Jeb Stewart has performance for the ages as Patrick Henry beats George Wythe for first time since 1998 (copy)
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart eludes a George Wythe defender.
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart carries the ball against George Wythe.
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart gets brought down by a George Wythe defender.
EMORY, Va. – If you are hoping to get ahold of Jeb Stewart on Saturday and perhaps offer some congratulatory words to the Patrick Henry High School senior, you might want to wait until the afternoon to contact him since he’ll be getting some much-needed rest.
“Oh yeah,” Stewart said. “I’m sleeping late, late – like 12 o’clock.”
He was probably snoozing as soon as his head hit the pillow and who could blame him after a performance so workmanlike in a 36-20 non-district football win over the George Wythe Maroons that calling it herculean doesn’t do it justice.
Stewart carried the ball 45 times for 320 yards in scoring five touchdowns on Friday.
He also tallied a two-point conversion, had one catch for two yards, bagged an interception and recovered a fumble.
In other words, he was unstoppable.
“It’s always rewarding to lift your head up and see Jeb 20 yards downfield, breaking three tackles and scoring,” said PH senior lineman Ben Cuddy. “A great sight to see.”
Patrick Henry (3-1) not only beat George Wythe for the first time since 1998, but the Rebels have also already eclipsed their win total from last season when they struggled to a 2-8 showing.
Coming into focus has been the big difference the big guys have made while battling in the trenches.
“The step we’ve taken from last year is unbelievable and it shows up front,” said PH coach Austin Cooper. “You play a team like George Wythe that’s physical and big up front and we were able to move them off the ball. We ran up the middle almost every play tonight and had success.”
Cuddy, Carter Jenkins, Jordan Stewart, Hunter White and freshman Ryder Thayer helped open holes for Jeb Stewart, while fellow running backs Colton Frye and Zayne Bolen also delivered some blocks to help spring him free.
“I can’t stress enough – our line is massive,” Stewart said. “To come out and do this against a team like that is amazing.”
Stewart and the Rebels went three and out on their opening possession and George Wythe (1-3) proceeded to drive the ball deep into Patrick Henry territory.
However, senior Mason Hutton of the Rebels intercepted a throw from GW quarterback Isaac Smith in the end zone to subdue that initial threat.
Patrick Henry's Mason Hutton
“It got us some momentum rolling,” Hutton said. “I shouldn’t have brought it back out [of the end zone], I was just excited.”
It didn’t matter.
Patrick Henry began its first scoring march on its own 2-yard line and covered 98 yards on 14 plays as TD No. 1 from Stewart got the Rebels on the board.
A 19-yard run by Jordan Stewart (Jeb’s brother) on a fake punt was the key conversion during the drive.
George Wythe responded with a score of its own on its next possession to take an 8-7 advantage.
It was short-lived as the Rebels took the lead for good with 90 seconds left in the first half on a Stewart scoring run.
The Maroons received an even bigger dose of Stewart over the course of the final two quarters as he carried the ball on every PH play save for the final three when Zayne Bolen took a knee in victory formation.
It didn’t come as a shocker to George Wythe boss Brandon Harner that Stewart toted the pigskin almost 50 times.
“Which he should,” Harner said.
The Maroons pulled within 15-14 and 22-20 in the second half but each time Stewart would reel off a big run or PH would benefit from a turnover.
Hutton recovered a fumble with 11:38 remaining.
George Wythe had recovered an onside kick just before that.
“The defense is playing unbelievable,” Cooper said. “It’s all coming together.”
Stewart made three house calls in the second half, including a 46-yard sprint to the end zone two plays after Hutton’s fumble recovery.
On his final carry of the night, Stewart gained 19 yards.
Speed.
Strength.
Stamina.
“I know they are going to give me the ball, I just have to ready for it,” Stewart said. “I just take it a play at a time and go do what I need to do.”
Stewart had rushed for 94, 266 and 281 yards in his first three games of the season.
“He’s special,” Hutton said. “He’ll outrun anybody, run over anybody, go up and make a catch. It’s awesome to have a teammate like that.”
There’s another statistic of Stewart’s that miffs Cooper.
“The kid has zero college offers and I can’t understand that,” Cooper said. “People are going to love to see him on Saturdays as much as they do on Fridays and I hope he gets that chance.”
George Wythe hopes to have an opportunity to right the ship after committing four turnovers in the setback.
“Like I was telling the kids, to win against a good football team – and PH this year is a good football team – you can’t lose the categories in turnovers, penalties, just everything,” Harner said. “Anytime we were getting back into the game we’d do something where we were right back out of it and give PH credit for some of that.”
Stewart kept coming.
The Maroons knew it and still couldn’t slow down the workhorse.
“How many missed tackles did we have? It’s not like we weren’t there to make the play,” Harner said. “I guarantee we had over 20 missed tackles. [Stewart] had a great night and he’s a heck of a back.”
Caden Golliher led George Wythe with 102 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Quarterback Isaac Smith rushed for 76 yards and two TDs.
The last time the Maroons started a season 1-3 was 2014, a year in which they regrouped and advanced to the third round of the VHSL playoffs.
“If these kids keep working and keep getting better and we keep plugging along and we get in the playoffs, we’re going to be a team that people don’t want to see in the first or second round,” Harner said. “Not saying we will win it, but I do think we’ll get better.”
As for Patrick Henry, what helped them get so much better in the span of a year?
“We grew up,” Hutton said.
The Rebels’ reputation is sure to grow after Friday’s showing.
“We’re finally getting our name out there and putting ourselves on the map,” Cuddy said.
Stewart doesn’t need a map to find the end zone, and he’ll try to pile up more yards and points as Patrick Henry travels to Washington County rival John Battle (0-4) on Sept. 25.
The Rebels look to keep rolling.
The latest result was probably a wake-up call to the rest of Region 1D.
“It’s unbelievable what they are doing and I hope we can keep this momentum going,” Cooper said. “I’m glad they are seeing success. They deserve it.”
George Wythe 0 8 6 6—20
Patrick Henry 0 15 7 14—36
Scoring Summary
PH – Je. Stewart 6 run (Ratliff kick)
GW – Golliher 5 run (Rigney pass from Bralley)
PH – Je. Stewart 2 run (Je. Stewart run)
GW – Smith 17 run (kick failed)
PH – Je. Stewart 9 run (Ratliff kick)
GW – Smith 27 run (pass failed)
PH – Je. Stewart 46 run (Ratliff kick)
PH – Je. Stewart 1 run (Ratliff kick)
Team Stats
First Downs: GW 16, PH 16; Rushes-Yards: GW 33-200, PH 51-331; Passing Yards: GW 129, PH 2; Comp.-Att.-Int.: GW 9-18-2, PH 1-2-0; Fumbles-Lost: GW 2-2, PH 1-1; Penalties-Yards: GW 8-55, PH 4-45, Punts-Average: GW 0-0, PH 1-39.
