By Logan Riddick / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Four turnovers over a 12-minute span of the second and third quarters led to 21 points as Stafford (1-2) spoiled first year Albemarle coach Brandon Isaiah’s home debut with a 35-14 victory.
“Obviously, I would love to have won tonight and come out here and put on a great show for the fans,” said Isaiah. “I think we’re moving in the right direction. We’ve got a young team, just going to continue to work. ”
The Patriots had a rough series to open the game as high snaps triggered a three-and-out and a frantic punt on the run that set Stafford up on the AHS 25. The Indians offense needed nine plays, including a pair of fourth down conversions, before junior running back Zevin Holley scored from 2 yards out.
Albemarle struggled with two more three-and-outs, but senior Chandler Carrera’s 69-yard punt flipped field position near the end of the first quarter. In the second, the offense found a rhythm behind senior back Kevin McCarthy. The Patriots drove 84 yards in 10 plays, the first eight of which were McCarthy runs. On fourth and goal, senior quarterback DG Archer found Charles Hooper in the front of the endzone to even the score at 7.
Stafford came back with a 12-play drive, but a 32-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left. Albemarle appeared poised to march back down the field behind McCarthy, but then the turnover plague struck. Senior defensive back Kyle Shifflett fell on the first fumble at the Albemarle 41 with 1:51 left in the half. Indians’ senior quarterback Garrett Cropp hit Joseph Lamar for 24 yards, followed by Taquan Watson on the next play for a 17-yard touchdown. Stafford led 14-7 at the break.
The Indians received the second half kickoff and drove to midfield in nine plays before Albemarle forced a punt. The Patriots’ second turnover came when a returner opted to field the bouncing punt and could not hold on as he was quickly hit at the 16. Five plays later, Holley cashed in with his second 2-yard score.
Albemarle’s offense finally took the field next with good starting position, but on McCarthy’s second carry, the ball popped out again. Stafford’s CJ Harper made the recovery at the Indians’ 42. Seven plays later, Stephen Harris scored on a 1-yard run to open a 28-7 lead.
“Stephen Harris is a powerful young man,” said Stafford coach Chad Lewis. “He runs it right in there between the tackles. Zevin is a quick, elusive runner, so it’s a good little combination.”
The ensuing kickoff return brought the second special teams miscue, and fourth turnover overall, as the Indians fell on a fumble at the Albemarle 35.
“I think we only had 10 plays in the second half total, offensively,” Isaiah said. “It’s hard to get yourself out with a win in that situation.”
In the fourth quarter, Harris capped Stafford’s scoring with a 2-yard run to open a four-touchdown lead. McCarthy then broke a 48-yard run for an Albemarle touchdown, but Stafford recovered the onside kickoff and ran out the last 5:40.
“Kevin’s a horse,” said Isaiah of McCarthy, who finished with a game-high 153 yards on 18 carries despite a 12-yard loss on his first touch when he corralled a high snap. “I’m going to ride him. Just got to squeeze the ball high and tight.”
For Stafford, Harris and Holley led a two-pronged ground attack for an offense that saw a lot of field time in the second half with the lead. Holley rushed 26 times for 66 yards and two scores, while Harris pounded out 85 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Cropp completed 10 of 18 passes for 142 yards, with Lamar pulling down four for 81 yards.
“We had four turnovers our first game, four turnovers our second game, and so we really put an emphasis on not turning the ball over this week,” Lewis said. “I thought the kids played hard. Albemarle’s a class-act team and they played hard as well. We were fortunate to get those turnovers where we hadn’t been getting them the past two weeks.”
Albemarle (0-2) hits the road to Roanoke next Friday to take on Patrick Henry.
