The human element of the game. Everyone hates to see it in effect but it is a part of the game and it has always been. You hear coaches talk about it all the time, telling players not worry about the things out of their control. There’s a reason it’s a staple statement for just about every staff.
On Friday in Dillwyn, in what was a defensive classic of a high school football rivalry game, Goochland caught a break in overtime on the road at Buckingham County. The Bulldogs made hay with it and when Goochland left the field relieved by its 13-7 double overtime win to even their record at .500, it was a justified feeling.
An 0-2 start would have been rough. And on the other side of the field, Buckingham County was equally justified to feel like the game was stolen from them. Nonetheless, despite some confusing officiating in overtime which had its cringe worthy moments on both sides, both overtimes — that drama overshadowed what should have been the story — that Friday’s game showcased two very talented teams going punch for punch for 48 minutes and two overtimes.
“We needed something to bounce our way,” said Goochland coach Alex Fruth. “It’s one of those things, we get in our own way enough right now and then (Buckingham), I mean I’m going to go to bed and have nightmares of (Walter Edwards) making plays on every part of the field and just going to shudder. This was one of those games where it was such a war of attrition. I’ll say it — we got lucky. Between the overtime, our mental mistakes all game long — I did not think we would walk out of this game with a win there at times but we did.”
With the game knotted up at 7-7 after regulation, Goochland had the ball first and after failing to reach the endzone on its first three downs, the Bulldogs lined up for a field goal that went short and wide. That set up Buckingham County with the task of simply putting points on the board to pick up the programs first win over its James River District rival since 2015. With the ball at the 1-yard line, Knights quarterback Tae Toney extended the ball into the endzone on third down with more than a handful of players thinking the game was over. But officials never ruled it a touchdown, or stopped the ball and Goochland was able to knock the ball out of his hands and Buckingham’s Walter Edwards managed to fall on it where the play was then ruled dead. That was the only break that the Bulldogs needed. On fourth down with the Knights lined up to kick a potential game winning field goal, but a block on special teams sent things into double overtime where the chaos continued.
“We got off track there for a bit, weren’t playing Goochland football but were able to get things right there at the end a bit,” McCray said. “We knew this was going to be a tough game when Buckingham goes and beats Appamattox who’s just been a powerhouse.”
This time the Knights were unable to move much on offense and with a botched snap and hold on a field goal, the shoe was suddenly on the other foot. Goochland was able to get the ball to the one yard on a Devin McCray sweep. After a QB sneak was initially scored as a touchdown by the line judge and Goochland thought the game was over, officials met and decided it wasn’t and it was 4th and 1. So the two teams got back together and this time McCray was able to QB sneak it in, again not without some delay and then it was finally over.
“Coming out of this game with a win, it really just motivates us more,” McCray said. “We have a different team from last year and so we needed this win and we need to keep coming together as a team, keep working hard in practice and continue to find ways to get better.”
That was the drama, an overtime that just could not have been more packed with it. But what happened before that was great old school football, the kind that should be the story the game but more than likely won’t be.
“I don’t know that there’s a lot to say other than I’m proud of my guys,” said Buckingham coach Seth Wilkerson. “They played hard all game and they battled. We’re going to hang in there and stay together because I know and I believe that we have something special with this group. What these guys showed against a 3A school playing in a double overtime game like this, it showed a lot of heart. This group has a bright future.”
There were only four possessions in the first half. Goochland capped a nearly six minute opening drive in the first quarter with CJ Towles running a reverse for a 12-yard TD to put Goochland up 7-0. The Knights responded with a heavy dose of Toney and Edwards on the ground to the tune of a 9-minute drive but the Bulldogs were able to come up with a stop on fourth and goal.
Buckingham’s defense then forced the first punt of the game and started marching again with the clock being an issue. A 49-yard run from Edwards put the Knights at the 1-yard line but a false start afterwards made things problematic and Goochland’s defense once again come up with a goalline stand to end the half.
“I thought our guys did such a great job of being able to bend, bend and then when we had to, dig in and get the job done,” Fruth said. “When we got down to the goalline we found a way.”
Things got a bit chippy in the third quarter with both teams struggling to move the ball, but after cooler heads prevailed, the Knights were able to even the game up early in the fourth with Toney breaking loose on a 22-yard tackle busting run up the middle with 10:10 to play.
Goochland avoided disaster late in the fourth looking to punt when a snap went over McCray’s head and rolled deep into Bulldogs territory but the senior managed to pick it up and then run nearly 30-yards from the spot of the fumble for a first down to help milk the clock out. Buckingham did get the ball late in the fourth but wasn’t put together a scoring drive. So it went to overtime where the drama and tension found a way to jump to another level.
