Goochland’s Nathan Adams was adamant with an official about where a third quarter spot on a second down play was. He pointed emphatically at the ground where he’d halted the ball-carrier’s forward progress, even though no matter where the official chose to spot it, it wasn’t going to result in a first down.
Jhalil Mosley dove forward on a similar second down to get a first down during the fourth quarter, extending the ball almost desperately beyond the marker even with his team up by a touchdown and only set to face a third and one.
There’s something about the Goochland and Monticello clash that just clicks. That brings out the best effort from both programs, squads that have built an impressive level of respect through a series of close, hard-fought battles. Adams and Mosley both knew, instinctively, that every inch matters in this contest more than most Friday nights.
“We talk about iron sharpens iron — games like this make us better,” said Goochland coach Joe Fowler. “We could’ve gone out and scheduled a lot of easy wins and we chose to schedule three pretty good football teams. We’ll be better for this down the road.”
Monticello got the better of the latest installment of the incredible series, avenging a narrow 2011 loss with a 39-25 victory that was even closer than the final indicates. Both squads produced a pair of 100-yard rushers and exchanged big-time moments.
After Goochland mounted a furious second half comeback and closed a 32-12 gap down to just seven points at 32-25, Monticello’s offense gathered itself for a final, decisive counterpunch.
The game proved to be a study in offensive contrasts as Goochland turned to it’s usual array of misdirection and controlled, measured ball movement from a fleet of ball carriers while Monticello leaned on Jhalil Mosley’s improvisational skills and a heavy dose of power running from T.J. Tillery.
Mosley was fantastic when the pocket broke down and on the run, highlighted by a 72-yard scramble over the right side where the senior quarterback turned on the jets and flew up the sideline untouched.
“He’ come a long way with that, he had a great game,” Tillery said. “He made sure he was extending plays when he didn’t see anything.”
Tillery himself continued his emergence as a workhorse back, piling up 132 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-clincher, on 18 touches. The 10-yard burst up the middle in the fourth quarter essentially put Goochland away as the Bulldogs had to turn to an out-of-character hurry-up offense.
“He’s downhill and he’s downhill hard,” Fowler said of Tillery. “He’s one cut and go. We call it push and pray — you hit the hole really hard and hope that you can come out the other end and when you do you run as fast as you can.”
Monticello gained a sizeable 25-12 halftime lead by putting the Bulldogs in uncomfortable situations including a couple of long second and third down chances. A late touchdown from Mosley to Banks just six seconds before the break gave the Mustangs control and the hurry-up set Monticello turned to on the opening drive of the second half made things tough on Goochland. But the Bulldogs refused to go quietly.
“Whenever you have a quality program that’s coached by a guy like Joe Fowler they’re never going to just lay down and give it to you,” said Monticello coach Rodney Redd. “We expected a dogfight and in the end that’s what we got.”
Connor Saunders and Jordan Jefferson both punched in short touchdowns on the ground, part of a 326-yard rushing performance. Jefferson’s with 7:20 left made it 32-25 before the decisive touchdown drive pulled Monticello back ahead by two scores. Time ran out as Goochland surrendered two sacks on the final drive.
Jefferson rushed for 102 yards while Mitchell Brice went for 133 yards and a touchdown on a perfectly executed inside run in the first half.
But the Mustangs managed to do just enough defensively to hold off the charge and found a way to put the pedal back down offensively after an early fourth quarter lull.
Monticello’s road doesn’t get any easier as the Mustangs open Jefferson District play next week on the road with a clash against the Lions. Goochland jumps into James River play against Central Lunenburg.
