By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Fluco football team traveled to the Shenandoah Valley on Aug. 25 to take on the Broadway High Fighting Gobblers in its first regular season contest. According to first year Coach Mitchell Pace, the game was turn-over filled and sloppy, but the Flucos prevailed 28-27 in overtime despite committing seven turnovers.
The Flucos trailed 20-6 in the third quarter but came back to tie the game at the end of regulation. Broadway got the ball first in overtime and marched down to score a go-ahead touchdown, and they kicked a one-point extra point. The Flucos then got the ball and they too marched down field and senior running back Marcus Dickerson ran it in for a touchdown. Coach Pace boldly elected to go for a two-point extra point to win the game and Dickerson blasted across the end line for the win.
Pace said that he expects to have a balanced offense this season with about 50 percent of plays being runs and 50 percent passes. However, the statistics from the opener look like the Flucos will be doing a lot of passing. Sophomore starting quarterback Will Lambert threw for 254 yards against Broadway. He was responsible for three touchdowns, two passing and one running. His primary receiver was senior wide-out Chazz Barksdale-White who had 122 receiving yards. Pace reports that tall (6-7) tight end Benny Denby made a circus catch among defenders on a key fourth-down play. Denby is a junior. Barksdale-White and Denby are expected to be key performers in basketball, as well. The Flucos might have had running statistics to match their passing yardage, but several long runs were called back due to penalties.
Pace felt that the Flucos’ defense did well, causing turnovers and making crucial stops. He cited senior Christian Lambert and senior Kyeron King as stand-outs, as well as Dickerson. Another running back that the Flucos hope will make a big contribution as the season progresses is Richard Price, a very speedy senior.
Pace is heartened by the fact that 99 students came out for football, and the vast majority are underclassmen. The JV team this season will have many participants. It will be coached by Josh Barringer. Hopefully, this is a sign that Fluco football is on its way back.
The Flucos will have to wait to attempt to make it two wins in a row. Sept. 1 was their bye week. The home opener will be another non-Jefferson District game on Sept. 8 against the Chancellor High Chargers in Spotsylvania County. Pace is concentrating on tightening up his team’s play for this contest. After that, they have two more home games, hosting Buckingham County and Charlottesville High on Sept. 15 and 21. The final game in September will be at Albemarle High on Sept. 29.
