MEADOW BRIDGE - Raeshawn Breckenridge and Dante Wilkerson proved that you can go home again.
Breckenridge threw for two touchdowns and returned an interception for another and Wilkerson had an 89-yard punt return for a score and a touchdown reception as Class A No. 6 Valley defeated Meadow Bridge 38-18 Friday night.
Last year, the natives of the Montgomery area were in totally different situations.
Breckenridge was a backup for Class AAA state runner-up George Washington and Wilkerson was at Capital, where he did not play football.
Both returned to the Montgomery area and they were major contributors as Valley improved to 5-0 on the season.
Wilkerson's punt return midway through the second half was a back-breaker, giving the Greyhounds a 22-6 halftime lead. He bobbled the ball momentarily after fielding it at the 11, then made a couple of moves to break into the open and went the distance untouched.
"The ball was wet, and after I picked it up, I didn't see anything but [Meadow Bridge] defenders," Wilkerson said. "After I made a couple of moves it all opened up. We needed something there and it just felt good to give the team a lift."
"If we go in down 16-6, it's a whole different ballgame," veteran Meadow Bridge coach Larry McClintic said. "That one hurt."
The Valley defense also managed to shut down Meadow Bridge's Jake Parker, who was averaging 251 rushing yards a game coming into the contest.
MEADOW BRIDGE - Raeshawn Breckenridge and Dante Wilkerson proved that you can go home again.
Breckenridge threw for two touchdowns and returned an interception for another and Wilkerson had an 89-yard punt return for a score and a touchdown reception as Class A No. 6 Valley defeated Meadow Bridge 38-18 Friday night.
Last year, the natives of the Montgomery area were in totally different situations.
Breckenridge was a backup for Class AAA state runner-up George Washington and Wilkerson was at Capital, where he did not play football.
Both returned to the Montgomery area and they were major contributors as Valley improved to 5-0 on the season.
Wilkerson's punt return midway through the second half was a back-breaker, giving the Greyhounds a 22-6 halftime lead. He bobbled the ball momentarily after fielding it at the 11, then made a couple of moves to break into the open and went the distance untouched.
"The ball was wet, and after I picked it up, I didn't see anything but [Meadow Bridge] defenders," Wilkerson said. "After I made a couple of moves it all opened up. We needed something there and it just felt good to give the team a lift."
"If we go in down 16-6, it's a whole different ballgame," veteran Meadow Bridge coach Larry McClintic said. "That one hurt."
The Valley defense also managed to shut down Meadow Bridge's Jake Parker, who was averaging 251 rushing yards a game coming into the contest.
Parker had 104 on 30 carries, but 62 of that came on the opening drive, an 80-yard, 16-play drive that Parker finished with a 3-yard run.
But after that, Parker was held in check.
"I got on a couple of our kids [after the drive]," Valley coach Benny Hopkins said. "We were sitting there letting him take it to us. I told them we had to attack him. After that we adjusted and our linebackers did a pretty good job."
Valley responded with 22 straight points. Wilkerson finished off the first drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Mark Hess on fourth down and the Hounds' other quarterback, Matt Whiteside, scrambled 7 yards for a score to make it 16-6.
That's when Wilkerson came up with a game changer.
Meadow Bridge's Ryan Church had a 66-yard punt return for a score to make it 22-12 but Valley stopped the bleeding with an 18-yard Breckenridge-to-Wilkerson touchdown pass and Breckenridge finished it off with a 48-yard interception return.
Valley's Cody Winter ran for 107 yards on 15 carries
"It's a tough place to win down here," Hopkins said. "So, yes, it's a big win. We'll take it and start getting ready for Pendleton County [Friday at Martin Field in Montgomery]."
Meadow Bridge (5-1) travels to Grundy, Va., Next week.
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