Wildcats’ Myers finishes high school football season strong

RINGGOLD — The last image fans saw of R.J. Myers at Dan River’s home finale two Fridays ago was of the senior linebacker kneeled over and emotionally drained after the Wildcats suffered a heartbreaking two-point overtime loss to Appomattox that dashed any chance of Dan River making the playoffs.

The lingering effects from falling two points short of extending the game and chances for a postseason appearance could have been a deterrent for most seniors, but Myers wanted to finish out his career the way he played it for four seasons — hard-hitting at full speed.

Myers capped off his senior season with a season-high 22 tackles and two rushing touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 34-0 victory in the regular season finale against Pittsylvania County rival Chatham on Saturday afternoon in Chatham.

Dan River’s sixth win of the season was the most by the Wildcats since 2001 — the last season Dan River advanced to postseason play.

“The game you’ll always remember is your last one — whether it be a championship game or your last high school game of your life — and to win that was huge,” Myers said.

The soft-spoken, yet hard-hitting linebacker finished with 163 tackles in his senior season and tallied more than 500 for his four-year career. After leading three Wildcats’ defensive players with more than 100 tackles in his junior year, Myers was the only Dan River player to record more than 100 tackles this season. Sophomore Trey Edmunds finished second on the team with 84 tackles.

“It’s great to see a kid like R.J. finish his season playing hard,” Dan River coach Ferrell Edmunds said. “He was hustling the whole game and he played a little offense, he ran real well and it’s been a great pleasure coaching that kid.”

Myers scored his first defensive touchdown in the Wildcats’ second game of the season against Amelia County, returning an interception 40 yards for a score.

The 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker recorded 10 or more tackles in every game and 42 in his final two games, which included 20 in the Wildcats’ heartbreaking 28-26 loss to the Raiders. All of the Wildcats’ four losses came against Dogwood District teams that advanced to postseason play — Gretna, Appomattox and Altavista.

“Those losses were tough, because they were close losses,” Myers said. Seeing that they are going to the playoffs and we’re not, it definitely hurts. Three teams out of your district going and you’re not — that definitely hurts.”

As Myers progressed as the leader of the Dan River defense, the Wildcats as a unit seemed to respond. After the team allowed 399 points in Myers’ freshman year, Dan River allowed less than 300 points in each of the next three seasons, including a meager 196 points this season — the fewest allowed by Dan River since 2000 when the Wildcats gave up 181.

In turn, Dan River’s win total jumped as the points allowed went down. After winning one game in each of his first two seasons, the Wildcats went 10-10 over the past two years.

“Just being a part of the team and being that stepping stone and seeing the years to come that Dan River is going to be in the picture,” Myers said of how he felt the team grew over his four seasons.

“Getting us back on the map was our main goal and I felt we accomplished that.”

Myers added seven rushing touchdowns this season on 34 carries. While he was not considered a high-profile recruit entering the season, Edmunds feels Myers took the steps necessary to be in position to land in a major college football program.

“Playing college (football) is definitely in his future,” Edmunds said. “Scouts are going to start coming and R.J. definitely deserves a chance to play big-time college football.”