On paper, it looked like an even matchup of 2-3 squads, both aiming to start the second half of the regular season with a big district victory and climb the Power Point standings. The hosts may have had some extra motivation.
“For four years straight, they’ve just beaten us,” said Orange County senior running back Trevon Smith, recalling the Hornets’ recent history of struggles against Western Albemarle. “This year, we just had to come out and play. We had to show them we were here.”
Orange scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions while the defense pressured, pursued, and frustrated the Warriors’ dual-threat quarterback most of the night en route to a huge 63-22 victory in Jefferson District play.
“I don’t think we could ask for any better script of coming out and executing,” said Orange coach Jesse Lohr. “We’ve been stomping our feet for a couple weeks now, beating ourselves in some situations. Defense has been playing well, and offense just put it all together tonight.”
In the early going, it seemed an offensive shootout might be in store. Western received the opening kickoff and Domecq hit sophomore receiver Jack Weyher for a gain on 50 on the first play from scrimmage. The Hornets held firm in the redzone, aided by an ineligible man downfield penalty, and the Warriors settled for a 27-yard field goal from senior Andreas McCullough. Orange then covered 66 yards on its opening series via three rushes, with Smith breaking a 51-yard run for the game’s first touchdown.
“I saw the middle was open, and then I saw three defenders,” Smith said. “I just said, why not go right through them, and I took it all the way.”
Western came back with another redzone drive, but the Hornets contained three straight running plays to bring on McCullough for another 27-yarder.
But from a 7-6 game midway through the first quarter, Orange scored the next 49 points and held the Warriors’ offense to minus-6 yards to the 5:25 mark in the third. With Smith and fellow senior DeAngelo Hunt gouging the defense in the ground attack, sophomore quarterback Kenyon Carter enjoyed success in the passing game. On the Hornets’ second possession, after Smith rumbled 31 yards and Hunt converted on fourth-and-two by gaining six, he found senior Dayvon Greene in the right flat for a 15-yard touchdown. On the next series, after penalties setup second-and-25, Carter delivered a middle screen to Smith, who took it all the way for a 42-yard score.
“I saw there were five people on the right, so why not take it to the left,” said Smith, as Orange led 21-6 with 1:11 left in the opening quarter.
Orange enjoyed excellent field position on its next two series. First, senior Chris Dickerson dropped Domecq for a 16-yard loss to end the first, and the defense swarmed and sacked Domecq again on third-and-long to start the second. Hunt broke a 40-yard run to setup Smith’s third touchdown from two yards out. Next, with the game slipping out of control, Western tried a fake punt from its own 35, but Domecq’s pass fell incomplete. The Hornets cashed in with Hunt’s 7-yard run two plays after Greene went up high and hauled in Carter’s pass to convert fourth-and-nine.
“Tre and I both appreciate the offensive line doing their jobs,” said Hunt. “They block, and we’ve got to do our jobs to deliver the blows. We’ll keep hitting them until they get tired of it, and eventually they don’t want to hit us anymore.”
Orange rounded out the half with Carter’s 31-yard touchdown to junior wideout Tyrone Warren, which setup a running clock after the break with a 42-6 lead. The Hornets promptly stretched the margin as junior Shavonn Ellis took the third quarter kickoff 80-plus yards for six. Smith then capped his evening with an 18-yard touchdown run midway through the quarter.
Western produced some positives starting on the first play of the fourth when the defense tackled a Hornet ball carrier in his own endzone for a safety. Domecq capped the ensuing drive with a 20-yard touchdown to senior Noah Yourkavitch. The defense forced and recovered a fumble on Orange’s next offensive snap, and a double-pass gadget play from Weyher back to Domecq went for a 40-yard touchdown, making it 56-22. However, Hunt took the next two handoffs for Orange, the latter going 59 yards for his second score.
Hunt led all rushers with 13 carries and 175 yards. Smith had 119 yards on 10 rushes. Carter added 141 yards through the air, completing 8 of 13 attempts. For Western, Domecq went 9-for-25 for 192 yards, and netted just 10 yards on the ground.
“[Domecq] got outside a few times, but our linebackers were running to the football, and defensive backs were staying on their guys,” Lohr said. “We just tried to make him a runner instead of a scrambler who’s looking to throw. We got home with some of the pressures, and just played really good team defense tonight.”
Orange (3-3, 1-2) will look to continues its climb in the 5A North ratings next week when it hosts another 3A West foe in Monticello (3-3, 1-2). Western (2-4, 1-2) returns home to face a tall order in the form of Louisa County (6-0, 3-0).
