Both teams made it to this game on the strength of their defenses and that was the theme today. Although the game was rather ugly offensively, IMO, the defenses of both teams performed quite well and certainly had a hand in the lack of sustained offensive execution by either team.
Woodbridge won the toss and deferred, but Westfield got a great KO return from Morin and started their first drive on the WB 31 yard line. WF was unable to move the ball and punted, pinning WBR on their own 2 yard line. WBR went three and out and the punt was short, giving WF another short field at the WBR 32 yard line. Two plays later Kim hit Morin on a 31 yard passing TD and WF went out in front, 6-0 (Steinhilber XP was wide left) at the 7:42 mark of the first quarter. WBR started their next drive at their own 32 yard line and after a few plays Jackson hit Sanders with a pass to the WF 8 yard line. The pass was a bit short and it ended up a jump ball between WF's DB Hinton and Sanders, with Sanders wrestling the ball away for the catch. However, after a loss on a run, a sack, and an incomplete pass WBR had to settle for a 30 yard FG try by Matamoro-Mejias that went wide left and the score remained 6-0, WF. WF's next series was a three and out with the punt going to the WBR 16 yard line. After two plays Jackson found Hardin when he got behind the secondary and WBR had a 73 pass play for a TD. Gilley's XP was good (despite two WF defenders being in his face when he kicked; I don't know how he got the ball away) and WBR went in front 7-6 with 11:32 remaining in the second quarter. WF again went three and out after failing to gain any yards, followed by WBR returning the favor. WF started their next series on their own 29 yard line and moved to the WBR 19, but then stalled and faced a 4th and 13 at the WBR 22. The pass down the middle was incomplete and WBR took over. On this series Jackson once again found Sanders and this time the 68 yard pass play reached the WF 10 yard line with the first half winding down. After a run for no gain, WF's Hinton intercepted Jackson in the end zone with just seconds left in the half and the teams went into the half with WBR up 7-6.
WBR received the ball to start the second half at their 20 yard line and had to punt after nearing midfield. WF got the ball on their own 28 yard line and this time they put together a 72 yard drive, capped by an 8 yard Asante run to go up 12-7 (Steinhilber XP missed again, wide left) with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. WBR took the ensuing KO and started at their 26 yard line but after WBR crossed midfield WF's Morin picked off Jackson at the WF 30 yard line to kill the WBR drive. WF ran three plays then faced a 4th and inches at the WF 43 yard line but instead of going for it they elected to punt and WBR started their possession on their own 20 yard line. After again crossing midfield, reaching the WF 40 yard line, WBR faced a 4th and 2. WBR's Grant bounced off contact at the line of scrimmage and ran 8 yards for the first down and WBR had new life trailing by only five points early in the 4th quarter. Three plays later WBR faced a second 4th down on this drive, this time a 4th and 6 at the WF 28 yard line. This time the WF defense stuffed the run for a two yard loss and WF took over on their own 30 yard line. WF was unable to move the ball and was again forced to punt, giving WBR yet another opportunity when they received the ball near midfield at their own 48 yard line. After only managing four yards, WBR was forced to punt and WF got the ball back on their own 21 yard line with about 5 minutes left in the game. Using the run game most of the second half after getting the lead back in the third quarter, WF was trying to run clock but had not been able to run much against the stout interior defense of WBR. But on this drive WF's Asante was able to run off right tackle and scramble down the home sideline, taking a hit and breaking free then cutting back across the field before being run down by the WBR defense. However, the 62 yard run put WF on the WBR 18. After several more running plays Asante took it in from 1 yard out with 56 seconds left to seal the win with WF up 18-7 (Steinhilber XP missed).
Westfield now advances to face Oscar Smith in Hampton for the state championship for the third consecutive year. Smith, trailing 17-3 in the third quarter, was a 27-20 winner over Colonial Forge in 2 overtimes.
Woodbridge won the toss and deferred, but Westfield got a great KO return from Morin and started their first drive on the WB 31 yard line. WF was unable to move the ball and punted, pinning WBR on their own 2 yard line. WBR went three and out and the punt was short, giving WF another short field at the WBR 32 yard line. Two plays later Kim hit Morin on a 31 yard passing TD and WF went out in front, 6-0 (Steinhilber XP was wide left) at the 7:42 mark of the first quarter. WBR started their next drive at their own 32 yard line and after a few plays Jackson hit Sanders with a pass to the WF 8 yard line. The pass was a bit short and it ended up a jump ball between WF's DB Hinton and Sanders, with Sanders wrestling the ball away for the catch. However, after a loss on a run, a sack, and an incomplete pass WBR had to settle for a 30 yard FG try by Matamoro-Mejias that went wide left and the score remained 6-0, WF. WF's next series was a three and out with the punt going to the WBR 16 yard line. After two plays Jackson found Hardin when he got behind the secondary and WBR had a 73 pass play for a TD. Gilley's XP was good (despite two WF defenders being in his face when he kicked; I don't know how he got the ball away) and WBR went in front 7-6 with 11:32 remaining in the second quarter. WF again went three and out after failing to gain any yards, followed by WBR returning the favor. WF started their next series on their own 29 yard line and moved to the WBR 19, but then stalled and faced a 4th and 13 at the WBR 22. The pass down the middle was incomplete and WBR took over. On this series Jackson once again found Sanders and this time the 68 yard pass play reached the WF 10 yard line with the first half winding down. After a run for no gain, WF's Hinton intercepted Jackson in the end zone with just seconds left in the half and the teams went into the half with WBR up 7-6.
WBR received the ball to start the second half at their 20 yard line and had to punt after nearing midfield. WF got the ball on their own 28 yard line and this time they put together a 72 yard drive, capped by an 8 yard Asante run to go up 12-7 (Steinhilber XP missed again, wide left) with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. WBR took the ensuing KO and started at their 26 yard line but after WBR crossed midfield WF's Morin picked off Jackson at the WF 30 yard line to kill the WBR drive. WF ran three plays then faced a 4th and inches at the WF 43 yard line but instead of going for it they elected to punt and WBR started their possession on their own 20 yard line. After again crossing midfield, reaching the WF 40 yard line, WBR faced a 4th and 2. WBR's Grant bounced off contact at the line of scrimmage and ran 8 yards for the first down and WBR had new life trailing by only five points early in the 4th quarter. Three plays later WBR faced a second 4th down on this drive, this time a 4th and 6 at the WF 28 yard line. This time the WF defense stuffed the run for a two yard loss and WF took over on their own 30 yard line. WF was unable to move the ball and was again forced to punt, giving WBR yet another opportunity when they received the ball near midfield at their own 48 yard line. After only managing four yards, WBR was forced to punt and WF got the ball back on their own 21 yard line with about 5 minutes left in the game. Using the run game most of the second half after getting the lead back in the third quarter, WF was trying to run clock but had not been able to run much against the stout interior defense of WBR. But on this drive WF's Asante was able to run off right tackle and scramble down the home sideline, taking a hit and breaking free then cutting back across the field before being run down by the WBR defense. However, the 62 yard run put WF on the WBR 18. After several more running plays Asante took it in from 1 yard out with 56 seconds left to seal the win with WF up 18-7 (Steinhilber XP missed).
Westfield now advances to face Oscar Smith in Hampton for the state championship for the third consecutive year. Smith, trailing 17-3 in the third quarter, was a 27-20 winner over Colonial Forge in 2 overtimes.
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