In the past when these two have met, one school would come away feeling better about their playoff chances. Under the new format, the realignment that does not ring true. That said, there was still a lot to prove for both teams coming into this one. For Hermitage, starting 3-0 would be a great way to start the season, particularly since they are one of those mentioned to contend with LC Bird for 5A South this season. Also, with the Panthers having given up sixty-one points in two games, Hermitage was looking to put any questions about their defense to rest. For Varina, the Blue Devils were looking to rebound from their first loss of the season and put questions to rest about their offense. For better or for worse, we got answers tonight.
The Blue Devils were shutout for nearly the entire first half. They got their first score of the night when Tim Minor hit Corey Finney with a 26-yard touchdown pass. To that point, Varina had four possessions' and had come up with nothing. Varina had two three and outs and two stalled drives in the first half before they got on the board.
A common theme of the night proved to be penalties… Both teams combined for what I believe to be 25 penalties in the first half of action.
While Varina struggled on offense, Hermitage did not. On their very first possession of the night, from their own 46 the Panthers marched 54 yards down field to go on top. Justin Henderson caught two passes from Robinson but penalties against Varina moved the ball ever closer to the point that Hermitage had the ball at the 8 yard line with a fresh set of downs. It only took three plays for Rashad Robinson to punch it in from six yards out. The Herm PAT failed but in the second quarter, the kicking game was not an issue as Jesus Rodriguez kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 9-0 Hermitage.
Things looked to take a turn for the worse when Robinson who had been beaten up early on by a tough Varina defense sustained what appears to be a sprained ankle. He never returned to the game and in his place, Elijah Odom stepped in. On the first play of the night for Odom, he took it to the house on a 38-yard quarterback keeper. Up 16-0 midway through the second quarter, it appeared that Varina's offensive woes were continuing while Hermitage's defense would be just fine.
Varina however had an answer for the Panther score and that was a scoring drive of their own, their first on this night. The Blue Devils had to march ninety yards in order to get on the board but behind Allisshuwa Becoat, Tim Minor and Desmond Smith, the Blue Devils were moving the ball. It didn't hurt that Hermitage was committing penalties and Varina was benefitting by being moved down field. With a little less than three minutes to go, Tim Minor and Corey Finney hooked up and the Blue Devils had their first touchdown of the night.
Penalties continued to plague both teams in the second half but not to the extent of the first half. I counted at least 15 penalties in the second half but it could have been more. While penalties were a common theme on the night, missed opportunities were the them in the second half. Missed opportunities such as Hermitage fumbling a punt return and Varina failing to be able to recover the loose ball. Had Varina been able to recover, they would have had the ball in Hermitage territory. Or how about when Jaden Miller intercepted a Varina pass and returned it 68 yards only to have it called back due to a flag. Or for Varina, missed opportunities cold have been down a score with time running out, one receiver falling down before the ball got to him or another receiver having the ball graze the top of his fingers…
As it was, Hermitage scored on their third possession of the second half when Odom punched it in from 25 yards out on a possession that began with Hermitage nearly fumbling away the punt return. That gave the Panthers a 22-7 lead with a missed PAT. Varina answered with a little less than nine minutes left in the game when Desmond Smith caught a pass from Tim Minor but that would be as close as Varina would come. The Blue Devils got the ball back with about two minutes to go but the Blue Devils ran out of time and field to get something done. If not for Jaden Miller intercepting a Blue Devil pass in the endzone on the previous possession, the game might have been different but that was not the case.
The case was Hermitage held on to victory, 22-15 to improve to 3-0 entering district play while the Blue Devils start the season 1-2 losing two straight in the regular season for the first time since 1995.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st QTR-
8:00- Rashad Robinson 6-yard touchdown run, missed PAT; Hermitage 6-0.
2nd QTR-
9:22- Jesus Rodriguez 19-yard field goal; Hermitage 9-0.
7:03- Elijah Odom 38-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Hermitage 16-0.
2:35- Tim Minor 27-yard touchdown pass to Corey Finney, PAT good; Hermitage 16-7.
3rd QTR-
1:46- Elijah Odom 25-yard touchdown run, missed PAT; Hermitage 22-7.
4th QTR-
8:55- Tim Minor 35-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Smith, two-point conversion good; Hermitage 22-15.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
Blue Devils could be in for a long season if they continue to struggle scoring. In two losses the Blue Devils have just 29 points. In the past, the Blue Devils could put up that many points in a game alone. This said, the Panthers defense kept the Blue Devils to 15 points, the lowest points allowed this season by the Panthers.
With Atlee, Highland Springs and Hanover in district play, the Blue Devils offense will need to improve or these two losses won't be there last.
With Robinson out of the game, some might have thought the Panthers would be in trouble, myself included but Odom performed superbly in relief and the Panthers are still on course to rival Atlee and LC Bird in 5A South.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Hermitage Offense- QB, Elijah Odom with roughly 119 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns on the ground.
Hermitage Defense- FS, Jaden Miller with two interceptions and could have nearly been three.
Varina Offense- WR, Desmond Smith with 4 receptions for roughly 86 yards including a 65-yard touchdown pass from Tim Minor.
Varina Defense- LB, Chris Tedder roughly eight tackles on the night that I counted but more than that I'm sure as he was in on every other defensive play it seemed.
EXTRA POINTS
Hermitage is 3-0 for the first time in two years.
Varina has lost back-to-back regular season games for the first time since 1995.
This post was edited on 9/20 9:12 AM by VaPrepsRod
The Blue Devils were shutout for nearly the entire first half. They got their first score of the night when Tim Minor hit Corey Finney with a 26-yard touchdown pass. To that point, Varina had four possessions' and had come up with nothing. Varina had two three and outs and two stalled drives in the first half before they got on the board.
A common theme of the night proved to be penalties… Both teams combined for what I believe to be 25 penalties in the first half of action.
While Varina struggled on offense, Hermitage did not. On their very first possession of the night, from their own 46 the Panthers marched 54 yards down field to go on top. Justin Henderson caught two passes from Robinson but penalties against Varina moved the ball ever closer to the point that Hermitage had the ball at the 8 yard line with a fresh set of downs. It only took three plays for Rashad Robinson to punch it in from six yards out. The Herm PAT failed but in the second quarter, the kicking game was not an issue as Jesus Rodriguez kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 9-0 Hermitage.
Things looked to take a turn for the worse when Robinson who had been beaten up early on by a tough Varina defense sustained what appears to be a sprained ankle. He never returned to the game and in his place, Elijah Odom stepped in. On the first play of the night for Odom, he took it to the house on a 38-yard quarterback keeper. Up 16-0 midway through the second quarter, it appeared that Varina's offensive woes were continuing while Hermitage's defense would be just fine.
Varina however had an answer for the Panther score and that was a scoring drive of their own, their first on this night. The Blue Devils had to march ninety yards in order to get on the board but behind Allisshuwa Becoat, Tim Minor and Desmond Smith, the Blue Devils were moving the ball. It didn't hurt that Hermitage was committing penalties and Varina was benefitting by being moved down field. With a little less than three minutes to go, Tim Minor and Corey Finney hooked up and the Blue Devils had their first touchdown of the night.
Penalties continued to plague both teams in the second half but not to the extent of the first half. I counted at least 15 penalties in the second half but it could have been more. While penalties were a common theme on the night, missed opportunities were the them in the second half. Missed opportunities such as Hermitage fumbling a punt return and Varina failing to be able to recover the loose ball. Had Varina been able to recover, they would have had the ball in Hermitage territory. Or how about when Jaden Miller intercepted a Varina pass and returned it 68 yards only to have it called back due to a flag. Or for Varina, missed opportunities cold have been down a score with time running out, one receiver falling down before the ball got to him or another receiver having the ball graze the top of his fingers…
As it was, Hermitage scored on their third possession of the second half when Odom punched it in from 25 yards out on a possession that began with Hermitage nearly fumbling away the punt return. That gave the Panthers a 22-7 lead with a missed PAT. Varina answered with a little less than nine minutes left in the game when Desmond Smith caught a pass from Tim Minor but that would be as close as Varina would come. The Blue Devils got the ball back with about two minutes to go but the Blue Devils ran out of time and field to get something done. If not for Jaden Miller intercepting a Blue Devil pass in the endzone on the previous possession, the game might have been different but that was not the case.
The case was Hermitage held on to victory, 22-15 to improve to 3-0 entering district play while the Blue Devils start the season 1-2 losing two straight in the regular season for the first time since 1995.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st QTR-
8:00- Rashad Robinson 6-yard touchdown run, missed PAT; Hermitage 6-0.
2nd QTR-
9:22- Jesus Rodriguez 19-yard field goal; Hermitage 9-0.
7:03- Elijah Odom 38-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Hermitage 16-0.
2:35- Tim Minor 27-yard touchdown pass to Corey Finney, PAT good; Hermitage 16-7.
3rd QTR-
1:46- Elijah Odom 25-yard touchdown run, missed PAT; Hermitage 22-7.
4th QTR-
8:55- Tim Minor 35-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Smith, two-point conversion good; Hermitage 22-15.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
Blue Devils could be in for a long season if they continue to struggle scoring. In two losses the Blue Devils have just 29 points. In the past, the Blue Devils could put up that many points in a game alone. This said, the Panthers defense kept the Blue Devils to 15 points, the lowest points allowed this season by the Panthers.
With Atlee, Highland Springs and Hanover in district play, the Blue Devils offense will need to improve or these two losses won't be there last.
With Robinson out of the game, some might have thought the Panthers would be in trouble, myself included but Odom performed superbly in relief and the Panthers are still on course to rival Atlee and LC Bird in 5A South.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Hermitage Offense- QB, Elijah Odom with roughly 119 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns on the ground.
Hermitage Defense- FS, Jaden Miller with two interceptions and could have nearly been three.
Varina Offense- WR, Desmond Smith with 4 receptions for roughly 86 yards including a 65-yard touchdown pass from Tim Minor.
Varina Defense- LB, Chris Tedder roughly eight tackles on the night that I counted but more than that I'm sure as he was in on every other defensive play it seemed.
EXTRA POINTS
Hermitage is 3-0 for the first time in two years.
Varina has lost back-to-back regular season games for the first time since 1995.
This post was edited on 9/20 9:12 AM by VaPrepsRod
