This game made me reminisce about the hard hitting games between the heavyweight NOVA teams of the early to mid-2000's. Tonight, two very good teams stood toe to toe and went back and forth in the first half, absorbed a lot hard runs and big plays throughout the game, and saw a second half composed of two huge momentum swings.
Lake Braddock took the opening KO on their 29 yard line and ran three plays that gained 5 yards before punting. On the punt the snap sailed over the punter's head and WF's Wheatland recovered the ball on the LB 6 yard line. Two plays later Kim hit Howard in the flat for a 3 yard passing TD and WF went out in front, 7-0 (Williams XP) at the 9:31 mark of the first quarter. LB, starting at their own 38 yard line, then punted again after three plays, followed by a WF three and out. With LB on their own 27 yard line they drove down the field behind a power running game and tied the game at 7 all (Rawlins XP) when Murray scored on a 4 yard run with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter. WF started their next drive on their own 20 yard line and on the second play Kim again hit Avery in the flat and he went 80 yards to the end zone - but a penalty negated the score. WF then managed to drive to the LB 27 yard line but stalled and a 44 yard Williams FG hit the left upright to keep the score tied at 7-7. LB took over on their own 20 yard line and after two plays faced 3rd and inches, but a loss of two yards on the end around run resulted in another LB punt to the WF 34 yard line. Reaching the LB 35, WF's Legall fumbled and LB's Weidinger recovered at the LB 40. LB drove downfield and, helped by converting a 4th and 1 at the WF 29 yard line, elected to try a FG when faced with 4th and 6 at the WF 22. Rawlins FG attempt was blocked by WF's Bushra and WF took over on their own 36 yard line, then drove to the LB 25 yard line before stalling and WF's Williams missed a 41 yard FG wide left. The half ended shortly after tied at 7-7.
The second half was one of momentum swings. The start of the half saw WF receive the ball and quickly go three and out, giving LB the ball on the LB 40. After a few plays Edwards hit James on a short pass in the flat and he came around the corner behind two blockers to go 41 yards for the TD that put LB up, 14-7 (Rawlins XP) with 9:22 to go in the third. One could sense that LB had seized the momentum, and if they could stop WF and score they would be in great position to win the game. But WF, needing an answer, started at their own 41 and moved to the LB 37 where they faced 4th and 10. On the 4th down play Kim rolled to his right and saw pressure, rolled back to his left and ran across the field looking for an open receiver, then heaved the ball to the corner of the end zone where the ball just exceeded the LB DB's reach and settled into the arms of WF's Richard. After the Williams XP it was tied again, 14-14, with 4:06 to play in the third quarter. LB took the ensuing KO to their own 35 yard line and moved to the WF 19 where they faced a 4th and one that was converted when WF jumped off sides. On the next play Edwards scrambled out of pressure and found Hibner over the middle for a 14 yard passing TD and LB went back in front, 21-14 (Rawlins XP) at the 1:14 mark of the third quarter. Rawlins then sent the LB KO to the WF 1 yard line, where WF's Avery caught the ball and burst up the middle, angled to the home sideline, and ran away from the LB defenders for a 99 KO return to tie the game at 21 all (Williams XP) with 1:00 left in the third. The KOR would turn out to be a huge momentum swing for WF, as LB punted to end the third quarter; WF then marched 61 yards in under two minutes with Kim running the ball in from a yard out to put WF back in front 28-21 (Williams XP) with 10:09 remaining in the game. After LB ran three plays that did not gain a first down they lined up to punt with 4th and 2 at the WF 40 yard line. The snap went to the up back but he was stopped after a 1 yard gain and WF took over with great field position on the LB 41 yard line. After a 38 yard Kim to Howard pass to the LB 3 yard line, Legall ran it in from 3 yards out and WF extended the lead to 34-21 (Williams XP wide right) with 7:20 remaining. Needing two scores and with the clock running down, LB got aggressive but just missed open receivers on long sideline throws on two consecutive plays down the visitor's sideline, followed by run for no gain. Under pressure on the punt, the ball only went 7 yards and WF took over on the LB 40 yard line. WF would go the 40 yards in about three minutes, scoring again on a 9 yard Legall run to extend the lead to 40-21 (2XP pass incomplete) with just 4:08 to play. At this point it certainly looked like WF was in control, but LB came out fast on their next possession and put together a 74 yard drive in under three minutes to score when Murray ran it in from 5 yards out to draw to within 40-28 (Rawlins XP) with 1:14 to play. LB attempted a successful onside kick, then went 50 yards in four plays to score again, this time on a 12 yard Edwards to Hibner pass to pull LB within six, 40-34 (WF's Wheatland blocked Rawlins' XP attempt) with about 40 seconds in the game. LB attempted another onside kick but WF covered the kick and was able to run out the clock to get a 40-34 win.
I was impressed by both teams, who displayed grit and determination. It was the type of game you don't often see anymore with the prevalence of the spread offenses and both teams gave as much as they took from the other. It is possible these two teams could meet again late in the playoffs.
Lake Braddock took the opening KO on their 29 yard line and ran three plays that gained 5 yards before punting. On the punt the snap sailed over the punter's head and WF's Wheatland recovered the ball on the LB 6 yard line. Two plays later Kim hit Howard in the flat for a 3 yard passing TD and WF went out in front, 7-0 (Williams XP) at the 9:31 mark of the first quarter. LB, starting at their own 38 yard line, then punted again after three plays, followed by a WF three and out. With LB on their own 27 yard line they drove down the field behind a power running game and tied the game at 7 all (Rawlins XP) when Murray scored on a 4 yard run with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter. WF started their next drive on their own 20 yard line and on the second play Kim again hit Avery in the flat and he went 80 yards to the end zone - but a penalty negated the score. WF then managed to drive to the LB 27 yard line but stalled and a 44 yard Williams FG hit the left upright to keep the score tied at 7-7. LB took over on their own 20 yard line and after two plays faced 3rd and inches, but a loss of two yards on the end around run resulted in another LB punt to the WF 34 yard line. Reaching the LB 35, WF's Legall fumbled and LB's Weidinger recovered at the LB 40. LB drove downfield and, helped by converting a 4th and 1 at the WF 29 yard line, elected to try a FG when faced with 4th and 6 at the WF 22. Rawlins FG attempt was blocked by WF's Bushra and WF took over on their own 36 yard line, then drove to the LB 25 yard line before stalling and WF's Williams missed a 41 yard FG wide left. The half ended shortly after tied at 7-7.
The second half was one of momentum swings. The start of the half saw WF receive the ball and quickly go three and out, giving LB the ball on the LB 40. After a few plays Edwards hit James on a short pass in the flat and he came around the corner behind two blockers to go 41 yards for the TD that put LB up, 14-7 (Rawlins XP) with 9:22 to go in the third. One could sense that LB had seized the momentum, and if they could stop WF and score they would be in great position to win the game. But WF, needing an answer, started at their own 41 and moved to the LB 37 where they faced 4th and 10. On the 4th down play Kim rolled to his right and saw pressure, rolled back to his left and ran across the field looking for an open receiver, then heaved the ball to the corner of the end zone where the ball just exceeded the LB DB's reach and settled into the arms of WF's Richard. After the Williams XP it was tied again, 14-14, with 4:06 to play in the third quarter. LB took the ensuing KO to their own 35 yard line and moved to the WF 19 where they faced a 4th and one that was converted when WF jumped off sides. On the next play Edwards scrambled out of pressure and found Hibner over the middle for a 14 yard passing TD and LB went back in front, 21-14 (Rawlins XP) at the 1:14 mark of the third quarter. Rawlins then sent the LB KO to the WF 1 yard line, where WF's Avery caught the ball and burst up the middle, angled to the home sideline, and ran away from the LB defenders for a 99 KO return to tie the game at 21 all (Williams XP) with 1:00 left in the third. The KOR would turn out to be a huge momentum swing for WF, as LB punted to end the third quarter; WF then marched 61 yards in under two minutes with Kim running the ball in from a yard out to put WF back in front 28-21 (Williams XP) with 10:09 remaining in the game. After LB ran three plays that did not gain a first down they lined up to punt with 4th and 2 at the WF 40 yard line. The snap went to the up back but he was stopped after a 1 yard gain and WF took over with great field position on the LB 41 yard line. After a 38 yard Kim to Howard pass to the LB 3 yard line, Legall ran it in from 3 yards out and WF extended the lead to 34-21 (Williams XP wide right) with 7:20 remaining. Needing two scores and with the clock running down, LB got aggressive but just missed open receivers on long sideline throws on two consecutive plays down the visitor's sideline, followed by run for no gain. Under pressure on the punt, the ball only went 7 yards and WF took over on the LB 40 yard line. WF would go the 40 yards in about three minutes, scoring again on a 9 yard Legall run to extend the lead to 40-21 (2XP pass incomplete) with just 4:08 to play. At this point it certainly looked like WF was in control, but LB came out fast on their next possession and put together a 74 yard drive in under three minutes to score when Murray ran it in from 5 yards out to draw to within 40-28 (Rawlins XP) with 1:14 to play. LB attempted a successful onside kick, then went 50 yards in four plays to score again, this time on a 12 yard Edwards to Hibner pass to pull LB within six, 40-34 (WF's Wheatland blocked Rawlins' XP attempt) with about 40 seconds in the game. LB attempted another onside kick but WF covered the kick and was able to run out the clock to get a 40-34 win.
I was impressed by both teams, who displayed grit and determination. It was the type of game you don't often see anymore with the prevalence of the spread offenses and both teams gave as much as they took from the other. It is possible these two teams could meet again late in the playoffs.
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