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Broad Run Grinds Out a Road Win
Heritage Pushes Spartans to the Brink
By Matt Brooks
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Adversity isn't something the Broad Run Spartans had faced much of this season heading into Friday night's Virginia AA Dulles District matchup at Heritage. They had never trailed in four previous games, had never punted more than twice, and their starters had yet to play a full four quarters.
But thanks to a big play on special teams and a late interception by a backup linebacker, the Spartans were able to pass their first major test and preserve their perfect record with a 21-13 victory.
Trailing 21-13 with about four minutes remaining in the game, Heritage had a first-and-goal on the Broad Run 6-yard line. After a four-yard run by senior Ross Madison, the Pride appeared poised to get into the end zone and set up a tying two-point conversion attempt.
But a false start penalty moved them back five yards and on the next play, Broad Run sophomore linebacker Joseph Walter stepped in front of Brian Rody's pass and returned the interception into Heritage territory to end the threat and effectively seal the victory. Walter was in the game replacing junior starter John Meier, who left earlier with an MCL injury.
"I was just getting into my coverage and I saw the ball coming and just jumped up and got it," Walter said. "We were really backed in down on the goal line. I didn't know if they were going to score or not and then that play just happened."
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Broad Run Beats Heritage
Following the interception and Walter's 58-yard return, the Spartans ran five straight direct snaps to senior running back Breon Earl to gain run out the clock in a game that was tight from start to finish.
A week after suffering a 48-21 defeat to Potomac Falls, the Pride (3-2, 0-2) came out determined to erase that memory and get back into the district title hunt on Homecoming. On their second possession of the game, they marched 75 yards in six minutes and 13 plays, capped with a 4-yard touchdown pass from senior Josh Gordon to sophomore Dan Dykema.
Trailing for the first time all season, the Spartans (5-0, 2-0) marched down to the Heritage 5-yard line and elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal early in the second quarter. Quarterback Chris Jessop was flushed right out of the pocket and appeared to have no open receivers until he spotted 6-foot-4 junior Adrian Flemming in the back of the end zone. Jessop’s threw back across his body and Flemming pulled down the pass for the tying touchdown.
Broad Run 21, Heritage 13
"You start focusing on all these other guys and you forget how good he is," Broad Run Coach Mike Burnett said of Flemming.
Jessop hooked up with Flemming again just before halftime on a 35-yard touchdown pass into the back right corner of the end zone. The play was designed to go to Flemming all the way, and while he had a step on Heritage defensive back T.J. McPhaul, the senior wideout had to go full extension into the air to come up with the catch. The Spartans entered the half leading 14-7.
"We just had to capitalize on every play tonight," Flemming said. "That was a hard catch – one of the hardest catches I've ever made."
Early in the third quarter, the Spartans got some separation on a big special teams play from senior running back Breon Earl. Midway through the second quarter, Earl went back to receive a punt and was drilled by McPhaul a split second after the ball landed in Earl’s hands, forcing a fumble that the Pride would recover. Earl made up for the miscue on his next return, taking a Josh Thiel punt back 37 yards for a touchdown that gave Broad Run a 21-7 lead.
"Before halftime I hurt my knee and there was pain through my knee," Earl said. "But I wasn't going to give up. The first time, [McPhaul] nailed me on the punt, but that wasn't going to stop me from catching it again. I just came out there, had belief in my blockers and just took it to the house."
But the host Pride cut into the lead on Thiel's 37-yard field goal two possessions later and following a 29-yarder on their ensuing possession, Heritage was down only eight with 7:23 remaining in the game. After a Broad Run three-and-out, the Pride marched down on what would be their final possession.
"I'm so proud of these kids," Heritage Coach Wes Driskill said. "They bounced back hard, played the kind of game a lot of people didn't think we were going to play.
"We battled, we just couldn't make some plays at various times and they did."
Madison was the most dangerous man on the field, rushing for 132 yards on 25 carries and accounting for 160 total yards from scrimmage. He lined up behind the quarterback, took several direct snaps and even attempted a pass at one point. He was a big reason the Pride outgained the Spartans, 224-178.
"Ross was spectacular," Burnett said. "Really, there's no other word for it. We had him at times, I thought we got off of blocks and we were there to make plays and what are you going to do? He makes people miss. He just played so hard tonight, I thought they really gave a great effort."
Despite the victory, the Spartans struggled with penalties all game, particularly in the second half when they committed eight infractions. On one series late in the third quarter, they had four penalties in six plays, including two that negated big gains through the air and on the ground. On the night, the Spartans were penalized 11 times for 75 yards while managing only seven first downs.
"Their offense slowed our offense down," Burnett said. "We just couldn't get into a rhythm. And then in the second half, we felt like we had some things we could go to, but the penalties just put us in disastrous situations. I don't have any plays for third-and-35."
Burnett's postgame speech highlighted his belief that his team underachieved coming off an emotional victory against crosstown rivals Briar Woods the week before. But he also focused on the bigger picture – the fact that the Spartans now find themselves undefeated halfway through their schedule and in the driver's seat in the district title race. They return home to host Dominion (1-4, 1-1) on Saturday while Heritage travels to Freedom (1-4, 0-2) on Friday.
"The thing about letdowns is it's just human nature. There's so much build-up for that Briar Woods game, there's so much energy around it. And once you release that energy, it's almost just a physical let down. We felt it all week and we fought it all week, but it's very hard to get that intensity back that you had. I don't think we had it tonight, but I think a game like tonight will help us bring it back."
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