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Top-rated Western Albemarle avoided the fate of last year’s No. 1-seed in the Group 3A West bracket as the Warrior defense made three first half interceptions while senior Oliver Herndon led a ground attack that piled up 345 on the night.
Add in a special teams score on a blocked punt, and Western cruised to the second round with a 42-21 victory over Hidden Valley.
“We really take them one at a time,” said Western coach Ed Redmond. “I thought our preparation this week was outstanding. Our defensive plan was sound, and on offense our plan was to get the running game going.”
The visiting Titans did get in an early punch. On the game’s second play, sophomore quarterback Jonah Fitzgerald found top target Ryan Mitchell across the middle, who slipped between Warrior defenders and took it all the way for a 67-yard touchdown.
“We want to get the ball in [Ryan’s] hands as early and as often as we can,” said Hidden Valley coach Scott Weaver. “He made a great play and outran a really good defense. We just couldn’t continue to capitalize on the momentum we got early.”
After a near disaster on Hidden Valley’s ensuing kickoff, which was into the stiff breeze and bounced loose for several seconds around the Western 35, the Warriors drove 65 yards in six plays to answer. Senior quarterback Sam Hearn traded carries with Herndon before tossing a screen pass to him picked up 38 yards. On the next play, Herndon scored from six yards out, and Western grabbed a 7-6 lead.
Despite facing the wind, Fitzgerald had the Titans moving on their next possession, covering 40 yards in 10 plays including two third-and-nine conversions. Facing third and six at the Western 40, however, sophomore defender Darren Klein dove in front of his target and made a pick. Two minutes later, Klein grabbed another.
“Klein stepped up tonight and had a huge game,” Redmond said. “He had a tough assignment there with number 8 (wide receiver Chris Daniel, listed at 6’2” 220), and he certainly rose to the challenge.”
Western was unable to cash in on either pick as penalties derailed both drives. Late in the first quarter, with Hidden Valley facing fourth and four at its own 31 and the offense remaining on the field, Fitzgerald backed into a deep shotgun and attempted a quick kick. The high punt got caught in the wind and took a Western bounce for a net result of minus-4 yards. The Warriors cashed in four plays later on Hearn’s two-yard keeper. After a Hidden Valley three-and-out, the Titans employed a more traditional punt formation, but senior Steven Kuzjak broke through and made the block. Senior Michael Vale scooped up the loose ball and took it 20 yards for six.
“Our kids really take a lot of pride in that punt team and give tremendous effort,” Redmond said, as Western opened a 21-6 lead with 9:16 in the second quarter. “I thought we punted the ball well tonight, and our point-after-touchdown on a tough windy night was perfect. We did a lot of great things on special teams, and that comes from hard work and detail.”
Western added one more touchdown late in the half on a drive that started at its 41, but shifted back to the 22 after back-to-back holding penalties. Hearn connected with sophomore receiver Derek Domecq for 19, and then Herndon picked up 33 to move the chains. Herndon carried on the next three plays as well, the last going for a nine-yard touchdown. From his safety position, Hearn then made the Warrior defense’s third interception on a deep pass attempt to protect the 28-6 margin at the break.
“Their defensive line is elite,” Weaver said. “We knew that was a battle that we had to win to give our quarterback and receivers time to get open. We really didn’t do a good job of keeping our windows free, and our kids were trying to make plays in a playoff game.”
Moving with the wind in the third quarter, the Titans drove into the redzone on their first possession. The defense stepped up again, as Hearn dove to deflect Fitzgerald’s first-and-goal pass for Mitchell, and senior end Osiris Crutchfield sacked Fitzgerald on third goal. His fourth down pass to the end zone fell incomplete in traffic. Western’s offense delivered the dagger next, with Herndon and Hearn picking up 16 and 11 yards, respectively, before Herndon broke loose and raced 62 yards down the Titans’ sideline for his third touchdown.
“We were trying to get outside the whole night because the middle was pretty stacked,” said Herndon, who finished with 233 yards on 22 carries. “There was great blocking on that play. Once I got outside, I just broke a couple tackles.”
Late in the third, Hearn picked up his second touchdown on a 10-yard keeper to cap Western’s scoring and open a 42-6 lead. In the fourth, Fitzgerald found Mitchell to cap a 14-play, 65-yard drive with a three-yard score. Senior running back Zach Hartwell added a two-yard touchdown to make it 42-21.
Hartwell led the Titans with 66 yards on 13 carries. Fitzgerald completed 14-of-30 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns along with the three first-half interceptions; he added 29 yards on 11 rushes. Mitchell was his top target, as he finished with 91 yards and two scores on five receptions.
Behind Herndon, Hearn accounted for 153 yards (84 rushing, 69 passing). Western (10-1) was without senior Henry Kreienbaum, who Redmond held. Herndon also exited in the middle of the fourth quarter with an injury. Both are expected to be ready next Friday for the Warriors’ second round matchup with No. 8 seed Staunton River (7-4).
