COLUMBIA- Westwood (3-3) fell to Ridge View (2-3) in a low-scoring 16-6 road loss during a Saturday afternoon in a game rescheduled due to severe weather threats from Hurricane Helene. Much of the game was a battle at the line of scrimmage between standout running backs from both teams, including sophomore Angelo Rios and junior Quentin McGill Jr. of the Redhawks and sophomore Spencer Bobian and junior Aidan Keeffe from the Blazers.
Ridge View found the end zone on their first possession of the game via a one-yard run from sophomore running back Spencer Bobian with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter.
After the teams traded punts, Westwood gained possession deep in Blazers’ territory. Franchise sophomore running back Angelo Rios brought the Redhawks within striking distance after getting loose on an exciting outside run to advance Westwood from the 18-yard line to the six-yard line, and junior running back and wide receiver Quentin McGill Jr. found a hole up the middle to bring the game to 7-6 with 59 seconds in the period, but Blazers’ junior linebacker Jaiden Brown would be there to make the big tackle on the two-point conversion to keep Westwood from tying the game.
The Redhawks would find excitement on offense in the second quarter, but could not quite convert find the end zone. Junior quarterback Carrington Carter would find McGill, who provided a big presence on offense during the game and throughout season with for Westwood with his pass-catching, running, speed, and athletic moves to create yards after the catch on a mid-range corner route on the right to move the Redhawks from their own 15-yard line to the Blazers’ 44-yard line with 7:01 remaining in the second quarter. But on a crucial 4th down and 5 with 5:32 in the period, Ridge View junior cornerback Elisha Smalls would come up with a crucial tackle on a reception from Redhawks’ junior wide receiver Tyrek Jenkins on the 39-yard line.
On the next drive, Blazers’ junior wide receiver Khristian Jackson, a collegiate prospect at Ridge View who has Division 1 scholarship offers from Miami of Ohio and Virginia Tech, made a nice 14-yard catch on the sideline to advance Ridge View from their own 35-yard line to the Westwood 49 with 4:40 in the quarter. After Jackson helped find the Blazers’ into Redhawks’ territory, Keeffe took control of the drive for the Blazers with his physical running, pioneering Ridge View all the way down to 5-yard line in a sequence where his number was called on six of the next eight plays. Then, on 2nd and goal, Blazers’ junior quarterback Tre Howard dialed up a short pass to the right intended for junior tight end Liam Mueller, who cashed in on 38 seconds remaining in the period to bring Ridge View’s lead out to 13-6. Westwood junior cornerback Zion Oliver was there to make the big stop on the two-point conversion to keep the game within seven points going into the half.
During their first drive in the third quarter, the Redhawks marched down the field behind the efforts of Rios, McGill, and Jenkins. But Westwood was stopped on 4th and 8 at the Ridge View 28-yard line. Carter made a solid attempt on a deep pass towards the end zone, but it would fall incomplete.
After another series of trading punts for both teams, Westwood was forced to give away the ball away on consecutive occasions after going three and out, kicking it away from their 19-yard line to the 44-yard line. After making a short drive deep into Westwood territory that featured strong runs from Bobian and Keeffe, junior kicker Issaja Yohannes would nail a short field goal for the final score of the game with about two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
WESTWOOD – 0-6-0-0 – 6
RIDGE VIEW – 7-6-0-3 – 16