Blue Ridge football leaning on “brand new belief” in hot start to 2024 season

Blue Ridge running back KB Henderson celebrates after scoring the game-winning touchdown in Blue Ridhe's 21-14 win over Wade Hampton on Aug. 30, 2024. (PHOTO CREDIT | TED CONWELL)

Just call the play one time. One singular time. 

Blue Ridge running back KB Henderson begged his coaches for a specific run.

“Black Charger” — a simple C-gap running play — was all Henderson’s ears longed to hear as Blue Ridge took on Wade Hampton on the opening night of the 2024 football season.

“I told the coaches, ‘I promise you, I’ll get at least five yards, minimum, if you call that play,’” Henderson said. “If I don’t, you have my word that you don’t ever have to call it again.”

Maybe it was something Henderson read in the Generals’ defense. Perhaps it was just a hunch. Henderson waited, waited, and waited some more, until finally, the call came in.

With Blue Ridge and Wade Hampton tied 14-14 — and just two minutes left in the game — “Black Charger” was the call from head coach John Boggs.

The Tigers had the ball at the Wade Hampton five-yard line. KB Henderson’s “five-yard minimum” promise would be tested.

Henderson passed with flying colors.

Crashing over defenders into the end zone, Henderson put Blue Ridge on top with a five-yard touchdown run. The Tigers held firm to the lead, earning a massive 21-14 Week 1 win over Wade Hampton.

“You could tell from the moment KB got the ball, he was not going to be denied,” said Boggs. “He was going to find a way.”

Henderson’s helmet fell off during the powerful touchdown rush. He didn’t care. Henderson kept it off, screaming in ecstasy toward the packed home bleachers of Tiger fanatics. They yelled right back.

“In my head, I knew the game was over at that point,” said Henderson. “I knew the defense wasn’t giving up that lead. It was such a feeling of excitement. I couldn’t contain it.”

The opening night victory meant everything to the Tigers. After a tumultuous 2023 season that saw Blue Ridge finish just 1-10, the Tigers had matched their win total from last season on the first night of the new year.

Blue Ridge players drench head coach John Boggs after the Tigers' 21-14 season-opening win over Wade Hampton on Aug. 30, 2024. (PHOTO CREDIT | TED CONWELL)

One week later, Blue Ridge traveled 30 minutes across state lines and took down Polk County, 42-36.

Two weeks in, two morale-injecting wins for the Tigers. They’ve already doubled the total they managed in 2023.

“This is exactly what we needed. Last year, everybody thought we were a bad team,” said Henderson. “But we came out of the gates and lost that first game, and it shocked us. It stayed with us. Then we lost the second game. We kept hanging our heads, and it was snowballing.”

These aren’t those same Tigers. That’s two one-possession victories for Blue Ridge to open the year. Boggs is quick to admit — last year’s Tigers might not have had the mentality needed to eke out the close wins.

“There’s a brand new belief about this year’s team,” said Boggs. “Even when we’d missed a field goal that could’ve given us the lead earlier [against Wade Hampton] there was no panic. It was just ‘let’s get a stop, get the ball back, and find a way to win.’ As a coach, that’s what you love to see.”

Henderson has done his usual work at running back. 266 yards and two touchdowns between the Tigers’ two wins. Opponents know (and fear) what he can do on the ground.

It’s junior quarterback Gavin Forrester who’s been the early season star, however.

In two winning efforts, Forrester has thrown for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 247 and a whopping five touchdowns with his legs. 

Gavin Forrester (No. 1) has eight total touchdowns to begin the 2024 season. (PHOTO CREDIT | TED CONWELL)

Forrester is blossoming into a premier dual-threat quarterback. Boggs couldn't be more proud.

“When Gavin walks onto the field and puts on the pads, he’s all business. You can just see it in his eyes,” said Boggs. “We could see as the summer went on that things were starting to click for him at quarterback better than they had in the past. He’s really come into his own.”

With renewed optimism and a so-far unblemished record, Blue Ridge will head into battle with Eastside on Thursday, Sept. 12. Eastside boasts a similar 2-0 record to the Tigers.

After that, it’s onto region play, and the Tigers will look to capitalize on a new slate of opponents in the reshuffled 4-A Region 2. Schools such as Greer, Daniel, and Seneca stand in their way.

“We know what lies ahead,” said Boggs. “We aren’t looking ahead to anybody. But we like where we are as a team right now. We know that once region play starts, we’ll be seeing a lot of good teams. Week to week, we’ve just got to focus on getting better ourselves.”