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Staying true: Western holds on against Orange behind run game, run defense

Photo: Brian Mellott

If you’re waiting for Western Albemarle to be something else, it’s probably not going to happen. The Warriors are who they think they are, a team that’s embraced a physical run-first offense and playing solid defense behind it mentality since week one.

 

On the road against Orange County the Warriors had to find a way to slow down one the area’s best runners, and while the Hornets got another solid showing from their star running back Jaylen Alexander, the Warriors were able to counter with nice combination of Carter Shifflett and Austin Shifflett to take an early lead and tack on a touchdown late to wrap up a 30-20 win.

 

“I was real pleased with our defensive effort giving up just a couple of big plays against a real good football team that’s got some great athletes,” said Western coach Ed Redmond. “I think in the end our defense proved some things.”

 

There was a great back-and-forth in this game. The Warriors started with a nearly four minute drive that was capped by a 1-yard keep from Carter Shifflett to draw first blood, but Orange responded on its second drive with a 70-yard TD run from Alexander to make it 7-6 with 1:41 left in the first . Western wasted little time answering when Carter Shifflett picked up his second rushing touchdown, an outside run from 24 yards out to make it 14-6 going into the second quarter.

 

“Obviously every week for us it starts up front with this offensive line,” Carter Shifflett said. “They do the hard work, I’m lucky that Austin is such a strong runner and so it just all comes to together and works out for us.”

 

After playing with multiple looks on offense, the Hornets went with Walker Johnson in at quarterback to try and fire up the passing game and he was able to connect quickly with a 60-yard bomb to Jireek Washington. Another failed PAT made it 14-12 midway through the second. On the ensuing Western drive, the Warriors leaned on the Shiffletts again and this time Austin was able to punch in an 8-yard touchdown on an inside run. Western went into the break up 21-12.

 

“We just tried to hustle every single play so (Austin and Carter) can put up the big numbers,” said Western offensive lineman Joey Bowen. “We just try to play together as a unit and do what we can for them.”

 

The second half was about the defenses. After the Warriors and Hornets both came up with fourth down stops, Western was able to get a safety when Johnson rolled out of the pocket in the endzone and threw a ball out of bounds, a legal play in college and the NFL but not in the VHSL. After a conference among officials, the Warriors were given a 23-12 lead.

 

“That was a lot of momentum back and forth with the forth down stops,” Redmond said. “We had the touchdown called back there with an illegal shift and then decided against what would have been an automatic field goal and going with a fake that didn’t work. Then suddenly we get a safety, that was just a flurry of events. We went from potentially getting seven, to three to nothing and then two and the ball back.”

 

The safety proved to be big because Orange mounted a legitimate comeback in the fourth quarter. A long drive with a healthy dose of Alexander and Chris Washington put the Hornets on the goalline and they capitalized on a fourth and inches play with Alexander going in on the right side untouched. After the senior running back came up with a 2-pt convert, it was suddenly 23-20 with 8:27 to play.

 

“Unfortunately it’s just been our thing this year, coming out and competing in most games for four quarters but coming up short,” said Orange coach Jesse Lohr. “Usually it’s been a turnover that’s done us in. Not tonight. Just a couple of missed opportunities on offense on fourth downs. Western ran the ball successfully early but I thought we bowed up in the second half to give ourselves an opportunity to win. I feel like we made just enough plays to keep it a one score game in the fourth, but you tip your hat to Western because they played all four quarters.”

 

Western gave the ball back to Orange with a little over four minutes to go, but deep in Hornets territory. After a 3-and-out and a short punt, the Warriors took advantage and the Shiffletts converted a pair of first downs including a pile push from Austin before Carter picked up his third score of the day, this one from one yard out as well to make it 30-20. Orange got one more possession but wasn’t able to score. Western took over on downs and ran out the clock for the win.

 

“That was a huge drive,” Carter Shifflett said. “You talk about finishing games all year and we just drove and really it was that pile run with Austin and the O-line that set it all up. This was one of our focuses coming into the year, finishing games. It was about effort and that’s what sealed the game for us.”

 

On the night for Western, Austin Shifflett led all rushers with 161 yards on 33 attempts. Carter Shifflett chipped in 16 carries for 83 yards while going 8-for-18 with 81 yards. Jack Lessemann had six catches for 41 yards while Wyatt Hull caught a pair for 40.

 

“It was a grind it out type of game,” Bowen said. “It was just hard work both ways and a physical game up front.”

 

For Orange, Alexander had 119 yards on 22 carries. Johnson was 9-for-16 passing with 135 yards. Jireek Washington had three receptions for 78 yards and also came up with an interception on defense. Kyree Carter had 11.5 tackles with two tackles for a loss to lead the Orange defense.

 

Western (5-2, 3-1 Jefferson District) faces an out of district battle with Warren County next week. Orange (2-5, 1-3) travels to Louisa County in the annual battle for the Gordonsville Tastee Freeze.

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