By Logan Riddick / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
A year after Monticello sprung a surprising blowout on the road in Powhatan, the Indians unleashed some payback with an emphatic 35-14 victory over Central Virginia’s No. 1-ranked Monticello to open Jefferson District play.
“We got a little humble pie, and it tastes nasty,” said Monticello coach Jeff Woody.
While the 2013 meeting featured four rushers over 100 yards, this time both defenses keyed on stopping each other’s senior-led ground attack.
“They whupped us forty-[five] to something last year, and we were humbled,” said Powhatan coach Jim Woodson. “We worked on it hard, and the outside backers did a great job on that jet series for Koonce. We just said they were going to have to come up the middle on us, and let someone else beat us.”
In his return to action, the Powhatan defense held Kyree Koonce to an average of 3.7 yards per carry in the first half. On the other side, Logan Allen was also held to a 2.5-yard average on 18 first half attempts, but the Indians found big plays elsewhere.
“When you have to stack the box because they run the ball so well, it opens up the passing game,” Woody said. “They were able to hit some good, timely routes. Everything was clicking over there, and we never could get right over here. They packed the box on us and made us try to throw the football. Early on, we didn’t have good timing with the routes. We weren’t good up front with the protection, and the quarterback’s throws were a little off. Those are things we need to fix.”
Powhatan received the opening kickoff and gained just six yards on three Allen runs, but Monticello jumped offside in punt formation to extend the drive. Four plays later, sophomore Lamont Henderson took the handoff after a fake to Allen and rumbled 28 yards for a touchdown. Monticello’s opening possession was haphazard. After an illegal shift and a run for no gain, Chance Morris intercepted Daniel Hummel’s pass at midfield. Then, after an apparent three-and-out, Darian Bates muffed the punt at the 11 yardline and Powhatan fell on the ball. Three plays later, senior quarterback Cambrun Graham found Johnathan Caporale for a 12-yard touchdown.
“We did come out and some bad things went our way early, and we were never able to overcome and adjust,” said Woody, as Monticello trailed by two scores and had committed two turnovers by the 5:12 mark of the first. “I think in the first quarter, we may have had four offensive plays. With the defense being on the field for so long, they get tired, and with a ground-and-pound offense like [Powhatan]’s got, it took its toll.”
The teams traded punts until two minutes into the second quarter. On the second snap of Powhatan’s series, Graham hit Morris down the middle and he took it all the way for a 61-yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
“He’s got great hands and he is deceptively fast,” said Woodson. “If they’re going to put everybody in the box and leave the middle of the field open, we’ve got to take advantage of it.”
Monticello went three-and-out again and Powhatan moved quickly into Mustang territory, but another long completion to Morris ended with a forced fumble scooped up by senior lineman Jonathan Heuchert. Monticello picked up its second first down of the game going on fourth and one on its own 25, but, three plays later, Powhatan recovered a fumbled backfield exchange. The Indians drove 34 yards in four plays, capped by Allen’s run from nine yards, to open a four-touchdown lead with 2:01 left in the half.
Hummel doubled the offense’s first down tally in hurry-up mode on the ensuing possession; however, junior running back Darian Bates took a jarring hit on a flanker screen that brought the training staff out for several minutes. The Powhatan defense clamped down, sacking Hummel on fourth down at midfield. Then, if there had been any hope for a second half rally, the Indians crushed it when Graham hit Morris deep for a 55-yard score as time expired.
“It was a good throw by Cambrun, and I came up with the ball somehow,” said Morris, who caught seven passes for 192 yards and two scores in the first half.
In a rare turning of the tables, Monticello found itself on the losing side of a running-clock situation in the third quarter, which saw the teams trade punts along with a Monticello turnover on downs and interception. Early in the fourth, the Mustang offense finally mounted a scoring drive, covering 94 yards in 12 plays. Koonce broke a 43-yard run to flip field position. Hummel then connected with junior receiver Seth Weaver to convert fourth and three in the redzone, and then again for the 34-yard score. Monticello added another late touchdown when Jeonte Banks capped a six-play, 80-yard drive with a two-yard run; freshman quarterback Kevin Jarrell hit Weaver for gains of 12 and 42 in the series.
Graham went 10-of-14 through the air for 209 yards and three touchdowns for Powhatan. Morris was his main target, catching eight for 198 yards. Allen carried 21 times for 48 yards. For Monticello, Koonce posted a game-high 114 yards on 17 rushes. Weaver hauled in seven passes for 132 yards on the night, while Hummel finished 10-of-20 for 96 yards.
District play continues next week as Powhatan (3-1) hosts Louisa (3-1), while Monticello (3-1) hits the road for the first time for a short trip to Charlottesville (2-2).
