In a feat of role reversal, it was the Athens defense being heavily relied on for once Friday night.
Athens was ready for almost every challenge the River Valley offense presented in the 25-15 victory, and Athens quarterback Brendan Sano needed it.
Sano was diagnosed with strep throat on Wednesday after leaving practice with a 102 degree fever. He wasn’t making excuses for the unusually quiet offensive performance, but it was apparent he wasn’t himself despite continuing to play both sides of the ball.
Coming off a two week stretch where every pass Sano threw seemed destined to yield points, he went 9-18 for 127 yards with one touchdown and his first interception of the year. Luckily, his defense picked up some of the scoring load.
Immediately after the Bulldogs scored their first touchdown in the second quarter, defensive lineman Gage Penrod took a fumble, caused by Hunter Justis, 36 yards for a touchdown.
“Without a doubt, I’m sure it’ll be one of the highlights of his high school career,” coach Ryan Adams said.
It seemed like the Bulldogs were on the verge of the blowout from there, but the Raiders hung around due in large part to the Bulldogs’ offensive struggles. Athens forced three turnovers, blocked a kick and stopped the Raiders on fourth down twice, but the lead was still within striking distance for River Valley until late in the fourth quarter.
The defense propped up the offense all night.
“That just really energizes the offense,” Sano said. “Those plays off turnovers, that’s what really kinda sparks the offense and gets us going."
Athens has given up 14.5 points per game the last two weeks after giving up 38.5 points per game the two weeks prior. Adams said he had a talk with the unit after the Meigs game, and it seems to have worked.
“We certainly thought we were losing our edge, so a couple of weeks ago, I challenged them before the game and they’ve responded the last two weeks,” Adams said. “I think tonight they faced a tremendous amount of adversity at plenty of different moments throughout the game and at least made (River Valley) earn everything they got.”
Up 10 with 4:50 left in the game, Sano finally put it out of reach with a 47-yard touchdown to wide receiver Treyce Albin. Sano threw his arms up and looked to the sky, having put a day to forget behind him for good.
“That was when you really took a step back, breathed and realized that we got this one,” Sano said.
Two days after being diagnosed with strep throat, Sano played offense and defense in 40 degree weather. After a win to keep the Bulldogs playoff hopes alive, you wouldn’t know it.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Sano said. “Especially a lot better after that win. That always picks up your spirits a little bit.”
