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One for the seniors: Monticello picks up win over Charlottesville with ground attack

 

Charlottesville looked as though it was ready to make things interesting with Monticello late in the second quarter. Down by three possessions, the Black Knights were at the goalline just before halftime facing fourth and goal. It was there that the Mustangs defense essentially put the nail in the coffin as Will Trent came up with an interception in the endzone before racing it back 102 yards to the other endzone for a touchdown. With the game well in hand, the second half was quiet and Monticello was able to enjoy its senior night with a 35-0 victory.

 

“This was the first time since the first quarter of the first game where we had (four of five) starters back on the offensive line,” said Monticello coach Jeff Lloyd. “That allowed us to run the ball a little bit differently than we have before so that was nice.”

 

With Tayshaun Minor back in the mix at offensive line, Monticello wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Malachi Fields picked up his first touchdown of the game on the Mustangs’ opening drive when he broke of a 60-yarder to the house just 23 seconds into the game.

 

“I just kept my legs moving,” Fields said. “I knew my line was going to do this for me. This was for the seniors tonight.”

 

Two possessions later, Fields set up Monticello in the redzone and Trent was able to cap the drive with a nine yard run to make it 14-0 late in the first. The Mustangs defense came up with the second of its two first half turnover on downs to set up its next drive at midfield. There Fields continued to prove problematic and a 10-yard scramble to the back of the endzone with 10:32 left in the second made it a three possession game at 21-0.

 

That set the table for Trent’s big play on defense where the junior was able to pounce on a big play.

 

“I was just following through, playing through the whistle and that’s when the quarterback threw it at the last second before being tackled,” Trent said. “I was there to make a play and once I got the ball it was just an open field and I was ready to go.”

 

Monticello was able to cash in midway through the third quarter to set up a running clock when Buddy Wilson shuffled his way to a 15-yard touchdown run and wrap up the scoring at 35-0 with 6:48 in the frame and put a bow on its senior night.

 

“This was a hard night for me personally because my son (Trent Lloyd) wasn’t able to play,” Llyord said. “But I’m extremely happy for the other seven seniors that were able to experience a win one last time on this field.”

 

On the night, Fields was quite efficient, toting the ball just 10 times to get his 113 yards and two touchdowns. He was also 7-for-15 with 89 yards passing and no interceptions. Jason Armstrong finished with four receptions for 50 yards. The Mustangs defense was able to force three turnovers while its offense did not have any.

“Our run game was much better today,” Fields said. “Our line just kept pushing and and our backs were nice. Our run game was (the best it’s been) today.”

 

For Charlottesville, Jaleom Adams-Mallory led the way with 18 runs for 79 yards, most of them after contact. With a pile of injuries crippling their depth, the loss was frustrating for the Black Knights but not for a lack of hustle.

 

“It’s not an issue of effort,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “We’re sort of running out of bullets but that’s the way things go sometimes in football. It’s been a tough 19 games going back to last season with these injuries but we’ll just keep trying to move past them and figure things out.”

 

The Mustangs (2-7) get a bye week before facing a road trip with Fluvanna County while the Black Knights (0-9) will wrap up their regular season next week with a home game with Albemarle.

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