Monticello was struck after the game trying to count the ways that the outcome could have been different, because with rare exception, the ball literally did not bounce their way.
“Two great teams, two great programs and a great high school atmosphere,” said Monticello coach Rodney Redd. “I mean, no one should walk away from this game with anything to (hang) their head about.”
Powhatan simply found a way to earn this win. The Mustangs held the upper hand from the start of the second half until a missed PAT in overtime. Each team responded to taking a haymaker by throwing a haymaker, and in the end, it was a critical PAT that propelled the Indians to at least a share of the Jefferson District Championship, 40-39 in overtime.
“They wouldn’t quit and we wouldn’t quit,” said Powhatan coach Jim Woodson. “It’s just fortunate that it came down to the end and we got a break — a touch pass on a guy that was covered.”
While both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half, things were a lot more interesting in a second half that did not feature a single punt. It was one long hard drive after another with the occasional turnover on downs and Monticello struck first in the third on a fourth and 11 conversion with a 22-yard strike from quarterback Jhalil Mosley to wide receiver Sam Patterson. That set up a short Isaac Robinson touchdown to make it 20-14 as the Mustangs failed on a PAT.
Powhatan answered right back. Running back Ray Brown was a yards-after-contact machine all night, but finally broke loose in the third for a 35-yard touchdown run, only to see his team botch a PAT as well to keep the game at 20 apiece.
“We couldn’t stop them and they couldn’t stop us,” Woodson said. “It was just a great game.”
Moments later, Robinson scored on a 35-yarder of his own making it 27-20 for the Mustangs heading into a wild fourth quarter.
Powhatan chipped away, coverting short fourth downs and marched down field for almost seven minutes to tie the game back up at 27 on a 10-yard run from Brown. However, on the ensuing kickoff the Indians opted to kick short and had the ball land in the wrong hands as T.J. Tillery took the short kick 60-yard for a touchdown to give his team the lead, but once again the PAT was missed, keeping it a 6-point game.
For the next four minutes, Powhatan, like they did all night, methodically worked down field and again converted on fourth and short to eventually answer with a 14-yard play-action pass to Alex Higuchi. Just like Monticello though, nothing was easy after the touchdown as the Indians failed to take the lead with a failed PAT.
With 1:14 to play and all its time outs, Denzel Terry set up Monticello with solid field position on a kickoff return and end-around, but Monticello turned the ball over on downs before it could enter field goal range by a measurement of just a few inches. Powhatan reopened the door for the Mustangs by fumbling the ball with 18 seconds left, and a 20-yard catch from Nathan DiGregorio put Monticello in range with 0.3 seconds left. Josh Malm’s 37-yard field goal with time expiring had the distance, the kick met the left inside post of the goal and kicked out to force overtime.
“The fire in our heart, it just kept us going,” Higuchi said. “I can’t tell you how tired we got.”
In OT, Monticello wasted little time getting on the board with a 5-yard run from Mosley followed by a 5-yard scoring run from Robinson, but once again the visitors came up short on the PAT.
Needing a touchdown and a PAT to end the game, Powhatan drew a pass interference play on third and goal to set up first and goal from the five and had Higuchi come up with a 6-yard touchdown reception on play action.
“That play has been unstoppable all year,” Higuchi said. “I just knew as soon as the play was called I was not going to drop that pass, not for the world.”
The PAT this time around went through the uprights and the Indians walked away victorious.
“The main thing now is making sure the kids stay in the correct frame of mind,” Redd said. “This time of year you’re going to have games like this. After next week, it’s going to be one and done. We’ve got to make sure we do the little things to keep playing.”
Sam Patterson accounted for Monticello’s first two scores with TD receptions of 33 and 26 yard. Higuchi had the first score of the game in the first quarter on a 4-yard run. Brown had the other first half score for the Indians on a 6-yard run. Neither team ever led by more than a touchdown.
Robinson finished with 237 yards on 34 carries to eclipse the 2,000 yard mark, becoming just the fourth player in Monticello history to do so. For Powhatan, Brown had 38 carries and 230 yards.
Higuchi had 14 attempts for 82 yards and two receptions for 19 yards both of which resulted in touchdowns. Powhatan was 4 for 4 on fourth down and 8 for 13 on third down.
Monticello (7-2, 4-1) finishes the regular season with a road game to R.E. Lee.
Powhatan (7-2, 4-0) wraps up its regular season with a trip to Charlottesville.
