By Liz Keller / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
GOOCHLAND – Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation. On Friday against Nottoway after experiencing a let-down from back-to-back emotional victories over James River District foes, Goochland found its strength in the nick of time — the fourth quarter.
The top-seeded Bulldogs shook off a slow start and exploded for four touchdowns in the final frame, including a pair of interception returns for scores by Jake Martin en route to a 45-7 victory over the Cougars.
With the win, Goochland improved to 11-0 and advanced to the Group A, Division 2, Eastern Section second round.
“The intensity we played with last week and the intensity we played in the second half at Buckingham is the way we need to play all the time,” Goochland coach Joe Fowler said. “We were as flat as we’d been in a while. Coming off the two big games that was tough for us. We had a long talk and re-established our passion to play football. The kids responded great and came out and played with more energy, [they were] more physical and were able to take advantage of some mistakes.”
Goochland broke to a 17-0 lead on the strength of a pair of touchdowns by Martin (one rushing, one receiving) and a 33-yard field goal by Colby Cooke.
Nottoway cut into the deficit with a 6-yard TD run by Trequan Burtt and the Bulldogs held a 17-7 advantage at halftime.
In the second half, the Cougars (3-8) threatened to score again, using a 12-play drive to move effectively down the field. However, the drive stalled on the Goochland 35-yard line and the home team took over.
Then, Goochland came to life in the fourth quarter, adding another score as Cody Johnson followed the blocks of his offensive line and found his way in the end zone from one yard out.
The Bulldogs’ defense followed suit and Martin intercepted quarterback Johnny Coombs’ pass and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown.
Goochland wasted little time in scoring again, as Martin came up with another big-time play on the visitors’ following drive. Coombs’ pass tipped off the intended receiver’s hands and into Martin’s, who raced 35 yards for the score.
Goochland’s defense continued to pick apart Nottoway, and minutes later Dasheem Norris tackled Coombs in the backfield for a loss of eight yards. The senior followed that with an interception – the Bulldogs’ fourth of the day.
Goochland capitalized, using a four-play drive, as Zakell Johnson broke away for a 27-yard TD dash for the icing on the cake.
“They got in our heads for a little while and we let it get to us, and we shouldn’t have,” said Martin, who finished with four touchdowns. “It was a great speech by our coach and he really said some things that got us pumped up. We just came out and did what we had to do.”
Goochland played without two of its leading rushers – Patrick Clore (ankle) and Mitchell Brice (foot) – but Johnson and sophomore David Dyer filled in admirably. Johnson finished with a game-high 119 yards on 14 carries, while Dyer toted the ball 13 times for 70 yards. Martin added 83 yards on the ground.
Fowler said his team needs to get back to the ground game as it prepares for the next round of the playoffs.
“We’ve just got to execute on offense and run the ball more effectively than we did tonight,” Fowler said. “We threw the ball a little bit more than we’d really planned on, but we’re a running football team, that’s our identity and that’s what we need to do.”
Goochland plays host to Central-Woodstock, a winner over Windsor, in the second round on Friday at 7 p.m.
