Broad Run Reaches State Final

No. 9 Spartans Dominate in Second Half

By Matt Brooks (Contact)

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Broad Run entered the locker room at halftime of its AA Virginia Division 4 semifinal matchup against No. 7 Chancellor with an unfamiliar feeling. After a first half in which they had more than twice as much total offense as the Chargers, the No. 9 Spartans trailed by three points - their first halftime deficit this season.

"We went in at halftime and said, 'Hey, they're good, we're good. Let's give them our best, and they can't play with our best.' We truly felt that and I think we showed that in the second half," Spartans center Shawn Lewis said.

After the intermission, Broad Run pounded the ball on the ground with all-region senior tailback Breon Earl and junior T.J. Peeler, made a few big plays on special teams, scored on its first two possessions of the second half and held on for a 24-12 victory.

The Spartans' defense opened the second half by forcing Chancellor to punt. Then Broad Run senior Kevin Sandersen got around the end of the line and blocked Micah Cunningham's punt. On the next play, Peeler sprinted into the end zone from 24 yards out to give the Spartans a 10-6 lead.

After another three and out for the Chargers, Earl returned Cunningham's punt 50 yards to the Chancellor 20-yard line to set up his own 5-yard touchdown run.

The Chargers (12-1) closed the gap on the opening drive of the fourth quarter, handing the ball to 6-foot-1, 230 pound senior fullback Dominique Wallace on three straight plays that resulted in first downs. Three plays later, Wallace was into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game and after a failed two-point conversion, the Spartans led 17-12.

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Broad Run Knocks Off Chancellor

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Broad Run takes the field for its game against Chancellor. (Ricky Carioti)

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An official tosses the coin before the start of the game. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's Breon Earl breaks free from Chancellor's Josh Ernest on a punt return in the second quarter of Broad Run's 24-12 win on Saturday. Earl returned a punt 50 yards in the third quarter to set up his own touchdown run. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run Coach Mike Burnett commends Adrian Flemming on a play in the second quarter against Chancellor on Saturday. (Ricky Carioti)

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Chancellor's Deamante Kelly (19) breaks up a pass intended for Broad Run's David Weaver during the second quarter of Broad Run's 24-12 win on Saturday. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's Kevin Sandersen, center, blocks a punt by Chancellor's Michah Cunningham, right, as his teammate Cameron Lawson, left, tries to defend in the third quarter of Broad Run's 24-12 win on Saturday. The play set up a 24-yard touchdown run by T.J. Peeler on the very next play. (Ricky Carioti)

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After Sandersen's blocked punt, T.J. Peeler carries the ball in for a touchdown as Chancellor's Tony Russell tries to tackle him in the third quarter to put Broad Run ahead for good. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's Shawn Lewis grabs hold of Chancellor quarterback Michah Cunningham for a sack in the fourth quarter of Broad Run's 24-12 win on Saturday. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run's T.J. Peeler breaks free from Chancellor's Josh Ernest (43) and Tony Russell (21) for some yardage in the fourth quarter of Broad Run's 24-12 win on Saturday. (Ricky Carioti)

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Broad Run celebrates its 24-12 victory over No. 7 Chancellor. (Ricky Carioti)

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But Broad Run (13-0) stormed back with an eight-play, 64-yard scoring drive capped by Earl's second touchdown run that provided the final margin. Chancellor's ensuing drive ended with a fumble and the Spartans ran out the clock.

Peeler was the workhorse for the Spartans, rushing for 152 yards on 22 carries, with 104 of those yards coming after halftime. Earl finished with 16 carries for 97 yards and two scores as Broad Run ran the ball on 43 of their 53 offensive plays.

"They're about as good a combination of backs as you're ever going to see at the high school level," Broad Run Coach Mike Burnett said.

Wallace finished with 122 yards on 23 carries but never found much space running between the tackles as thea Spartans swarmed the U-Va.-bound back every time he touched the ball.

"He's a great back," Sandersen said. "We knew we were going to have to gang tackle him and wrap him up. Eleven hats to the ball, Coach always says. That's what we had to do."

"I've worked my whole high school career for this moment right now," Lewis said. "It's going to take my very best effort and our team's very best effort to win that game."

Notes: Broad Run advanced to play Amherst, 13-7 winners over Pulaski in the other semifinal, in Lynchburg in next Saturday's Division 4 state championship game. ... Peeler and Earl have combined for at least 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns in nine of the 10 games the pair has played. ... Broad Run has now won four postseason games in its 40-season history, three of which have come this year.

Tagged: Broad Run High School, football, high school sports, Stone Bridge High School

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