SALEM - Everyone knew that Riverheads and Eastern Montgomery boasted high-powered offenses heading into the Group A Division 1 championship bout on Saturday at Salem Stadium, but spectators had no idea that they would see 112 points on the board when the clocks ran to zeroes.

The Gladiators captured the Division 1 crown with a 63-49 victory over previously unbeaten Eastern Montgomery in the highest scoring state championship game in VHSL history.

Riverheads' three-pronged running attack of Daniel Weekley, Logan Moore and Jordan Jack dominated the game, as the Gladiators (13-1) racked up 541 yards rushing. Jack and Weekley each found the end zone three times, and Moore tacked on two scores.

Riverheads coach Robert Casto outlined what the entire crowd witnessed, total domination by the Gladiators' offensive line.

"They're the meat and potatoes of our offense," Casto said. "These guys run up and down the field and get their name in the paper and score touchdowns and this and that, but without those guys up front, we're not doing what we're doing."

Mustangs coach Mark Poston was clearly frustrated after the game, possibly still looking for answers on defense.

"They were very physical and, I give them credit, their scheme is very difficult to defend," he said.

Eastern Montgomery (13-1) did everything they could to stop the running attack, at times stacking all 11 defenders in the box, but the Gladiators wing-T attack kept plugging away until they broke one of their nine 20-plus-yard runs of the afternoon.

"Our kids just kept banging, and I'm really pleased with the way our kids played today," Casto said.

With all the defensive struggles, the game was still in doubt midway through the fourth quarter, when EastMont had backed the Gladiators up to a fourth-and-seven. Riverheads came out of a timeout with a designed run for quarterback Lance Diehl, who gained 12 yards and the first down on his only rushing attempt of the day.

Almost lost in all the scoring were the jaw-dropping numbers put up by Eastern Montgomery's offensive players.

Mustang quarterback Shawn Christian passed for 445 yards on the day, and completed his first eight passes, all to receiver Brad Wooten. Wooten finished with 299 receiving yards on an astonishing 13 receptions, and three touchdowns.

Christian also found running back Michael Shelor and tight end Joseph Vishneski for touchdowns, and scampered for two more.

A clearly impressed television reporter asked Poston about their performances.

"That's a weekly thing," Poston answered, and it seems he was right. Not a soul on the EastMont sideline was talking about the game that Christian and Wooten were having.

Poston instead focused on his team's refusal to quit when down.

"They played their hearts out, and they did our community proud and we're proud of them," he said. The Eastern Montgomery crowd agreed, chanting "East-Mont! East-Mont!" as the Mustangs loped off the field.

Casto seemed satisfied with his school's third state championship, and the Gladiators' Week 1 loss to Stuarts Draft.

"We won the game," he said, "that's what I'm after."

1 2 3 4 T

EM 14 14 7 14 49

R 21 21 7 14 63

Scoring summary

R - Moore 20 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Christian 4 run (Schneider kick)

EM - Christian 3 run (Schneider kick)

R - Weekley 66 run (Goodson kick)

R - Moore 30 run (Goodson kick)

R - Weekley 1 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Wooten 6 pass from Christian (Schneider kick)

R - Jack 29 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Vishneski 11 pass from Christian (Schneider kick)

R - Jack 19 run (Goodson kick)

R - Weekley 31 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Wooten 26 pass from Christian (Schneider kick)

R - Jack 1 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Wooten 61 pass from Christian (Schneider kick)

R - K. Cheung 39 run (Goodson kick)

EM - Shelor 44 pass from Christian (Schneider kick)

Team stats

EM R

First downs 20 27

Yards rushing 73 541

Passing C-A-I 17-25-0 2-2-0

Yards passing 445 35

Penalties-yards 5-22 4-30

Fumbles-lost 3-1 2-1

Punts-average 3-29.7 1-46.0

Individual stats

RUSHING - EM, Christian 14-23, Shelor 7-50. R, Weekley 11-223, Jack 12-115, Moore 22-140, Cheung 4-51, Diehl 1-12.

PASSING - EM, Christian 19-26-0-445. R, Diehl 2-2-0-35.