Last time Goochland walked off of Monticello’s field, it was minutes after a heartbreaking, season-ending Region II quarterfinal loss, capped with a fumble and a blocked field goal in the final three minutes. That’s what made the closing seconds of the Bulldogs’ 25-20 win over the
“If they’d have scored on that last drive it would’ve stuck a dagger in our kids’ hearts,” said Goochland coach Joe Fowler.
After Goochland secured a 25-14 advantage on a school record 48-yard field goal by Colby Cooke — one of his four on the night — with 4:11 to play, the Bulldogs appeared to have the game sewn up. Monticello made it interesting though, racing downfield with Jhalil Mosley capping the drive on a 5-yard run. Mosley actually led the Mustangs in rushing on the night with 82 yards on 14 carries.
The short time on the clock prompted the Mustangs to try an onside kick, and while it squirted past the first line of Goochland’s return team, Monticello couldn’t corral the ball. They did manage to force a quick punt, with Purdue-bound Thomas Meadows unleashing a kick that pinned the Mustangs on their own 17 (which paired nicely with one of his kickoff touchbacks in the first half that landed on the backline of the endzone). Monticello moved the ball quickly, but the referee’s rulling on near-completion down the sideline to Nathan DiGregorio made life tough on the Mustangs.
“We almost had the one pass that would’ve put us in good scoring position, where we could’ve used our entire playbook,” said Monticello coach Rodney Redd. “But I think the refs made the right call, he stepped out of bounds.”
A Mosley scramble and a 15-yard penalty at the end of the play however gave Monticello hope, but the Goochland defense was up to the task. Mason Engle and Zakell Johnson combined for a pass breakup downfield and then defensive end Matthew Haller came up with a sack, which forced Monticello to call a timeout with 3.8 to play. Time expired on a long, jump ball completion to Sam Patterson and Goochland avoided the potentially disastrous comeback.
“It was a nailbiting time — when you’ve got an athlete like Jhalil Mosley it keeps everybody on their toes,” Fowler said. “(Haller’s) sack was huge not just from the time it used, but it pushed him back to where he couldn’t throw it all the way to the end zone.”
As they always set out to do, Goochland controlled the clock with the run game, with Patrick Clore going for 140 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Mitchell Brice provided the counterpoint for Clore, piling up 83 yards largely on quick jet sweeps to the edge. They moved the ball well, but failed to ever take complete control because they couldn’t punch it in. Cooke’s foot, instead, got the job done, providing 12 points on the night. On the school record kick, he had to reset himself briefly after a single step because of a high snap, which Meadows handled deftly as the holder, and still managed to nail the kick.
Nathan Adams had a seismic impact on the Mustangs offense, wreaking havoc coming off the edge and forcing Monticello to adjust to his presence. Adams seemed to be in the backfield every other play. He was particularly effective at helping create pressure on play action passes and contain Isaac Robinson on the ground, clamping down on the runner who was averaging more than 150 yards.
“Whenever it was weakside, twins to the right, they just told me to go,” Adams said. “We were working all summer on that reverse because they got us last year on it — just containing mainly, with No. 5 (Mosley) at quarterback, he’s pretty fast.”
Fowler was quick to point out why Adams has, at least through three games, gone from very good linebacker in 2010 to gamechanger in 2011.
“Of all our kids, nobody has worked harder in the offseason than Nathan,” Fowler said. “Like I told the kid earlier, you play games on Friday night but you when then in March and April and May and June and July by getting in the weight room. Nathan is a testament to that.”
Robinson scratched out 42 on the night with two touchdowns as the Mustangs struggled to move the ball on the ground with the ease they had in the first two games of 2010. Still, Monticello fought till the end in the first game they hadn’t controlled completely this season.
“The little things against them will kill you,” Redd said. “That’s a really good football team there and everyone should be happy—that was a (darn) good high school football team there.”
Mosley threw for 191 yards on the night, 105 of that to Patterson.
The Mustangs will have to bounce back quickly, as they lock up with Louisa County Friday in a Jefferson District opener that pits two of the top contenders for the district title. Goochland starts James River District play against Central Lunenburg at home.
