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Schuler powers Western past Fluvanna

Watching Western Albemarle huddle up for their postgame talk, it was clear the Warriors coaching staff thinks this team has a great opportunity. Though his team was able to beat Fluvanna County 34-21 on the road on Friday night, Western coach Ed Pierce thought his team wasn’t as crisp as could have been, and with the Jefferson District as wide open as it is, he wants the Warriors to be sharp.

“That’s a pretty good football team we played tonight, but we’ve just got to get more discip

lined and execute more consistently,” Pierce said. “I think our kids understand that (they know they need to do) if we’re going to do the things that this team wants to accomplish.”

After forcing Western to a three and out on it’s opening possession and blocking the ensuing punt, the Flyin’ Flucos were able to get a quick jump on the lead. After the big play on special teams gave Fluvanna great field position, sophomore receiver YaYa Anderson hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Ryan Foster to draw first blood.

The lead didn’t last long though. Western tied the game on their following position when Stephen Schuler found Chris Drapanas on the sidelines on a short pass and the senior receiver was able to take it the distance for a 60-yard score.

The Warriors took the lead on their next drive, this time on a 25-yard pass from Schuler to Dom Losco. Both teams settled down from that point on until the end of the second quarter when, once again, Stephen Schuler, hit Nick Kuzjak on a beautiful 15-yard strike in the left corner of the endzone to put Western up 14 at the half.

Both teams traded scores in the third quarter before the Warriors extended their lead to 20 with eight minutes and change left to play. Fluvanna trimmed the lead back to 13 with four minutes remaining but was unable to recover the onsides kick. The Flucos managed to get the ball back late in the fourth and drove all the way into the Warriors’ redzone, but wound up turning the ball over with less than a minute remaining. Western was able take a knee and end the game.

“We kind of let them jump out there,” said Fluvanna coach Rodney Redd. “Then it becomes a matter of, not only are you playing (Western) but you have to start playing the clock and the scoreboard too. I think that kind of led to our offensive struggles at times. As far as the improvements, I definitely liked what I saw.”

When it was all said and done, Schuler was involved in all five of the Warriors’ scores. He threw four touchdowns and rushed for another and put up 267 yards through the air and 82 yards on the ground.

“I think everybody around knows what a good athlete (Schuler is),” Pierce said. “But unless you’re around him all the time you don’t understand what a good competitor he is. Because he’s such a good competitor he finds ways to make things happen.”

For Fluvanna, Foster led the team in rushing with 77 yards and had 183 yards passing. Anderson led all receivers with seven catches for 104 yards and two scores and looks to be growing more and more comfortable in his role as chief playmaker.

“I’m not going to say that that’s a surprise, but it’s definitely a pleasure to see a sophomore step up and get better every week,” Redd said.

Western (4-0, 1-0) hosts Louisa on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Fluvanna (1-3, 0-1) travels to Monticello on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

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