In years past this was a huge game come playoff time, the two met four straight years in a row from 2008-2011 and every time the stadium at Hanover was packed. On this night, early on the Generals fans outnumbered the Hawks but they slowly filled in. Be it the cold temperatures on this night or the huge game going on about 15 minutes away at Randolph-Macon, something kept the fans away. While the playoff atmosphere might have been missing in the stands, the teams sure felt as they prepared to do battle.
Hanover won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Dinwiddie started the game off moving the ball well, highlighted by a big time pass from Bryce Witt to Tye Freeland for 27 yards. Hanover’s defense however showed their might and gave a preview of what we were in store for on this night when Tanner Lacey sacked Witt in the backfield for a loss of 5 yards. That effectively ended a promising drive for Dinwiddie. Hanover’s defense was not done with Dinwiddie. After a Hawks possession that saw the ball moved only 17 yards, they Hawks had to settle for giving the ball back to Dinwiddie but that did not last for long as Tabb Patrick would come through for the Hawks intercepting a Bryce Witt pass on first down thus giving the Hawks the ball back.
With 5:38 left in the first quarter the Hawks went to work moving the ball down the field with a few quarterback keepers and a couple of passes mixed in but while it did appear the Hawks were moving the ball, things stalled at the 23 yard line. Three downs and no yards gained, the Hawks had to settle for a field goal attempt and even that failed from 40 yards out. As the first quarter was nearing an end, neither team had put any points on the board and while Hanover had looked better to this point, it was still anyone’s game.
The Hawks D forced Dinwiddie into a three and out and as the teams entered the second quarter, the Generals found themselves punting for the second time on this night. It would be on this possession, the Hawks third of the night that they would break the 0-0 tie that was the first quarter. A 55-yard drive that was highlighted by Bazala hitting Jack Chenault with a 25-yard pass was capped with a Bazala two-yard touchdown with 6:53 to go in the first half. The Hawks decided to be bold and go for a two-point conversion early but they could not deliver and led just 6-0.
That 6-0 was enough as long as the Hawks defense continued to play well and they did just that forcing the Generals to another three and out. What does Hanover do from there? Oh nothing but score again, this time on a 53-yard drive that Ben Mahone and Bazala combined for 19 yards before Bazala would throw his first touchdown of the night with a pass to Kirkland Shaffner. With the PAT as opposed to that of a two-point conversion attempt, the Hawks now had themselves a 13-0 lead.
Dinwiddie needed some kind of points on the board as halftime was rapidly descending. The Generals would not be forced to a three and out this go around but the Generals would not get in the endzone either. A big pass between Witt and Freeland moved the ball to the 10 yard line of Hanover and in three plays the closest Dinwiddie got to the endzone was the 7 yard line. That is why on fourth down the Generals settled for a Zack Staton field which was good and the Generals were now on the board trailing 13-3.
On the kickoff return to open the second half the Hawks nearly lost the ball but Kirkland Shaffner who had scored early in the game saved the day recovering the loose ball. To close out the first half the Hawks had scored on their final two possessions but that would not be the case to open the third quarter. This go around the Hawks would have to punt for the first time since their first possession of the game. Dinwiddie however would fare no better giving the ball right back to the Hawks only this time the Hawks would do something.
That something would be a field goal to cap a 64-yard drive that saw another big play between Bazala and Shaffner in the passing game and more running by that of Bazala. Despite Witt being sacked for a loss of 10 yards on first down, the Generals came back and managed a couple of first downs as it looked like Dinwiddie was going to start a charge but Zyan Sturdivant would fumble the ball on a carry only to have Tabb Patrick recover the loose ball.
As the Hawks and Generals entered the fourth quarter, the Hawks found themselves unable to move the ball any further against Dinwiddie and were forced to punt. Dinwiddie was not going quietly into this good night however as Bryce Witt escaped some tackles on first down to pickup six yards for the Generals but that paled in comparison to the 8 yards lost when he was sacked by TJ Allen on 3rd & 4. Time was ticking away on the Generals season and so they went for it on fourth down and the pass of Witt failed giving the Hawks the ball back.
In a matter of four plays, the Hawks were back in the endzone with a 29-yard touchdown run from Ben Mahone. This is the moment in the game when things really began to get interesting. The Generals now found themselves trailing 3-23. The Generals starting from their own 28-yard line worked the ball down the field with a sense of urgency and it worked as the Hawks defense was unable to have the same success they had all night long and the Generals kept moving the ball mixing it up between pass and run, this player and that player. One player was Donovan McCrea who found himself on the receiving end of a Bryce Witt touchdown with 5:54 to go in the game and now down 10-23 with a PAT.
The Generals defense which had struggled to stop Bazala for much of the night had him stropped on two straight plays to force the Hawks into a punt. That gave the Generals the ball back and what did they do with it? Score yet again, on a 67-yard drive that saw a lot passing and the Generals overcoming an 8-yard sack and going for it on 4th & 11. That fourth down conversion was done so with a pass to Tye Freeland that saw the Generals at the 1-yard line of Hanover and it might have taken three plays but the Generals scored another touchdown, a 1-yard pass to Sturdivant from his quarterback. With 1:38 to go in the game, the Generals now trailed 17-23.
As you can expect the Generals went with the onside kick and were unable to recover it thus allowing the Hawks to run a play and line up in victory formation. Hanover who had led 23-3 early in the fourth quarter survived letting the game slip away and now they are moving onto the third round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter-
No Scoring
2nd Quarter-
6:53- Marcus Bazala 2-yard touchdown run, two-point conversion fails; Hanover 6-0.
3:12- Marcus Bazala 34-yard touchdown pass to Kirkland Shaffner, PAT good; Hanover 13-0.
:54.5- Zack Staton 24-yard field goal; Hanover 13-3.
3rd Quarter-
2:29- John Dustin 32-yard field goal; Hanover 16-3.
4th Quarter-
8:49- Ben Mahone 29-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Hanover 23-3.
5:54- Bryce Witt 35-yard touchdown pass to Donovan McCrea, PAT good; Hanover 23-10.
1:38- Bryce Witt 1-yard touchdown pass to Zyan Sturdivant, PAT good; Hanover 23-17.
KEYS TO VICTORY
I had questions about the Hanover defense coming into this one. The defense has not been as strong this season as in years past but the defense was fast on this night, the defense was aggressive and the defense was just plain good! There were many occasions where the Hawks defense was applying pressure to Bryce Witt dropping him in the backfield for losses. The defense also had several pass break ups and allowed just 59 yards of offense in the ground game. The Generals offense was near
As good as the run game and offense was for Lee-Davis, the defense was equally good. The ly shutout in the first half and even in the second half, up until the final six minutes of the game the offense was largely held in check.
To no surprise the run game was huge for the success of the Hawks. Ben Mahone and Marcus Bazala combined for 211 yards of offense on the ground. The Hawks controlled not only the game clock with their ground game but also the tempo of the game. There were moments in the game where it appeared the run game would stall but no matter who it was that was running, they never stopped churning their legs giving them that extra push to extend plays.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Marcus Bazala did what Bazala has done all season, come through for his team. The Hawks running back who has spent much of this season at the quarterback position filled in quite nicely for Cheatham who was sidelined this week. Bazala answered any questions about his ability to run against Dinwiddie with 142 yards on the ground a touchdown. That was where he found the most success on this night but he did have a decent night passing as well with 98 yards in the air and a touchdown. Bazala was constantly moving the ball downfield and the way he ran the ball was impressive tonight. Several times Bazala could be seen running right up the middle at defenders with no fear whatsoever and pushing Generals back while churning those legs. The Hawks needed a big night from Bazala and he definitely delivered.
Bryce Witt had a rough night as the Hawk defense made it tough on him, especially early in the game but the Generals quarterback came back to have a fine night and nearly brought a win to the team. The Generals quarterback was 13 of 24 for 212 yards with a touchdown. In the second half alone he threw nearly 136 yards including a touchdown. Wit caught fire in that second half to lead a charge that ended with the failure of the Generals to recover the onside kick.
EXTRA POINTS
I have now seen all playoff meetings between these two schools and the only game that I’ve ever missed between them was their regular season meeting this year.
Hanover has reached the third round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season.
Hanover has never gotten past the third round of the playoffs.
40 points is the fewest combined points for these teams in any previous meeting.
Hanover has now won three straight meetings against the Generals dating back to their last playoff meeting in 2011.
Hanover won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Dinwiddie started the game off moving the ball well, highlighted by a big time pass from Bryce Witt to Tye Freeland for 27 yards. Hanover’s defense however showed their might and gave a preview of what we were in store for on this night when Tanner Lacey sacked Witt in the backfield for a loss of 5 yards. That effectively ended a promising drive for Dinwiddie. Hanover’s defense was not done with Dinwiddie. After a Hawks possession that saw the ball moved only 17 yards, they Hawks had to settle for giving the ball back to Dinwiddie but that did not last for long as Tabb Patrick would come through for the Hawks intercepting a Bryce Witt pass on first down thus giving the Hawks the ball back.
With 5:38 left in the first quarter the Hawks went to work moving the ball down the field with a few quarterback keepers and a couple of passes mixed in but while it did appear the Hawks were moving the ball, things stalled at the 23 yard line. Three downs and no yards gained, the Hawks had to settle for a field goal attempt and even that failed from 40 yards out. As the first quarter was nearing an end, neither team had put any points on the board and while Hanover had looked better to this point, it was still anyone’s game.
The Hawks D forced Dinwiddie into a three and out and as the teams entered the second quarter, the Generals found themselves punting for the second time on this night. It would be on this possession, the Hawks third of the night that they would break the 0-0 tie that was the first quarter. A 55-yard drive that was highlighted by Bazala hitting Jack Chenault with a 25-yard pass was capped with a Bazala two-yard touchdown with 6:53 to go in the first half. The Hawks decided to be bold and go for a two-point conversion early but they could not deliver and led just 6-0.
That 6-0 was enough as long as the Hawks defense continued to play well and they did just that forcing the Generals to another three and out. What does Hanover do from there? Oh nothing but score again, this time on a 53-yard drive that Ben Mahone and Bazala combined for 19 yards before Bazala would throw his first touchdown of the night with a pass to Kirkland Shaffner. With the PAT as opposed to that of a two-point conversion attempt, the Hawks now had themselves a 13-0 lead.
Dinwiddie needed some kind of points on the board as halftime was rapidly descending. The Generals would not be forced to a three and out this go around but the Generals would not get in the endzone either. A big pass between Witt and Freeland moved the ball to the 10 yard line of Hanover and in three plays the closest Dinwiddie got to the endzone was the 7 yard line. That is why on fourth down the Generals settled for a Zack Staton field which was good and the Generals were now on the board trailing 13-3.
On the kickoff return to open the second half the Hawks nearly lost the ball but Kirkland Shaffner who had scored early in the game saved the day recovering the loose ball. To close out the first half the Hawks had scored on their final two possessions but that would not be the case to open the third quarter. This go around the Hawks would have to punt for the first time since their first possession of the game. Dinwiddie however would fare no better giving the ball right back to the Hawks only this time the Hawks would do something.
That something would be a field goal to cap a 64-yard drive that saw another big play between Bazala and Shaffner in the passing game and more running by that of Bazala. Despite Witt being sacked for a loss of 10 yards on first down, the Generals came back and managed a couple of first downs as it looked like Dinwiddie was going to start a charge but Zyan Sturdivant would fumble the ball on a carry only to have Tabb Patrick recover the loose ball.
As the Hawks and Generals entered the fourth quarter, the Hawks found themselves unable to move the ball any further against Dinwiddie and were forced to punt. Dinwiddie was not going quietly into this good night however as Bryce Witt escaped some tackles on first down to pickup six yards for the Generals but that paled in comparison to the 8 yards lost when he was sacked by TJ Allen on 3rd & 4. Time was ticking away on the Generals season and so they went for it on fourth down and the pass of Witt failed giving the Hawks the ball back.
In a matter of four plays, the Hawks were back in the endzone with a 29-yard touchdown run from Ben Mahone. This is the moment in the game when things really began to get interesting. The Generals now found themselves trailing 3-23. The Generals starting from their own 28-yard line worked the ball down the field with a sense of urgency and it worked as the Hawks defense was unable to have the same success they had all night long and the Generals kept moving the ball mixing it up between pass and run, this player and that player. One player was Donovan McCrea who found himself on the receiving end of a Bryce Witt touchdown with 5:54 to go in the game and now down 10-23 with a PAT.
The Generals defense which had struggled to stop Bazala for much of the night had him stropped on two straight plays to force the Hawks into a punt. That gave the Generals the ball back and what did they do with it? Score yet again, on a 67-yard drive that saw a lot passing and the Generals overcoming an 8-yard sack and going for it on 4th & 11. That fourth down conversion was done so with a pass to Tye Freeland that saw the Generals at the 1-yard line of Hanover and it might have taken three plays but the Generals scored another touchdown, a 1-yard pass to Sturdivant from his quarterback. With 1:38 to go in the game, the Generals now trailed 17-23.
As you can expect the Generals went with the onside kick and were unable to recover it thus allowing the Hawks to run a play and line up in victory formation. Hanover who had led 23-3 early in the fourth quarter survived letting the game slip away and now they are moving onto the third round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter-
No Scoring
2nd Quarter-
6:53- Marcus Bazala 2-yard touchdown run, two-point conversion fails; Hanover 6-0.
3:12- Marcus Bazala 34-yard touchdown pass to Kirkland Shaffner, PAT good; Hanover 13-0.
:54.5- Zack Staton 24-yard field goal; Hanover 13-3.
3rd Quarter-
2:29- John Dustin 32-yard field goal; Hanover 16-3.
4th Quarter-
8:49- Ben Mahone 29-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Hanover 23-3.
5:54- Bryce Witt 35-yard touchdown pass to Donovan McCrea, PAT good; Hanover 23-10.
1:38- Bryce Witt 1-yard touchdown pass to Zyan Sturdivant, PAT good; Hanover 23-17.
KEYS TO VICTORY
I had questions about the Hanover defense coming into this one. The defense has not been as strong this season as in years past but the defense was fast on this night, the defense was aggressive and the defense was just plain good! There were many occasions where the Hawks defense was applying pressure to Bryce Witt dropping him in the backfield for losses. The defense also had several pass break ups and allowed just 59 yards of offense in the ground game. The Generals offense was near
As good as the run game and offense was for Lee-Davis, the defense was equally good. The ly shutout in the first half and even in the second half, up until the final six minutes of the game the offense was largely held in check.
To no surprise the run game was huge for the success of the Hawks. Ben Mahone and Marcus Bazala combined for 211 yards of offense on the ground. The Hawks controlled not only the game clock with their ground game but also the tempo of the game. There were moments in the game where it appeared the run game would stall but no matter who it was that was running, they never stopped churning their legs giving them that extra push to extend plays.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Marcus Bazala did what Bazala has done all season, come through for his team. The Hawks running back who has spent much of this season at the quarterback position filled in quite nicely for Cheatham who was sidelined this week. Bazala answered any questions about his ability to run against Dinwiddie with 142 yards on the ground a touchdown. That was where he found the most success on this night but he did have a decent night passing as well with 98 yards in the air and a touchdown. Bazala was constantly moving the ball downfield and the way he ran the ball was impressive tonight. Several times Bazala could be seen running right up the middle at defenders with no fear whatsoever and pushing Generals back while churning those legs. The Hawks needed a big night from Bazala and he definitely delivered.
Bryce Witt had a rough night as the Hawk defense made it tough on him, especially early in the game but the Generals quarterback came back to have a fine night and nearly brought a win to the team. The Generals quarterback was 13 of 24 for 212 yards with a touchdown. In the second half alone he threw nearly 136 yards including a touchdown. Wit caught fire in that second half to lead a charge that ended with the failure of the Generals to recover the onside kick.
EXTRA POINTS
I have now seen all playoff meetings between these two schools and the only game that I’ve ever missed between them was their regular season meeting this year.
Hanover has reached the third round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season.
Hanover has never gotten past the third round of the playoffs.
40 points is the fewest combined points for these teams in any previous meeting.
Hanover has now won three straight meetings against the Generals dating back to their last playoff meeting in 2011.
