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Cut short: Blue Ridge beats STAB in game shortened due to Saints’ injuries

Photo by Bart Isley

St. Anne’s-Belfield’s young, thin roster had just had enough, and late in the third quarter against Blue Ridge in the midst of a 34-0 loss, they made it official, informing the referees that they couldn’t continue against the Barons.

 

“Totally a safety concern,” STAB coach John Blake said. “I love those kids, I can’t put them in harm’s way. Bottom line it’s a safety concern, it was just time to stop it, we just didn’t have enough.”

 

Blue Ridge, in turn, got to celebrate the Barons’ first victory over St. Anne’s since 2012 during the Barons’ state title run that season a little earlier than planned.

 

“Our defense stepped up,” said Blue Ridge coach Tim Thomas. “The last two games our kids have been ready to play.”

 

Jamison Harrison was certainly ready to play. The Barons’ running back needed just nine carries to cross the 100-yard mark, rushing for 104 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries. While Justin Armwood has carried the rushing load the last couple of weeks for the Barons, it was Harrison’s turn to take over against STAB.

 

“He was on fire tonight,” Thomas said. “They were having some success running outside early on when we were on defense, so we said let’s try a little of that too. He was the man tonight.”

 

Blue Ridge built its lead largely in the second quarter after a somewhat slow start, with Harrison putting them on the board first late in the first quarter. But in the second, things opened up, with Harrison scoring again before Armwood broke off a 32-yard touchdown run and Harrison struck again from 59 yards out midway through the second. It helped that the Barons’ defense picked off a pair of first half passes, with Cameron Carr and Aaron Aldridge each snagging interceptions. Aldridge took his pick to the house but it was called back for a penalty.

 

Armwood did his own bit of damage, rushing for 68 yards and that long touchdown run while going 4-for-5 for 72 yards and a touchdown through the air. His 22-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Kane was the Barons’ final touchdown as STAB informed the referees shortly thereafter that they were done.

 

“They wanted to call it off, they said they were all banged up and couldn’t play anymore,” Thomas said.

 

It clearly wasn’t a situation that Blake wanted to deal with, and he said it was the first time he’d ever been in that situation where that seemed like a viable option.

 

“None of us (his coaching staff) have ever had to deal with something like that, but I stand by our decision,” Blake said. “I have to give it to my kids we played really hard, but they’re a really good football team. Our number one concern has to be safety and welfare of our kids.”

 

Blue Ridge’s Jack McLiney led the Barons in tackles with six and had a fumble recovery while Nazir Hopson, Tariq Gough and Jamison Harrison had four stops each. STAB got some traction in the early going with Jaylen Alexander running the ball, but Blue Ridge kept squashing drives with forced turnovers or stops.

 

The Barons will host Virginia Episcopal next week while STAB takes on crosstown rival Covenant.

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