By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
It was homecoming weekend and the Fluco football squad was looking to up its record to 5-1. Unfortunately, the Warriors from Western Albemarle had other ideas.
The Warriors scored the only touchdown of the first quarter, but the Flucos responded early in the second quarter to tie the score at 7-7. Late in second quarter, disaster struck for the Flucos. The Warriors put up three touchdowns, the last on a pass to the end zone, as time expired. As a result, the Warriors took a substantial 27-7 lead into the locker room. Fluvanna Coach Mike Morris commented after the game that his squad must realize that sometimes it just isn’t possible to come all the way back. Last season, the Flucos scored 50 points in the second half of a game in which they trailed at half-time. Not this time though.
Coach Morris noted that this game was a story of two halves, as the Flucos dominated in the second half, but only put up 14 points to trail 27-21, with time running out. With less than three minutes remaining and the Flucos deep in their own territory, the Warriors picked off a pass that set up the Warriors only score of the half and made the final score 35-21.
The first quarter of the game was a defensive struggle, with the Warriors coming out on top, as they scored on a short run with 1:23 left in the quarter. In the second quarter, the teams exchanged punts, with the Flucos taking over for the second time at their own 33-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Kobe Edmonds handed to junior running back Keontae Hearns, and he swept right, broke into the clear, and outran the Warrior defenders for a 67-yard touchdown run. The PAT was good and the score was 7-7 with 8:29 left in the half.
The Warriors responded with a touchdown drive that was aided by an interference in the end zone call against Fluvanna. The PAT attempt was no good and the Warriors led 13-7 with 5:25 left in the half. The Flucos went three and out and Western Albemarle again marched down the field on the ground, scoring their third touchdown on a thirty-yard run. The PAT was good and the Warriors led 20-7 with only 53 seconds on the clock. On their first play the Flucos threw an interception. Western started at the 50 with 34 seconds remaining. An incomplete pass and a run for minus 3 yards were followed by a Warrior time out. After another run for f yards, the Warriors launched a desperation last play of the half pass to the end zone, and their 6-3 receiver outfought the shorter Fluco defenders for the catch and the crushing TD. The PAT was good and the Warriors went to the locker room with a 27-7 lead.
The Warriors started the second half with a short drive that resulted in a long field goal attempt that was no good. On their second possession of the half, the Flucos got another long run. This time, Edmonds ran up the middle, broke a couple of tackles and carried the ball from the Fluco 19 to the Western Albemarle 16-yard line, a run of 65 yards. On fourth down and three, Edmonds again ran up the middle and he broke out of a huge pile-up to take the ball into the end zone. The PAT was good and Fluvanna trailed 27-14.
On their first possession of the fourth quarter, the Flucos started on their own 17-yard line. On the second play of the possession senior running back Keshawn Fisher ripped off the Flucos third long run of the game, going 49 yards to the Warrior 35. A short pass from Edmonds to freshman wide reliever Jaden Ferguson took the ball to the Warrior 11. A ten-yard run took the ball to the one and Edmonds scored on a quarterback sneak. The PAT was good and the Flucos were within six points 27-21, with 8:18 left in the game.
The Flucos tried an onside kick but Western covered it at the 50. Western quickly took the ball into the red zone, but an interception by junior corner back A.J. Wyche returned the ball to the Flucos at their own three-yard line. Three runs resulted in a first down for the Flucos with only 2:53 left in the game. Edmunds scrambled for six yards, but he was then intercepted to effectively end the game. The Warriors punched in another touchdown and added a two-point conversion to take their score to 35 points. The Flucos did not quit despite the two touchdown deficit and moved the ball in the last minute all the way to the Warriors thirteen yard line.
The Flucos are now 4-2 on the season and the next three Fridays they are on the road, playing at Albemarle, Louisa County and Orange County. In the final game of the regular season, the Flucos host Monticello High on Nov. 8.
