Stories

Back on track: Charlottesville accelerates past James Monroe

Photo by Ashley Thornton

 

Although persistent rain and temperatures appropriate for late October dampened the planned “Unity Knight” festivities at Charlottesville’s home opener, the Black Knights’ offense gave a wet but boisterous student section plenty to cheer about. Limited to two touchdowns in regulation last week in Lynchburg, the Black Knights’ ground attack exploded and racked up 455 yards and six touchdowns on their own turf en route to a 46-21 victory over James Monroe out of Fredericksburg.

 

“It’s all about the process, and these kids believe in it,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “We had a better week of practice. We finally started grinding away offensively. We beat a good team tonight and a guy I respect a lot; Coach (Rich) Serbay has done a lot in Virginia High School League football and his teams always play well.”

 

James Monroe received the game’s opening kickoff and its offense promptly set to work rectifying its own Week One struggles. Senior running back A.J. Johnson led the way as the Jackets marched 73 yards in six plays, ending with his 2-yard touchdown. The visitors’ next possession was a near carbon-copy, covering 76 yards with Johnson dashing in from 17 yards on the fifth play. Junior quarterback Zakk Davis mixed in three completions on four attempts. In between, Charlottesville got on the board via a seven-play, 80-yard drive, propelled by Tyree Carter’s 57-yard run. Senior quarterback Sam Neale scored on a 5-yard keeper.

 

“You’ve got a magician at quarterback,” said James Monroe coach Richard Serbay as Neale orchestrated the Knights’ option while very much a threat of his own, both on the ground (12 rushes for 65 yards and two touchdowns) and through the air (completing all three pass attempts for 75 yards and one touchdown).

 

Charlottesville’s first series of the second quarter yielded its second touchdown. Although junior Sabias Folley required trainer and player assistance to hop off the field after the first play, he was back three snaps later and Neale him with screen to gain 15 yards on third-and-10.

 

“I just had to be resilient; bounce back and put the team on my shoulders,” Folley said. “I always tell them, ‘just put it all on me, put the pressure on me.’ Our o-line was making the right blocks. We’ve got some monsters on the line, and a hell of a quarterback, so we just made it all come together.”

 

Folley then carried for a gain of 22 yards down to the two, and senior Tre Durrett ran in from there. The Knights were unable to convert a two-point conversion for the second time, leaving the score 14-12.

 

Lest the game turn into an offensive track meet, the Knights’ defense stepped up as James Monroe entered the redzone on its next possession. On third-and-3 at the 10, Davis was sacked for a loss of seven, ushering in the field goal unit. The 35-yard attempt slid wide left, giving Charlottesville a chance to grab the lead and build momentum heading into the break.

 

“I thought the turning point in the game was 14-12,” Serbay said. “That could’ve been 17-12 and a little difference. We’ve got a young team; we’re still learning how to play, how to be a team.”

 

The Knights drove 80 yards in six plays, all runs by Durrett, Folley, and senior Rakeem Davis. Folley scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 1-yard plunge, putting CHS up 18-14 with 2:08 left in the first half. The defense held for a quick three-and-out, and thanks to a timeout called by Sherry, the offense was back on the field with yet another chance. Neale hit Durrett for a 56-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and the Knights headed to the locker room with a 25-14 advantage.

 

“Defensively, we’re playing well, kind of bending and doing what we expect to do and figuring some things out,” Sherry said.

 

Charlottesville received the third quarter kickoff and drove to the JM 30, but the drive stalled from there. James Monroe started at its own 13 and Johnson picked right back up from his strong first half (11 carries for 117 yards) and quickly gained 34 yards on four carries. But then, disaster struck as Zakk Davis attempted a lateral pass from the pocket out to the CHS sideline that missed its intended target, and the Knights’ defense pounced.

 

“Our kids kept playing, and Cam Brown made a great recovery,” Sherry said. “They understand if they don’t hear a whistle, they keep playing. That was huge because it allowed us to go down, milk the clock, get a fourth down conversion, and score. That was probably the game.”

 

The Knights fed Folley and drained five minutes off the clock, calling his number seven times on a nine-play possession that covered 36 yards, including a fourth-and-3 conversion. With his 3-yard touchdown, Charlottesville opened a 32-14 lead after three quarters, and the outcome was never in doubt.

 

“They (Charlottesville’s offensive line) create a lot of movement in there and make it really tough, forcing our d-linemen into the path of our linebackers,” Serbay said. “You’ve got a kid that can run the toss and the motion guys run like the wind, so it’s a hell of an offense.”

 

In the fourth, Neale scored on a 40-yard option keeper. James Monroe got on the board for the first time since the first quarter as senior Omaro Barnum, who took over at quarterback, raced in from 25 yards. Charlottesville then drained most of the rest of the clock before Folley barreled in from two yards out in the final minute.

 

Folley led the Knights with 176 yards on 20 carries. Durrett rushed 13 times for 68 yards, and Rakeem Davis added 58 yards on eight attempts. JM’s A.J. Johnson finished with game-highs of 22 carries and 193 yards.

 

“(A.J.)’s a small kid but he’s got a heart as big as my rear end,” Serbay said. “We just lost to a very good football team. (Sherry)’s doing a hell of a job with this club.”

 

Charlottesville (1-1) wraps up its out-of-district “city schools” slate next Friday night when Harrisonburg (1-1) comes to town.

Comments

comments