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Block Party: Washington’s field goal block lifts Louisa past Massaponax

By Harry Howard Jr. / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor

 

In what felt like a playoff game starting sometime around midweek when the Louisa County hype machine cranked up, Louisa football held off Massaponax 28-27 to secure the Lions’ 23rd-straight regular season victory Friday night. 

 

On fourth and goal with 10 seconds left in the game, Massaponax came out to attempt a 24-yard field goal field goal down by just a point. Alex Washington broke through and blocked the kick to clinch a victory for the Lions.  

 

“I knew we could block it, we saw it on film where we could attack,” said Louisa coach Will Patrick. “I was more worried about us getting on the ball because I didn’t want them to pick it up and run it in”.

 

The Lions’ offense started off a little shaky and were unable to sustain a drive the first two times with the ball. On the other hand, the Panthers’ offense came out clicking on all cylinders. Junior quarterback Luke Morley capped off their opening drive with a 9-yard touchdown run with 6:08 left in the first quarter. Four minutes later, Louisa got going as Kalup Shelton broke off a 77-yard run for the Lions to set up Jarett Hunter for the Lions’ first score of the game. 

 

Hunter finished with 123 total yards and two touchdowns while Kalup Shelton had 111 rushing yards on just eight touches including the 77-yard sprint.

 

With 2:17 left in the first quarter, the Lions led 7-6 but Massaponax responded quickly. In a near mirror image of Louisa’s first scoring drive, Javaney Bruno broke away for 64 yards to set Morley up for his second rushing touchdown of the game. That put Massaponax up 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.

 

Louisa then scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter. The first came on a 2-yard touchdown run by Robert Morgan with 7:38 left in the second quarter, then in the closing minutes of the first half the Lions freshman quarterback Landon Wilson marched Louisa down the field. Wilson connected with Hunter on a screen pass and Hunter raced in from 47 yards out after eluding several defenders, putting Louisa up 20-13 at the break. 

 

Both defenses settled in during the third quarter and held each other scoreless for the first eight minutes. A failed fourth down conversion for Louisa started to change that, giving the Panthers a lot of momentum. 

 

“I don’t go for fourth downs not to get them, I want to get them I took a couple of chances their gambles whatever you want to call it,” Patrick said.

 

Following the failed conversion, Massaponax drove 23 yards down the field to tie the game at 20-20 on Elijah Christopher’s 9-yard touchdown run.

 

On the Lions’ next possession, they turned the ball over on downs again and the Panthers’ quickly capitalized with 2-yard touchdown run by Morley which was his third and final touchdown of the game.

 

Louisa re-took the lead on a 43-yard touchdown run by Robert Morgan and 2-point conversion by Jarett Hunter with 7:54 seconds left to play. On the following possession, Louisa forced a punt but failed to convert on fourth down yet again. 

 

With under four minutes left in the game, the Panthers began their march to retake the lead. Massaponax advanced inside the 10 with several strong runs by Christopher who finished the game with 190 rushing yards on 30 carries. Most people will remember Washington’s blocked field goal, but on third and goal, Morley rolled out to his right and was unable to connect with an open receiver. That forced Massaponax into the decision that led to Washington’s fateful block.

 

“I switched one thing before that play, we didn’t know if they were going for the win or the field goal, they came out in field goal and I switched two guys around and Alex came off the edge hard and had a great block,” Patrick said.

 

The Lions enter their bye week at 3-0 and will play at Charlottesville in two weeks.

 

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