Figures can be revealing. Some figures are unnerving.
Friday night at Salem Stadium, figures didn’t lie.
Taking control from the outset, the Salem Spartans totally dominated the visitors from Charlottesville High, 52-13, in the opening round of the Group 4A North playoffs.
On a frigid night that saw temperatures in the twenties, it was survival of the fittest. The Black Knights had a hard time staying mounted.
The roster numbers were a clear disparity. Charlottesville only dressed 31 players, paling in comparison to the packed Salem sideline.
Likewise, the Black Knight following may have been a hint of what the expectation was for the matchup between #1 seed and undefeated Salem and the 16-seed, 4-6 Charlottesville squad. . The entire Charlottesville side of Salem Stadium was peppered with fewer than 40 hardy fans.
Salem’s only hiccup came on its first drive, when the Spartans stalled and had to settle for a 28-yard Kyle Reighard field goal. The next four Spartan offensive efforts resulted in touchdowns and 31-0 Salem lead.
Those first four TDs came from a Coleman Fox 28-yard run, 29-yard reception by Isaiah Parker and a pair of touchdowns on runs from 2 and 20-yards-out by Donte Clayborne.
Meanwhile, on the Black Knight offensive side, it quickly became a long night for scrappy Charlottesville quarterback Malik Bartee.
The Black night line, consisting of four sophomores and a freshman, was no match for the seasoned Spartan juggernaut front. Bartee spent most of the evening running for cover as Salem made itself at home in the Knight backfield.
Bartee finally got the Black Knights on the scoreboard late in the first half on a 14-yard touchdown scamper, but Salem answered in precision form when it scored on a 21-yard Fox catch from Spartan quarterback Austin Coulling in the final seconds of the half to take a 38-7 lead to the locker room.
A 2-yard touchdown run by Fox at the 9:30 mark of the third quarter put Salem ahead 45-7, and sent the clock into continuous running mode, much to the delight of the shivering crowd.
Salem emptied the bench the rest of the way.
Parker’s pick-six made it 52-7 late in the third and Bartee scored his second 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth that settled the outcome.
Fox was the offensive highlight for the Spartans on a night when staying on the ground was key. The talented senior, who has committed to Virginia Tech, finished with 258 yards on 14 carries.
Salem entertains Woodgrove (8-3) this Friday night in a 4A North quarterfinal.
– Bill Turner
