The "Wall's" Peninsula Game of the Week #1 - Warhill Upsets Grafton 17-0 For First Win of Season

JAMES CITY - – The Warhill Lions ran to the left, right and through the center of a stunned Grafton defense to win their first game of the season, with an impressive 17-0 shutout of the favored Clippers.

With the win, Warhill moves to 1-5, while Grafton dropped to 4-3 and at least temporarily lost their fourth seed in the 4A East (Tidewater) rankings, dropping to sixth in the VHSL rankings released on Monday.

It was obvious from the early going that the Lions were going to focus on their two featured backs – Collin Bright and Bryce Koob. On Warhill’s first drive, an 11-play, 75 yard effort, Koob and Bright split eight carries, and Bright finished the drive with a six-yard sweep to the right for a touchdown.

After a pitch by Grafton was dropped and recovered by Warhill, Bright struck again. On the first play, from the Clipper 29, the senior back went right with the jet sweep, and Bright outran the Clipper defenders to the end zone for his second score.

Fletcher Whalen added a 23-yard field goal in the middle of the second quarter, and Warhill took a 17-0 lead into intermission. At the half, the Lions had carried 33 times for 218 yards with Bright (16-121, 2 TD’s) and Koob (14-80) shouldering the load. On defense, Warhill held Grafton to just 12 yards rushing on 12 carries in the first half.

The Lions defensive onslaught continued into the second half. For the game, Grafton rushed for only 35 yards on 21 carries, with a final total of 104 yards. Even the Clippers’ ace kicker, Reed King, had one field goal attempt blocked. For the game, Grafton also only completed three of 16 passes.

On the other side, Warhill ran the ball at will, totaling 362 yards on 66 carries. Bright finished with 176 yards on 29 carries, while Koob tallied 148 on 28.

GRAFTON –  0, 0, 0, 0 -- 0

WARHILL  - 14, 3, 0, 0 -- 17

First quarter

W – Bright 6 run (Whalen kick) 6:28

W – Bright 29 run (Whalen kick) 5:39

Second quarter

W – Whalen 23 FG

                    Gr   War

First downs;    6, 21

Rushes-yards;  21-35, 66-357

Passing yards;   69, 0

Comp-att-int;   3-16-2, 0-3-1

Penalties-yards; 5-58, 7-55

Punts-avg;      3-40, 0-0

Fumbles-lost;   1-1, 0-0