Just a few plays of first half football against William Monroe gave Charlottesville a glimpse of what it can expect if it gets healthy and executes.
But even on Friday, the Black Knights were again hit by the injury bug though and while they never trailed against the Dragons, they had to move personnel around, account for the same turnovers that plagued them in previous weeks because Monroe wouldn’t let the vistors stroll out of Stanardsville.
But in the end, the Black Knights made good on their big play ability to earn the 41-21 win to end their three game road trip to open the year and with some help from a Culpeper forfeit, they’ve emerged with a 2-1 record.
“We’re 2-1 and we beat a well coached football team tonight, but we’re still making way too many mistakes,” said Charlottesville coach Eric Sherry. “We’ve got to clean it up.”
That said, so many of the Black Knights’ problems came from shuffling players around. When Chris Thurston, Leon Straus and Rashard Brock were all on the field together, the Black Knights’ offense flashed its true potential. All three had long touchdown runs with Thurston opening the scoring up on the first play after a Monroe interception on a 47-yard rushing strike.
“It’s going to be marvelous,” said Charlottesville’s Malik Bartee of getting play with that trio while they were all able to. “We’re really blessed by the football Gods. It’s going to be awesome.”
Straus didn’t get to play long after the Charlottesville training staff held him out for all of the second half after a late second quarter play, but before he left, he converted on fourth and seven for a 36-yard touchdown scamper to make it 13-0 with 11:16 left until halftime.
“Obviously Thurston coming in helped us out a lot but Leon going out, that hurt a bit,” Sherry said. “Leon comes back next week so with all those kids we should be fine. And (defensive tackle) Troy Hughes didn’t play tonight but will be back next week.”
In the opening of the third quarter Brock got in on the action, also on fourth down, with a 25-yard run to make it 20-0. William Monroe had its best drive stall in the redzone late in the first half, but running back Chris Glover got Monroe on the board and kept the game interesting with a trio of touchdowns, his first coming to end a long drive with a 3-yard run at the end of the third quarter.
Charlottesville answered with a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Bartee to inflate the lead to 20 with eight minutes to play. Just 20 seconds later Isaiah Green came up with a 40-yard interception return to make it 27 point game. Glover returned the favor for Monroe with his 54-yard run to the endzone with 5:46 to go. Needing an onside kick, the Dragons didn’t get it, but got the next best thing with a CHS fumble shortly there after. Glover turned that into the last scoring drive for Monroe on a 2-yard run to cut it 34-21 with 3:52 to go.
“I was very proud of (Glover) and the team for not quitting,” said Monroe coach Mark Sanford. “It would have been easy to turn it in after a team that has scored seven points coming into this game and comes here to hang 41 on us. So it was tempting I’m sure to cash in but they didn’t. I’m very proud of the resolve there at the end.”
Not to be outdone, Charlottesville finished the night out by taking the ensuing kickoff back for 86 yards on Bartee’s legwork to make it 41-21. The receiver and special teams playmaker also had a 50-yard run back in the first half.
“I love my blockers, they had so many holes open I knew (the last one) was going to be great,” Bartee said. “So I just picked one and hit it as hard as I could as fast as I could and just prayed I could go for a touchdown.”
Charlottesville will play in its home and Jefferson District opener next week against Louisa County (1-2) at 7:30 p.m.
William Monroe (0-3) heads to Warren County at 7 p.m. in search of its first win before opening its Bull Run District slate.
