JV Cavs earn first conference win

Published | Sep 23, 2023

The East Burke JV football team needed a stop to defend visiting Bandys and Peyton Toler answered not once, not twice, but three times by forcing a fumble, recovering a fumble, and grasping an interception.

With the defensive efforts of Toler and others, the JV Cavs earned their first win in Catawba Valley 2A Conference play 36-22 while also remaining undefeated on the home field.

Bandys scored first to start the game with a 6-0 lead as East Burke answered back with a 12-play drive ending with a fourth down endzone sneak by Ossie Burkeen to tie it up 6-6.

Bandys gained the lead back 14-6 and forced East Burke to punt after an 8-play drive but after Burkeen blocked a punt, the JV Cavaliers tied it back up 14-14 with a DJ Weston 27-yard touchdown run and Vernon Quintana conversion run.

East Burke was able to get back to work after recovering a Bandys fumble on the following kickoff going for nine plays to take the 22-14 lead with Jesiah Rees scoring on a five-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion.

Bandys opened the third quarter with a touchdown run to force a 22-22 tie as both teams followed with exchanged punts.

Weston gave East Burke their final lead, 30-22, ending a five-play drive from their 37-yard line with a seven-yard touchdown run and Burkeen conversion run.

Burkeen added another touchdown run as Toler and Co. made the necessary stops to uphold a Bandys comeback.

Burkeen led with 130 rushing yards and Weston adding 81 rushing yardage and 67 receiving yards off three combined completions from Calvin Vue and Carter Bennett.

Daniel Cook led in tackles (13) with recording two tackles for loss and a sack followed by Burkeen (10 tackles, TFL, sack, blocked punt, fumble recovery), Quintana (4 tackles), and Tolar (2 tackles, TFL, forced fumble, fumble recovery, INT).

Verse of the Day

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

-Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)