By Liz Keller / Scrimmageplay.com contributor
ORANGE — In a nailbiter between Charlottesville and Orange County that featured a combined 107 points, it was the defense that changed the game.
In the end, Charlottesville got the stops it needed — and made it count. Both fourth-quarter turnovers resulted in scores as the visiting Black Knights reeled off their third straight win, prevailing over the Hornets, 57-47.
“The kids battled and they survived,” Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry said. “We played opportunistic, the interception that Daimon [Washington] got and the fumble recovery for a touchdown. Those are big plays and offensively, we’ve got a nice little rhythm working for us.”
With a two-point fourth-quarter lead, the Black Knights got a boost from Daimon Washington, who picked off a Kenyon Carter pass at the 39-yard line and raced all the way to the 8. That play set up Tre Durrett’s 10-yard touchdown sprint, and with the point after by Joe Von Storch, Charlottesville took a 43-34 lead.
The Hornets, which displayed a high-powered offense of their own, didn’t go away quietly, using a three-play drive to cut into the lead again. Darius Minor made his way in the end zone from 31 yards out, but the two-point conversion failed, and the Black Knights hung onto a 43-40 lead.
CHS responded on its following possession as senior quarterback Sam Neale followed his blockers 35 yards and ran in the end zone untouched to extend the lead to 10 points.
The icing on the cake came soon after, as Jahsaan Bradford-Carter picked up a loose ball following a botched snap and sprinted 24 yards for the score to put the game out of reach.
“It’s one of those games where you have two good offenses and if we don’t turn the ball over, we may have one or two more scores on the board ourselves,” Orange coach Jesse Lohr said. “You miss an extra point, they get a two-point conversion and all of a sudden it puts you at a point where you should be tied, but you’re trailing two or three points. Before you know it, they got up and put us in a two-possession game and we were just chasing points at that time.”
Both offenses appeared to be well-oiled machines, as Sabias Folley paved the way with four touchdowns, including a 74-yard jaunt in the second quarter. The 5-10, 246-pound bruising back put up three first-half scores and rushed for over 200 yards.
Not to be outdone was Orange’s Jaylen Alexander, who had plenty of highlights of his own. The fleet-footed sophomore rushed for three touchdowns, including a 76-yard first-quarter dash and finished with a game-high 301 yards. Junior quarterback Kenyon Carter was equally impressive, tossing for three TDs on the night.
“The offense was clicking all night long,” Neale said. “Sabias had a monster game because [guards] Larry Henderson and Trejon Bryant opened holes up for him all night.”
Added Sherry: “It’s a veteran group — I think that’s what helps,” he said. “They believe in what they’re doing. They know the offense and they feel comfortable running it.”
Charlottesville will be on the road again next week, as it travels to Powhatan. Orange County visits Fluvanna County on Friday.
