first start of the season, became the go-to man for Botetourt.
Hampton, along with junior running back Chris Thompson, riddled the Titan defense all evening, combining for 220 of the Cavaliers 283 rushing yards. The two carried the ball for 45 of Botetourt’s 59 rushing attempts.
Meanwhile, Hidden Valley’s usually dependable ground game was stopped cold. The arm of Titan quarterback Nic Ratliff along with key receptions by Duke-bound Jake Kite kept Hidden Valley within striking distance.
Ratliff found Kite for a 16-yard touchdown strike on the first play of the second quarter to give HIdden Valley a 7-6 lead after Landon Dermott’s PAT.
After Botetourt scored on a Conner Bronson 9-yard run and 2-point conversion that sent the Cavaliers to the halftime break up 14-7, Ratliff got Hidden Valley even in the fourth quarter with a 68-yard bomb to KIte down the right sideline.
Botetourt took the ensuing kickoff and found the end zone with 2:35 left on a Bronson 1-yard plunge. Hampton scored on the 2-point conversion giving the Cavaliers the 22-14 advantage.
Hidden Valley had one last shot, driving to the Botetourt 5-yard line in the final minute. Three straight incompletions were followed by Ratliff coming up one yard short on a fourth down pass play that was covered by the Cavs.
BILL TURNER game story/photo
