Fluco football falls to Broadway in opener

By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent

The Flucos opened their football season at home Aug. 31. The visiting Broadway High Gobblers jumped to an amazing 7-0 lead, scoring on their second play from scrimmage. The Gobblers took the kick-off out to their own 36 yard line. On the first play, the Gobblers broke open for a 59 yard run to the Fluco five yard line. They scored on the following play. The PAT was good and the Flucos were in a hole less than one minute after the kick-off. In the rest of the first quarter, neither team could generate offense and the teams exchanged punts. 

The second quarter started with Broadway in possession and on the move. The Gobblers moved the ball down field with penalties on both teams slowing the process. With 8:24 left in the quarter the Broadway quarterback ran it into the endzone from the three. The PAT was no good and Broadway had all the points they would need, leading 13-0. After their touchdown the Gobblers tried an on-side kick, which failed. The Flucos took over on their own 44. After a three yard run, Fluco quarter back William Lambert launched a long throw down the left side and Fluco tight end/wide receiver Ben Denby used all of his 6-6 height to wrestle the pass away from two defenders. Denby broke into the open after the catch, but was dragged down at the five. A hard four-yard run by Sam Loving took the ball to the one and Lambert scored the only Fluco touchdown on a quarterback sneak. The PAT was good and the Flucos trailed 13-7.

Late in the half the Gobblers again moved the ball steadily down-field. With the help of two encroachment penalties on Fluvanna, they scored again on a short run at 2:48. The PAT was good, and the scoring was complete. Late in the half, Broadway was looking to score again, but they were thwarted when Fluco defensive back Kyle Harris made a diving interception.

The second half featured some up and down the field, but drives by both teams failed due to penalties or foiled plays resulting in losses. Lambert completed nice passes to Denby and Loving and posted the longest Fluco run from scrimmage with an 11 yard scramble. Neither team got close enough to the end zone to threaten to score and few plays on either side made significant gains. The Fluco defense looked very sound in the half, but it was too late.

After the game, Coach Mitchell Pace noted that “the better team won tonight.” He explained that his squad needs to improve its blocking and tackling. In response to a question about Denby’s catch in the first half he responded “He is our playmaker.” Pace was worried about his team’s kicking game  in a pre-season interview, but Loving punted quite well for the Flucos and had more punts than Pace would have wanted.

The Fluco football team now has an early bye week followed by three road games. They will play at Chancellor High on Sept. 13 and at Buckingham County on Sept. 20. Both are non-Jefferson District opponents. On Sept. 27, the Flucos start Jefferson District play at Charlottesville High. The Fluco will finally be back home on Oct. 4, hosting Albemarle High.