By Jake Bowling / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Spectators leaving Saturday’s Prep League game would likely be astounded if someone told them Woodberry Forest had entered their senior day clash with Fork Union Military Academy at 1-6.
The way the Tigers’ offense moved the ball and the way their defense shut down FUMA’s fleet of wide receivers, the Tigers looked like world beaters in a 48-22 victory over the Blue Devils.
Woodberry Forest has had its share of frustration, having four of their six losses against an elite schedule by an average margin of 5.5 points.
“The guys deserve so much credit.” Woodberry head coach Scott Braswell said. “We lost a triple overtime game to Collegiate. Then we lost on the last play of the game next week to Benedictine. They come back and we keep playing hard. So I’m just so glad that they’re getting rewarded for working so hard.”
Woodberry Forest was on a mission from the start. Caleb Hodges took the opening kickoff 35 yards to set up a four play, all rush drive that saw Donovan Baker find the endzone. Baker recently made the switch to running back from wide receiver.
“We tried to make a point of emphasis trying to develop our running game and trying to be more physical and he gives us a bit of that element which has been huge for us.” Braswell said of Baker.
Baker certainly played the part — he rushed for 125 yards on 23 carries and found the endzone on four different occasions Saturday afternoon.
“We blocked the inside run pretty well, I love the inside run,” Baker
said. “The mentality of the O-line is very confident.”
Fork Union, on the flip side, could never really get the ball rolling in the first half. A bad snap on their first possession set the tone early. Fork Union stopped the Tigers on their next possession but another erratic snap resulted in a 25-yard loss on 2nd down. Alex Williams found Nasir Edmond on a 20-yard dart on 4th, but he couldn’t make the first down and Woodberry took advantage. Ben Locklear found Luke Blundin for a 57 yard touchdown just four plays later.
Yet another bad snap on 2nd down resulted in another loss of yardage for Fork Union, and Baker punched it in for his second touchdown on Woodberry’s next possession. A failed fake punt by FUMA’s Montigo Moss put the Tigers in the redzone immediately, and Baker found the endzone yet again to put Woodberry up 27-0 in the second quarter.
V’Jon Hampton stopped the bleeding for Fork Union before the half, rushing in for a 15-yard touchdown. Hampton led Fork Union on the groundwith 93 yards.
The Blue Devils finally got some offensive momentum in the second half, but it was too little too late. Alex Williams targeted Montigo Moss on many different occasions, and Moss produced. He finished with 9 receptions for 111 yards and he found the endzone in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 48-20. Williams then found Myles Brickhouse on the 2-point conversion, but Fork Union failed to recover the onside kick and Woodberry Forest melted the clock from there.
For Woodberry Forest, Ben Locklear was 5-for-9 for 134 yards with one touchdown and one interception, which came early in the first half.
FUMA’s Williams struggled in the first but still put up some good numbers, going 13-27 for 169 yards and one touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions.
Woodberry Forest ends the Prep League campaign in a three-way tie for third, and they now turn their attention to The Game at Episcopal next week.
Fork Union finishes the regular season at 5-4, 2-3 in the Prep League and will likely find its way into the VISAA Division I playoff field despite the loss to the Tigers.
