CHARLESTON – The Richard Winn Eagles kicked off their 2015 season in a muggy warm Charleston evening using a 26-0 third quarter to begin their quest to repeat as 8-Man state champions, beating Charleston Collegiate 58-18.
The Eagles started their season with an impressive opening drive, needing only two plays to score their first touchdown. Eagles quarterback Gunnar Hensley hit Mitchell Gibbons with a 68-yard touchdown pass, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead.
Charleston Collegiate responded with an 88-yard kickoff return to tie the game at 7 apiece.
RWA’s second drive sputtered on a failed fourth-down conversion, giving the Sun Devils a chance to take control of the game. A fumble deep on their side of the field was recovered by RWA’s Peyton Gilbert, ending the threat and giving the Eagles great field position inside the red zone.
Hensley carried the Eagles into the end zone with a 2-yard run giving the Eagles a 13-6 lead going into the second quarter.
“I expect the little bit of the same from last year using our team discipline and conditioning to make us the better team on the field for 48 minutes,” Eagles’ head coach Dan Dickerson said.
Charleston Collegiate opened the second quarter scoring with a 77-yard touchdown run, cutting the Eagles’ lead to13-12 after a failed 2-point conversion attempt. On the very next possession, Hensley awoke the Eagle team with a 68-yard touchdown run to increase their lead 21-12 halfway through the second quarter.
On the next Sun Devils’ possession, the Eagle defense forced another fumble, which was recovered by John Sandifer, handing the Eagles again great field position. Hensley then connected with Webb Yongue on a 36-yard touchdown pass increasing the lead to 27-12. The Sun Devils slowed the bleeding right before the half, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown pass to go into the locker room down 27-18.
As the third quarter began the Eagles showed the Sun Devils a replica of the 2014 state champions that dominated the field. Yongue started the quarter with a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown. After a successful 2-point conversion, RWA never looked back.
Eagle defensive back John Coleman intercepted the Sun Devils on their next possession, blowing the game wide open and setting Hensley up for a 12-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead 42-18, 3 minutes into the third quarter.
“It was a great game for Gunnar, as he knows we need him to step up for us this year,” Dickerson said. “As the game went on, the light bulb clicked on for him and I expect great things from him and senior Webb Yongue.”
After another Yongue touchdown run and a Mitchell Gibbons field goal, the Eagles of RWA capped off a 26-0 third quarter to end all hopes of a Sun Devil comeback. Noah Edwards ended the game for sure with a 14-yard touchdown run giving the Eagles 58-18 win over CC.
Richard Winn begins the year 1-0 as they head into their home opener Aug. 28 against Cathedral Academy at 7:30 p.m.
RW: 13-13-26-6 – 58
CC: 6-12-0-0 – 18
Scoring
First Quarter
RW – Mitchell Gibbons 68 pass from Gunnar Hensley. M. Gibbons kick. (9:53)
CC – Smith 80 kickoff return. Pass failed. (9:39)
RW – G. Hensley 2 run. Pass failed. (6:19)
Second Quarter
CC – Smith 77 run. Pass failed. (9:38)
RW – G. Hensley 68 run. G. Hensley 3 run. (9:21)
RW – Webb Yongue 36 pass from G. Hensley. Run failed. (6:45)
CC – Jones 15 pass from Franks. Run failed. (2:03)
Third Quarter
RW – W. Yongue 58 INT return. Nic Stillwell 3 pass from M. Gibbons. (11:03)
RW – G. Hensley 12 run. Gibbons 3 run. (9:36)
RW – W. Yongue 5 run. M. Gibbons kick. (3:15)
RW – M. Gibbons 31 FG. (1:02)
Fourth Quarter
RW – Noah Edwards 14 run. Kick failed. (2:04)
RW CC
First Downs 13 3
Rushes/Yards 31-241 21-92
Passing Yards 129 41
C-A-I-TD 5-11-1-2 3-11-2-1
Fumbles/Lost 1-1 5-4
Penalties/Yards 8-77 4-35
Rushing: RW – John Coleman 6-22, Gunnar Hensley 10-127, Webb Yongue 5-38, Will Carvalho 2-11, Noah Edwards 7-27, Peyton Gilbert 1-19.
Receiving: RW – Mitchell Gibbons 1-68, Webb Yongue 2-59, Bryant Carvalho 1-4, Will Carvalho 1-2.
Passing: RW – Gunnar Hensely 4-10, 131 yards, 2TD, 1INT; Noah Edwards 1-1, (-2) yards.