Two weeks ago, Orange County’s Trevon Smith locked down plans for the Homecoming Dance by a postgame poster proposal. Friday night at Porterfield Park, the senior running back made sure the weekend got started with a victory in the homecoming game. Smith led the Hornets’ ground attack with 138 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries. He tallied a fourth via a 34-yard pass to Tyrone Warren on a halfback option.
“He was just wide open,” said Smith. “I threw it up and let him go get it.”
The visiting Black Knights contributed five turnovers and several key special teams miscues to the festivities as Orange (5-3, 3-2) notched its third straight win in Jefferson District play with a 48-14triumph over Charlottesville (4-4, 2-3).
Early on, it seemed a back-and-forth game might be in store. Charlottesville received the opening kickoff and jumped out to a quick lead. Junior quarterback Sam Neale connected with receiver Jake Poe for a 70-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. Sabias Folley then rumbled 19 yards on the next snap to put the Black Knights up 6-0.
“Fantastic start, exactly what we wanted,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “Everybody knows we’re a heavy run team. Sam’s got a pretty nice arm so I thought he could make the play, and obviously he did with Jake. We got good protection and everything, so it was a good start.”
Orange responded on their first series in just four plays, moving 62 yards on the ground. Smith covered the last 49 to put the Hornets up 7-6. That’s when the first special teams miscue struck, as a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return gave the ball back to Orange at the Knights’ 38. On fourth and eight, sophomore quarterback Kenyon Carter found Dayvon Greene breaking to the sideline from the left slot, who then slipped two defenders and took it all the way. Carter had a solid first half, completing all five pass attempts for 75 yards to complement the ground attack.
“Both kids (Smith and DeAngelo Hunt) have been running the ball really well, and we’re able to play-action pass to keep people back and respect enough,” said Orange coach Jesse Lohr. “The offensive line has been coming together. We had some injuries early in the season that we’re finally getting back on the field.”
Up 14-6, Orange nearly pulled off a gamebreaker on the ensuing kickoff, as a pooch about 30 yards down the home sideline was nearly caught on the run by flanker Christopher Washington. Despite no Charlottesville returner in the vicinity, officials ultimately flagged the Hornets for kick catch interference. The Knights moved the ball to the redzone, but a personal foul and sack stalled the drive which ended on downs.
“We talk to our kids all the time about doing the right thing,” Sherry said. “There’s nothing wrong with playing hard, but sometimes you get the wrong sense of something with one of the officials. We’ve just got to do a better job of keeping our mouths shut, I guess.”
Untimely penalties continued in the second quarter. On the first snap with the Knights’ offense near midfield, a Neale completion to Poe was nullified by an illegal touching flag. Moments later, the Knights’ defense forced a three-and-out with Orange backed up inside its own 30, but a flag for too many men on the field on the punt granted a first down. Carter then hit Greene for a gain of 37 into the redzone, and Smith scored on a 16-yard run three plays later. Orange then executed a perfect high-bouncing squib kick that Washington recovered at the Knights’ 34.
“That’s just total respect to their returners,” Lohr said of the gadget kickoffs. “Wet ball, wet field, and we felt like this was the time.”
The offense came right back and scored on Smith’s gadget play, followed up by a fake PAT as Carter rose as the holder and found Greene for two. Down 28-6, Charlottesville battled back in the last minute of the half as the defense forced and recovered a fumble at the Hornets’ 20. Despite a holding penalty nullifying a 20-yard Rahkeem Davis touchdown run, Neale came back and hit Folley for an 18-yard gain to the 1. Folley ran it in on the next play to make it 28-14 at the break.
“I thought in the third quarter we were right there,” Sherry said, before a downpour and turnovers reversed the Knights’ momentum. “We really were our own worst enemy.”
After CHS’s defense started things with a four-and-out, the offense picked up a couple of first downs before Neale fumbled and junior defensive back Jordan Shook recovered for Orange. Moments later, Carter found Greene again for a 29-yard touchdown. As the rain continued, Orange lost its next possession on an errant backfield pitch; however, senior defensive back Jamal Carter got it right back with an interception of Neale’s deep pass. Three plays later, Smith broke a 47-yard run down to the 1, and scored from there on the next play.
“My fullback made a great block in the middle, and I just took it and hit the hole,” Smith said as the Hornets closed the quarter with a 42-14 lead.
Orange converted an early fourth quarter fumble into another touchdown, this one a 20-yard run by Washington, the round out the scoring. After Smith, DeAngelo Hunt added 50 yards on 12 carries for Orange. Carter finished 7-of-8 passing for 112 yards. Greene was the top target, catching four for 105 yards. For CHS, Neale completed just 2-of-9 through the air for 88 yards, and added 61 yards on the ground. Folley led the ground attack with 73 yards on a game-high 16 carries.
Orange will look to extend its winning streak and continue climbing the 5A North standings when it rolls into the Jungle next Friday to battle Louisa County (7-1, 4-1). Charlottesville heads to Crozet to take on Western (4-4, 3-2).
