Marcus Burke caught a pass from Dylan Hamman in the end zone with 3.7 seconds left, to complete the late 4th quarter comeback for the Skyline Hawks in their 24-21 3A East playoff victory over Culpeper County.
The final drive started from their own 40 yard line with just 1:10 remaining, after a good kickoff return from Senior Brandon Wells. Hamman then completed passes of 4 yards to Wells, 10 yards to Burke, and 10 yards to Halsey to get it down to the Culpeper 36 yard line. The Hawks called a timeout with 24 seconds remaining, and on the next play, Brad Halsey ran through the Blue Devil defense for 35 yards down to the 1. Culpeper called a timeout with 11 seconds remaining. After a first down incompletion, Hamman found Burke coming right to left in the front corner of the end zone for the game-clinching score.
It looked to be a low-scoring affair at the start, as neither team could moved the ball consistently during a scoreless first quarter. Culpeper eventually scored first on a 15 yard pass from Hunter Crim to J.J. Washington with 7:19 remaining in the first half to go up 7-0.
Skyline only needed two plays to tie it up, however, as Brad Halsey took it straight up the middle for 77 yards on a 2nd and 7 play from the Skyline 23. The kick from A.J. Dueweke knotted the game at 7 with 6:21 remaining in the first half.
Culpeper moved the ball to the Skyline 35 before turning it over on downs. Skyline then marched it down to inside the Culpeper 1 yard line, before a fumbled snap pushed them back and they were forced to settle for a 24 yard field goal from A.J. Dueweke with 1.4 seconds left to put the Hawks up 10-7 going into halftime.
There was no scoring in the 3rd quarter, but it was not for a lack of ball movement by Culpeper. The Blue Devils started their first drive on their 38, and after an 11 yard run by Eli Marks, they had 1st and goal from the Skyline two yard line. But the Hawks held strong and got a turnover on downs at their 1 yard line.
The Hawks could not gain a first down, and after a 6 yard punt, Culpeper took possession at the Skyline 15. Culpeper could not take advantage of the field position, however, as Marcus Burke picked off Hunter Crim’s pass to give Skyline a touchback and some breathing room out at the 20.
The Hawks went three and out, and having to punt into the wind again, only got a 21 yard punt out to their own 44, where the Blue Devils took over. This time Culpeper was able to convert as they drove down to the 1 yard line and got a touchdown run from Crim with 10:23 left in the 4th quarter, putting Culpeper up 14-10.
Skyline started at their own 43 after a big Halsey kick return, but turned the ball over on downs at the Culpeper 33. The Hawks then forced a three and out from the Blue Devils, and this time it was Culpeper punting into the wind for just 13 yards. Skyline took over on the Culpeper 43 and on the first play from scrimmage, Hamman hit Roy for a 43 yard touchdown completion, and the Hawks were up 17-14 with 7:49 remaining in the game.
Culpeper turned to the air after running for most of the game, and they got a big gain when Crim found Mullen for a 45 yard completion down to the Skyline 29. On the next play, however, Marcus Burke came up with another interception on a deep pass from Crim, and Skyline regained possession at their own 1. Skyline could only muster one first down on their next drive, and that came via a 15 yard facemask penalty against Culpeper. So they had to punt the ball back to Culpeper, and the Blue Devils started again with good field position at the Skyline 31 with 3:30 remaining.
Culpeper turned back to the ground game, and on their sixth play, Marks ran it in from one yard out to put Culpeper up 21-16 with 1:16 left and setting up the winning Skyline drive.
Dylan Hamman had 122 yards passing for the Hawks, and Brad Halsey ran for 147 yards. Quintin Diggs added 56 yards rushing, and Marcus Burke had one touchdown receiving to go with his two interceptions. Eli Marks had 110 yards rushing for Culpeper and Gabe Frye added 81 yards on 12 carries.
The Hawks improve to 6-5 and will advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs to play the winner of Hopewell and Petersburg.
The final drive started from their own 40 yard line with just 1:10 remaining, after a good kickoff return from Senior Brandon Wells. Hamman then completed passes of 4 yards to Wells, 10 yards to Burke, and 10 yards to Halsey to get it down to the Culpeper 36 yard line. The Hawks called a timeout with 24 seconds remaining, and on the next play, Brad Halsey ran through the Blue Devil defense for 35 yards down to the 1. Culpeper called a timeout with 11 seconds remaining. After a first down incompletion, Hamman found Burke coming right to left in the front corner of the end zone for the game-clinching score.
It looked to be a low-scoring affair at the start, as neither team could moved the ball consistently during a scoreless first quarter. Culpeper eventually scored first on a 15 yard pass from Hunter Crim to J.J. Washington with 7:19 remaining in the first half to go up 7-0.
Skyline only needed two plays to tie it up, however, as Brad Halsey took it straight up the middle for 77 yards on a 2nd and 7 play from the Skyline 23. The kick from A.J. Dueweke knotted the game at 7 with 6:21 remaining in the first half.
Culpeper moved the ball to the Skyline 35 before turning it over on downs. Skyline then marched it down to inside the Culpeper 1 yard line, before a fumbled snap pushed them back and they were forced to settle for a 24 yard field goal from A.J. Dueweke with 1.4 seconds left to put the Hawks up 10-7 going into halftime.
There was no scoring in the 3rd quarter, but it was not for a lack of ball movement by Culpeper. The Blue Devils started their first drive on their 38, and after an 11 yard run by Eli Marks, they had 1st and goal from the Skyline two yard line. But the Hawks held strong and got a turnover on downs at their 1 yard line.
The Hawks could not gain a first down, and after a 6 yard punt, Culpeper took possession at the Skyline 15. Culpeper could not take advantage of the field position, however, as Marcus Burke picked off Hunter Crim’s pass to give Skyline a touchback and some breathing room out at the 20.
The Hawks went three and out, and having to punt into the wind again, only got a 21 yard punt out to their own 44, where the Blue Devils took over. This time Culpeper was able to convert as they drove down to the 1 yard line and got a touchdown run from Crim with 10:23 left in the 4th quarter, putting Culpeper up 14-10.
Skyline started at their own 43 after a big Halsey kick return, but turned the ball over on downs at the Culpeper 33. The Hawks then forced a three and out from the Blue Devils, and this time it was Culpeper punting into the wind for just 13 yards. Skyline took over on the Culpeper 43 and on the first play from scrimmage, Hamman hit Roy for a 43 yard touchdown completion, and the Hawks were up 17-14 with 7:49 remaining in the game.
Culpeper turned to the air after running for most of the game, and they got a big gain when Crim found Mullen for a 45 yard completion down to the Skyline 29. On the next play, however, Marcus Burke came up with another interception on a deep pass from Crim, and Skyline regained possession at their own 1. Skyline could only muster one first down on their next drive, and that came via a 15 yard facemask penalty against Culpeper. So they had to punt the ball back to Culpeper, and the Blue Devils started again with good field position at the Skyline 31 with 3:30 remaining.
Culpeper turned back to the ground game, and on their sixth play, Marks ran it in from one yard out to put Culpeper up 21-16 with 1:16 left and setting up the winning Skyline drive.
Dylan Hamman had 122 yards passing for the Hawks, and Brad Halsey ran for 147 yards. Quintin Diggs added 56 yards rushing, and Marcus Burke had one touchdown receiving to go with his two interceptions. Eli Marks had 110 yards rushing for Culpeper and Gabe Frye added 81 yards on 12 carries.
The Hawks improve to 6-5 and will advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs to play the winner of Hopewell and Petersburg.
