BLUE RIDGE- A very close game at halftime saw the Commerce Tigers take full control in the 2nd half to notch a 59-27 win over the Blue Ridge Tigers in their final pre-district game of the season.
Commerce senior receiver Brandon Anderson had another outstanding night in a big win to wrap up the pre-district schedule as he scored five total touchdowns. Anderson caught 8 balls for 189 yards and three scores, had a three-yard rushing score and had a 70-yard interception return for a score. This comes on the heels of 7 catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns and an interception on defense last week.
Senior quarterback Aiden Brown also had an outstanding night, going 13 of 22 passing for 280 yards and three scores, while adding 183 yards rushing and three scores.
Commerce got the ball to start the game and scored on a 45-yard pas to Anderson and then notched a one-yard plunge by Brown after holding Blue Ridge to three-and-out.
Blue Ridge answered on their second possession with a 27-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Brody Needham to senior receiver Tyse Lennon, but bounced the extra point of the upright to make it 14-6 Commerce late in the first quarter. The Blue Ridge defense forced a turnover on downs and scored again with as 54-yard toss from Needham to sophomore Andrew Gaddis to make it 14-13 Commerce early in the second quarter.
Commerce answered on a 9 play, 74-yard drive highlighted by a 46-yard catch-and-run by senior Donovan Maria that set up Anderson’s three-yard end-around for the score. Blue Ridge added a 46-yard catch by sophomore Andrew Lemberg, but failed the point-after to make the score 21-19 Commerce at the half.
Blue Ridge received the ball to start the 2nd half and took the lead on a 25-yard Lemberg catch and two-point conversion to make it 27-21 Blue Ridge with 9:51 left in the 3rd quarter. Then the Commerce Tigers took complete control. Anderson had a 38-yard scoring catch and followed that with a 70-yard interception return for the score. Holding Blue Ridge to 3-and-out, the Commerce defense notched a safety when the snap sailed over the punter’s head into the end zone. Then Anderson added yet another touchdown on a 29-yard catch, with Maria turning a bad extra point snap into a good two-point conversion, making the score 45-27 with 5:22 left in the 3rd quarter.
Brown added yet another score in the 3rd on a 48-yard run, then on a 65-yard run in the fourth. Commerce’s Jaydin David recovered a fumble and Austin Searcy got an interception as the Commerce defense held off any last gasps by Blue Ridge to bring home a dominant 59-27 win.
Blue Ridge’s Brody Needham was 19-of-27 passing for 229 yards and four touchdowns. He also uncharacteristically led the team in rushing with 78 yards on five carries. Blue Ridge begins district play hosting Valley View next week.
The win brings Commerce to a 3-1 pre-district record with the undefeated Winnsboro Red Raiders set to travel to Blake Cooper Field at Tigers Stadium in Commerce to start District 7-3A play next week.
