Bruton Travels to Smithfield for Early Season Test

Smithfield SO WR Chris Pierce (Photo: Joe Barnes/recruit757)

As shown in recruit757.com. I will be covering the game tonight for the Daily Press. And just to add, my prediction, which was wisely deleted on the other site, is Smithfield 27, Bruton 19. Look for my live updates @jfmcgrath tonight.

Bruton (1-0) at Smithfield (0-1) Friday at 7 p.m.

An inspired Bruton team, fresh off an upset last week, travels across the James River on Friday night to take on district rival Smithfield in a game that should serve as a formidable barometer for each team’s chances of a top-half district finish.

For the visiting Panthers, defeating King William last weekend served as a minor upset and a reminder to the rest of the Bay Rivers District that last season’s 2-9 record should not be used as the 2015 measuring stick. Granted, Bruton did earn a 2A playoff berth because most of their district competition was against 3A and 4A teams.

But the Panthers, under second year coach Reggie Jones, showed off a strong running game in the 32-24 win. Feature back Daniel Jones rushed for 121 yards with touchdown runs of 48 and 14 yards. In all, Bruton totaled 312 yards on the ground, with Jones and company eating up chunks of real estate behind the offensive line, which featured Elijah Graves, Trevon Wallace, Hudson Daniel, A.J. Battle, Kirk Cooke, Giovani Campbell, Dailon Donley and Tadie Mielczarek.

Linebacker Ian Gruver spearheaded a strong defensive effort with 11 tackles, three for losses. Fellow defender Mike Rodgers helped to seal the win with his 27-yard interception return for a pick-six touchdown. Coach Jones is hoping that his young squad will return to the 8-4 mark it recorded in 2013, Coach Tracy Harrod’s last season.

Smithfield (0-1), who finished 5-6 last year under coach Clark Harrell (now at New Kent), is also hoping for a fast start under new head whistle Reginald Chavis, who earned his coaching stripes as an assistant at Booker T. Washington. Chavis’ troops fell a touchdown short to Kings Fork last week, 24-17, but a seven-point loss to a fellow 4A team that won two games in last year’s playoffs (38-3 against Grafton and 33-14 against Booker T.) is not the worst of starts.

Although replacing Donald King and his 2,400 yards over the past two seasons will be a tall task, having veterans QB Nick Turner and RB Lowell Patron in the backfield, along with last year’s 44-catch wide out Chris Pierce in the mix should provide stability to the offense.