By Liz Keller / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
BUCKINGHAM — The past two meetings between rivals Goochland and Buckingham were decided by a total of three points.
This year’s contest turned out quite differently as the Bulldogs posted a second-half shutout en route to a victory on Friday night.
Goochland senior David Dyer eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark and the defense came up with three interceptions and a fumble recovery to provide a spark for the visitors, who prevailed for the 41-13 win.
“We’re thrilled to get out of here with a victory. Coach [Craig] Gill is one of the finest coaches in the state and he runs a great program and to come down here and for our kids to play as well as we did at times, we’re very happy,” Goochland coach Joe Fowler said. “We missed a lot of opportunities — we dropped three maybe four touchdown passes in the first half. We feel like if we’d have hit those things, we really could have blown it open and been more relaxed in the second half. But we’re really proud of the way our kids played in the second half.”
The Knights (2-2) took a 13-7 lead as Kenneth Johnson intercepted Reid Chenault’s pass and ran it back 26 yards for the touchdown.
However, the Bulldogs, unfazed, marched down the field on the next possession, using an 8-play, 63-yard drive to take the lead. Chenault connected with Jaylen Allen for just his second completion of the night — a perfectly thrown ball from 29 yards out for the score. Raleigh Marria’s point after attempt was good and Goochland led 14-13.
The visitors carried that momentum, as Tyrell Hicks immediately intercepted Leon Ragland’s pass on the Knights’ next drive. Goochland made Buckingham pay for the mistake, as Chenault found Conner Saunders for a 38-yard TD strike to extend the lead to 21-13 at halftime.
“They took us out of our offense early with some defensive looks we just weren’t ready for. And that’s my fault. I’ve got to get them ready to play and I thought we did get them prepared, but two big scores just before half just changed everything and got us out of our gameplan,” Gill said. “But turnovers — I don’t care whether it’s high school, college or pro, you can’t turn the ball over, especially to a team who throws the ball the way they throw and with the running backs they’ve got.”
The Bulldogs continued to wear down the Knights in the second half, tacking on a pair of field goals to cushion their lead.
Ricky Gordon hit one from 41 yards out in the third quarter, while Marria added a 31-yarder in the fourth.
“The kicking game has always been one of our strengths and it’s definitely something we try to use to our advantage,” Fowler added.
Dyer was the workhorse on the night, toting the ball 22 times for 115 yards. Jordan Jefferson, who had a stellar defensive effort with two interceptions, ran for 39 yards on six carries.
Chenault, the sophomore signal-caller, followed up last week’s five-touchdown performance with three scores, two in the air and another on the ground. He finished 4 for 20 passing for 81 yards and rushed for 16 yards.
For Buckingham, Johnson also passed the century mark, rushing for 111 yards on 18 attempts. Ragland finished with 39 rushing yards.
The Knights play host to Randolph-Henry on Friday, while Goochland (4-1) entertains unbeaten Central Lunenburg.
