Michael Bernardino needed a second, and as Albemarle convened for a final time on a night they badly needed, the senior linebacker/quarterback stepped away from the team huddle and jumped up and down excitedly.
It was a small, well-deserved personal celebration after a big team victory, a 15-6 win over cross-county rival Western Albemalre on the road that snapped an 11-game losing streak.
“We’re ecstatic, we’re so happy to finally get to this point,” Bernardino said. “The is just the first step in the right direction.”
Bernardino, who roamed from sideline to sideline at linebacker, stepped in at quarterback in the redzone with Albemarle threatening in the third quarter and scored from a yard out to give Albemarle a 9-6 advantage. Albemarle clung desperately to the lead down the stretch and the Patriots scored again on a quarterback sneak, this time by Lee Carneal, early in the fourth quarter to ensure the margin would hold. Two interceptions in the third and fourth by Matt Tobin and B.J. Johnson also helped close the deal.
“I’m so proud of my defense, I’ve been on this team longer than anyone and I’ve never been more proud of my teammates in my entire life,” Bernardino said. “We executed our game plan perfectly.”
On the final play of the third with Western facing a second and Tobin, an inside linebacker in the Patriots’ 3-5 scheme that was heavy on zone coverage Friday, dropped back at the snap into his zone and swallowed the ball up when Western’s Abbot Wallenborn unleashed the throw.
“I knew he was dropping straight back, so I wasn’t going to rush because I knew he was looking for the wide receiver,” Tobin said. “I guess he didn’t see me, and as soon as he threw it, I jumped it.”
Albemarle went on the march from there. Daniel Ricotta’s rushing (four carries, 24 yards on the drive) and a pinpoint pass from Carneal to David Seago for 19 yards where Seago dragged his feet inbounds while hauling in the catch carried the drive. Then, on the second of two straight sneak attempts from the one-yardline, Carneal forced the ball across to make it a two-possession game.
On Western’s next drive, B.J. Long came up with another pick that all but ended the Warriors as the Patriots started grinding out the clock. Western got the ball back once more, but fell a yard short on fourth down to hand the ball back to Albemarle.
The Warriors struggled to move the ball throughout, with the Patriots’ linemen and linebackers consistently penetrating Western’s front five, including a first half play where Albemarle senior Kyle Hamilton tore through the line and dropped the Warriors for a safety that put the Patriots up 2-0. When Western did move the ball in the first half, they struggled to cap drives, settling for a pair of field goals before the break.
“They obviously watched what we did on film and they exploited it,” said Western coach Ed Pierce. “They executed that game plan very well.”
Ricotta rushed for 62 yards for Albemarle while Carneal threw for another 80 yards.
Albemarle wraps up its tour of archrivals that starts each season next week against Charlottesville. The Warriors, on other hand, get a bye week before a September 24 date against Fluvanna County.
