GAME SUMMARY

Rustburg traveled to Amherst County looking to knock off the Lancers following three straight losses after beginning the season 4-0. The Lancers were looking to keep themselves in prime position of securing a postseason bid in Region 4D with a victory over their Seminole District opponent. Both teams began the game with a 4-3 overall record.

For most of the night, the two squads went blow for blow with each other, each team playing suburb defense while making the most of their offensive possessions behind strong rushing. In the end, however, it was the Red Devils defense that slammed the door shut, intercepting two passes and keeping the Amherst County offense from having any success after taking the lead early in the fourth quarter, walking away with a 21-17 victory on the road.

The Lancers scored on their opening drive of the night going eight plays in 2:42 with senior Devonte Wade rushing into the endzone from seven yards out. Rustburg’s offense was unable to respond on their next drive but the Red Devils defense forced a turnover on downs and the team took advantage of a short field with six straight runs and Ari Reid scoring with seven seconds left in the opening quarter to knot the game at 7-7.

Marshaun Rosser recovered a Lancer fumble on the ensuing possession by Amherst County but the Rustburg offense wasn’t able to capitalize, stalling their drive at the Lancer 26 yard-line. The Red Devils offense quickly regained possession after the defense forced the Lancers to punt and on the fourth play from scrimmage, Rosser went to the house from 37 yards away to give his team a 14-7 advantage.

Amherst County had a response on the next drive, however, with Wade hitting teammate Antonio Parrish in stride for a 27-yard score with just 11 seconds until halftime and knotting the score with an extra point from kick Andrew Marsh.

Following the break the Lancers offense went to work eating up the clock with a ten-play, 5:18 drive that ended with Marsh booting a 44-yard field goal that could have gone at least ten more yards. The kick gave Amherst County the lead. A quick offensive possession for Rustburg ended with a punt and the Lancers regaining control of the football.

Unfortunately, for Amherst County, disaster would strike shortly after. Wade connected with Parrish for an 18-yard gain on fourth and nine to keep their drive alive but on the next play the team fumbled and Rustburg defender Aden Staton recovered and returned the football to the Lancers 47 yard line.

The Red Devils handed the ball to Rosser seven times for 24 yards but went to the air on third and goal from the ten. Quarterback Jayden Herndon hit tight end, Thomas Goff, in the endzone as he was going to the ground to give Rustburg the lead.

Amherst County would get the ball four more times in the final quarter but was unable to gain any traction punting on their next possession. The next two possessions ended in interceptions, totaling four turnovers in the game, and the Lancers' final drive started at their own five-yard line and ended there as well with three straight incompletions before time ran off the clock.

SCORING SUMMARY

Rustburg-- 7 7 0 7—21

Amherst County-- 7 7 3 0—17

FIRST QUARTER

AC—Devonte Wade 7 run, (Andrew Marsh kick), 7:29

R—Ari Reid 7 run, (Parker Giles kick), 0:07

SECOND QUARTER

R—Marshaun Rosser—37 run (Parker Giles kick), 4:14

AC—Antonio Parrish 27 pass from Devonte Wade, (Andrew Marsh kick), 0:11

THIRD QUARTER

AC—Andrew Marsh 44 field goal, 6:32

FOURTH QUARTER

R—Thomas Goff 10 pass from Jaydon Herndon (Parker Giles kick), 9:17

STANDOUT PLAYERS

Marshaun Rosser, Rustburg…It was the seniors' defensive stats, particularly his turnover involvement that made him one of the night's top performers. Rosser recovered a fumble in the second quarter of the game but it was an interception in the final quarter that ended an Amherst County drive that was part of the tone setting in the final moments of the game. Rosser did score on a 37-yard dash to give his team the lead in the second quarter of the game. The Class of 2025 running back also was the game’s leader in rushing attempts with 19 for a modest 61 yards on the ground.

Devonte Wade, Amherst County…Wade was the leading rusher for his team with 70 total yards on the ground and the only Lancer rushing touchdown with his seven-yard carry in the opening quarter to start the scoring in the game. The senior also tossed for a score in the final minute of the second quarter and ended the night with 104 yards passing. In the defensive battle, Wade’s stat line and leadership could have possibly been enough to win the game but the four Lancer turnovers including a pair of interceptions down the stretch proved costly for the team.

TAKEAWAYS

Turnovers Create Undesired Results

The Red Devils' defense has been solid most of the season. In their five victories, Rustburg has allowed just eleven points per contest. Against Amherst County, Rustburg allowed just 208 yards of total offense to the Lancers but it was the four turnovers, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions, that made the difference on Friday. It was the second recovery that set up what would be the game-winning scoring drive and with Amherst County’s offense needed to score and looking to cover ground in the passing attack the Red Devils secondary played spectacularly recording two interceptions in the final three drives to secure the win.

Both Teams Can Make Playoff Noise

The victory helps Rustburg’s chances of playing in the postseason but the Red Devils won’t be able to let off the gas in a deep region 3C. Assuming Rustburg makes the postseason, the team is battle-tested in a tough district and will cause problems for anyone they face. Amherst County needs at least one victory and maybe two in order to advance to the playoffs but the Lancers have been competitive all season. Excluding their loss to Liberty Christian in week three of the season, the Lancers have lost their other three games by a combined 23 points, with two of them settled by seven points or less.

WHAT’S NEXT

Don’t call it easy but life for the Red Devils takes a bit of a break with Rustburg coming off four weeks against four teams that combined for 22 wins midway through the season. The Red Devils return home for their final home game of the regular season with the Liberty Minutemen on tap. Liberty is 0-8 after a 53-0 loss this week to Liberty Christian. The Minutemen were shut out thrice in 2024 and lost to Rustburg 74-0 a year ago.

Amherst County goes on the road to face Jefferson Forest as they look to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Cavaliers defeated Brookville on Friday 42-7 and finished last season’s contest with the Lancers with the same score. However, Amherst County was victorious against Jefferson Forest three consecutive times. In a tough district with several top-level teams, the added pressure of the looming playoffs may make this one of the Lancers most pivotal games of the season before last season.

Robert Edmonds has been contributing to Virginiapreps.com, part of the Rivals.com network, since 2013. Follow him on X (formerly known as Twitter) @bigrob2523 and subscribe to his YouTube channel
for sports-related content. You can read his work in the Daily Progress
and occasionally in other journalism publications. He began working in the sports sector in 2006 and covers public and private schools throughout the state with a focus in the Central Virginia area. He currently lives in Keswick with his wife and has seven children and two grandchildren. To contact Robert, please email him at bigrob2523@gmail.com.