By Duncan Nixon
The Monticello High Mustangs came down Route 53 on Friday for the Flucos’ Homecoming game. A large and enthusiastic crowd was on hand.
Both teams were 4-1, so fans expected a close battle. But the Mustang defense simply had no answer for Fluco senior running back Garrett Jordan.
The Flucos received the opening kick-off and after one first down, Jordan burst up the middle into the open and flew past the Mustang defenders for a 57-yard touchdown run. The PAT was good, and Fluvanna led 7-0.
The Mustangs were unable to respond. They got one first down but failed to convert on a fourth-and-two. The Flucos took over at the Monticello 48-yard line.
Fluvanna faced a fourth-and-one at the Monticello 16-yard line. Senior fullback Dedric Cooke plunged two yards for the first down. Jordan then ran wide to the left and beat one tackler for his second TD. The PAT was good again, and the Flucos led 14-0, with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
The second quarter was a back-and-forth struggle, with neither team getting close to the end zone.
Late in the quarter, senior quarterback Jack Pace connected with senior wide receiver Brody Shields on a long pass, and Shields made an excellent catch. The Flucos had the ball first-and-goal at the three-yard line.
With 59 seconds left, Jordan ran in for his third touchdown, and the Flucos took a 21-0 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was scoreless, but on the next-to-last play, Pace connected again with Shields to put the Flucos on the Mustangs’ 36-yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jordan broke away again for a touchdown run. The two-point try failed, and the Flucos led 27-0 with 11:50 left.
The Mustangs then showed their only offensive burst, marching down the field on a time-consuming drive to score with 8:03 left.
The Flucos’ Peter Fulk recovered an onside kick, but the Flucos went three-and-out and had to punt.
The Mustangs threatened to score again, but Fluco sophomore defensive back Terence Baskerville intercepted at the goal line. The Flucos took over at the eighteen.
On their second play, Jordan ran right and broke into the open. No one tried to catch him or cut him off because it would have been futile. Once in the open, he flies. Eighty-two yards for his fifth touchdown.
After the game, Coach Mitchell Pace lauded his offensive line, led by senior Captain Jake Heatwole, and his defensive backs led by Baskerville.
With only four games left in the regular season, the Flucos are looking strong. On Oct. 16, they play at Orange County. They then travel to Charlottesville on Oct. 23. They are home against Goochland on Oct. 30, for Senior Night.
The regular season ends on Nov. 6 at Albemarle High
