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Woodberry sprints past FUMA

Based on precedent, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. In both 2007 and 2008, it took overtime to establish a winner when Fork Union and Woodberry lined up against each other, with the home team winning both contests. Well the home team won again this year, but this time overtime wasn’t necessary as the Tigers took it to the Blue Devils from the opening whistle to pick up a 28-7 victory over the top ranked FUMA.

“This is a game that we’re excited about,” said Woodberry coach Clint Alexander. “I’m sure Woodberry has been (excited) in the past, but when I got here I felt like the kids weren’t too excited to play Fork Union. And now we are. This is a good game for us and our kids played with courage. The only way you’re going to beat Fork Union is to play with courage. If you don’t they’re going kill you.”

Woodberry’s Rue Hockensmith didn’t get to play last year because of injury, and with a troubled bicep this week, he wasn’t sure if he was going to play on Saturday. But he did, and the senior linebacker scored the game’s first touchdown when he recovered a FUMA fumble that was forced by Ade Oyalowo and returned it 46 yards.

“I was nervous about getting caught from behind,” Hockensmith said. “I didn’t want to look back.”

Oyalowo got the job done on both sides of the field. Not only did he help the Woodberry defense keep Fork Union scoreless for the first 44 minutes of the game, he also wound up putting the finishing touches on the game. Early in the fourth quarter he ripped off a 50-yard rushing touchdown to put the Tigers (3-0) up by 28-0.

“We knew that one score wasn’t going to win the game,” Oyalowo said. “But we saw (the Fork Union players) after that play and were able to feed off that momentum to go out and put more points on the board.”

Elliot Nelson and David Dossett each had receiving touchdowns. Nelson picked up a 4-yard score to cap a 90-yard drive in the second quarter. Dossett hauled in a 26-yard touchdown at the beginning of the third quarter that put the Tigers out in front by 21 points.

“That long pass for a touchdown was all planned,” Alexander said. “We’ve been working on that one for a while.”

Behind running back Andre Parker, the Blue Devils (4-1) were able to move the ball down the field, but whenever Fork Union got into the red zone, the Woodberry defense shut the gate.

“I’m not going to give you any excuses, they blocked better than we did they tackled better than we did,” said Fork Union coach Micky Sullivan. “And that’s on me.”

Parker finished the game as the leading rusher with 158 yards on 18 carries.

One of the better battles throughout the game was between FUMA wideout Akeem Garnett and Woodberry defensive back Ed Reynolds. Alexander specifically assigned Reynolds to Garnett. The Tigers senior held the big time receiver to zero catches in the first three quarters. With 3:12 left to play, the Blue Devils finally found a way to get the ball to Garnett, and when they did they finally scored. The junior took a Mitchell Starnes pass 70 yards for the Blue Devils’ only touchdown of the game.

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