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Frustrating Finish: Blue Ridge falls in state title clash with North Cross

Photo by Bart Isley

Even in the most frustrating of losses — and make no mistake, Saturday’s 42-6 loss to North Cross in the VISAA D2 state title game was frustrating for Blue Ridge — there’s often a silver lining.

 

That silver lining for the Barons was Cameron Kewley, a Hobart lacrosse commitment who played like something different than that Saturday.

 

“Cam Kewley weighs 160 pounds and it’s all heart, if there’s a tougher guy I’ve never coached him,” said Blue Ridge coach Jimmy Wills. “He looked like he was a 250-pound NFL linebacker play after play after play. There is no quit in that kid.”

 

While Kewley’s incredible play wasn’t enough for a Blue Ridge squad beset by injuries including two-way lineman Jack Dickey and a decimated wide receiving corps with Maliq Brown and Lance Gaskins both on the shelf, Kewley certainly threw a wrench into the Raiders’ plans from the jump.

 

“They had a linebacker (Kewley) that was just really, really effective all day,” said North Cross coach Stephen Alexander.

 

Kewley made a huge stop on fourth down early, but even when things went right for the Barons Saturday, they pretty quickly went wrong. Blue Ridge’s offense — with quarterback Kenyon Carter running for his life much of the day while throwing three interceptions — couldn’t move the ball, forcing the Barons into a punt from their own endzone. North Cross’ Isaac Harris snagged a short punt and raced in for a touchdown to make it 7-0 Raiders. 

 

Despite some brief flashes of brilliance from the Barons — a quarterback throwback from Iceysis Lewis to Carter for a big gain and a big catch by Keegan Kozack — North Cross rolled after that initial Harris touchdown. Harris rushed for 131 yards on 17 touches and scored two more times. The Barons struggled to tackle him much of the day outside a couple of key stops from Kewley. 

 

“He’s not fun to tackle — great leader and he’s in the best shape of his life,” Alexander said. “That’s why he’s the most effective he’s ever been.”

 

Special teams hurt the Barons again when Zae Baines ripped off a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown. Baines created all kinds of issues for the Barons, whose injuries at wideout had a similar impact at defensive back with Gaskins and Brown playing both ways. With a lot of focused required on Baines, Michael Mack got loose for a 49-yard catch for a touchdown on a day where Gabe Zappia threw for 232 yards on just 10-for-17 passing. 

 

“A threat like Zae is more than when he doesn’t have the ball, it’s when he doesn’t and they have to double team him and adjust the defense,” Alexander said. “His value is beyond the plays he makes with the ball.”

 

The Raiders led 35-0 at the break and tacked on another score in the third, a James Jackson touchdown catch from Zappia. 

 

Blue Ridge got on the board with Jacob Rice hauling in a touchdown from Carter in the fourth, but the game wasn’t in doubt by that point. Blue Ridge ends the year at 8-4 with two of those losses coming to North Cross and the other two coming to strong programs in Goochland and Roanoke Catholic. 

 

“Adversity seems to be a theme we’ve had to deal with since day one,” said Blue Ridge coach Jimmy Wills. “I couldn’t be prouder of my guys, certainly didn’t go our way today. Hats off to North Cross, they’re an outstanding football team.”

 

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