There were bits and pieces that worked for Nelson.
Ray Chambers getting the job done on a power sweep over the right side that went for double digit yards three times in four plays. A Marlik Turner interception in the second half. A fumble recovery on a muffed punt.
But inevitably, some penalty, some turnover or some missed assignment would erase that moment of progress or stall out a drive at Nelson’s season opener played at Amherst Thursday because of problems with Nelson’s field. And that’s how the Governors ended up on the wrong end of a 46-0 Luray victory in both squads’ season opener.
Luray got in a groove early and built a 13-0 lead on a pair of touchdowns by Jacob Moyer, the first from 62 yards out and the second from 27.
“My line played great,” Moyer said. “The holes were just huge.”
Nelson didn’t appear rattled after those two scores, and put together one of its best drives of the contest right after the second score, with Chambers ripping off runs of 12, 11 and 10 yards to put the Governors just outside the red zone.
The drive stalled in the opening seconds of the second quarter when a Luray lineman knifed in on fourth down and dropped Chambers for a loss. The floodgates opened a play later when Luray quarterback Tyler Campbell exploded for a 63-yard touchdown run through the teeth of the Nelson defense.
Moyer rushed for 111 yards before the break on just six touches and Luray’s success on the ground game gave them the opportunity to start melting the clock from late in the first half on. Moyer tacked on a third touchdown from 12 yards out midway through the second quarter.
Chambers (totaled 45 rushing yards in the first half), who was leading the way on defense in addition to his ball-carrying duties on offense, cramped up in the second half.
“Ray’s a good athlete,” said Nelson coach Mark Poston. “It was a really hot night tonight and he started cramping up in the fourth quarter because we ask him to do so much on offense and defense, and once again that’s why we’ve got to develop other guys.”
That opened up some opportunities for freshman Devante Ellis-Rose to show some flashes of potential during the second half. Nelson drove into the redzone in the closing minutes of the game with its hybrid single wing style offense, but couldn’t finish off the drive as the game ended with a turnover on downs as time expired.
“I feel like we kind of got stale (just standing on the field while a junior varsity game for Amherst to finish up) and that’s not to take anything away from Luray because Luray’s got a great football team,” Poston said. “We’ve got to find a way to transfer what’s happening on the practice field to Friday nights. We’re in that stage of development where it’s tough.”
Nelson (0-1) will hit the road next week when the Governors head to Page County for a 7 p.n. tilt.
