As Monticello and Fluvanna County closed the regular season with the 25th installment of the Route 53 Showdown, there was cause for attention to be paid even before the game featured back-and-forth scoring runs and a last-second field goal attempt. Whereas the Mustangs’ victory in the 2022 edition marked the only win either school tallied all year, both programs entered Friday night over .500 and expect to land in the Region 3C playoff bracket to be released by the VHSL on Sunday afternoon.
“Fluvanna has done such a great job, like we’ve done this year, trying to get things headed in the right direction, so hats off to them,” said Monticello coach Matt Hicks, whose squad improved last year’s win total by seven games, the biggest year-over-year jump in program history.
“All the credit to Matt, the turnaround from what they did last year to an 8-2 season is a heck of a season,” said Fluvanna coach Mitchell Pace, whose Flucos went from winless to 5-5 and should hang on to the No. 8 seed in the playoffs thanks to Broadway’s loss. “I’m very proud of my young men for helping change Fluvanna football in the right direction, as well.”
When it came to deciding the 2023 contest, MHS junior Oziel Jara Castillo found himself in the same spotlight as when the Mustangs rallied to beat Albemarle three weeks ago. With 14 seconds on the clock and his supply of timeouts exhausted, Hicks called for a 20-yard field goal attempt from the right hash.
“I knew that I had to clear my mind, just wash everything,” said Jara Castillo, whose kick split the uprights to put Monticello on top 24-22 with just 0:10 remaining. His ensuing kickoff bounced into the endzone for a touchback, and the Mustangs’ defense slammed the door when Ezekiel Pour picked off a desperation heave as time expired.
It was Jara Castillo’s third successful field goal on the night, which tied a single-game program record. All three kicks were in the range of 20 to 26 yards, indicative of some red zone frustration for Monticello’s offense.
“Great defense by Fluvanna,” Hicks said, as the Flucos allowed touchdowns on just two of six MHS trips to the red zone. “When the field got short, they were able to bottle us up, bring a little extra pressure from the back side. That’ll be something we look at as we head into the playoffs. Situationally [tonight], we were able to take care of the ball, which was good, and have the opportunity to kick field goals when we needed.”
Monticello’s offense did not commit a turnover and scored on its final five possessions after Fluvanna marched the field twice behind its two-headed ground attack and staked out a 15-0 lead.
“We would love to be in a situation where, start to finish, we roll, but these guys have learned how to battle,” said Hicks, whose squad trailed by at least two touchdowns in half (4) of their victories this season. “They did some things to make plays early on in the game that really put some stress on our defense. They showed us a couple things we hadn’t seen prior to that. We were looking to try to make some adjustments. They really found ways to get the ball to their playmakers early on.”
The Flucos got started in MHS territory after Sam Loving returned the opening kickoff 56 yards. Sophomore quarterback William Lambert capped the 10-play opening drive by bouncing to the right out of a pile and crossing the goal line on 1-yard keeper. After lining up in kick formation on the PAT, senior fullback Marcus Dockerson took the snap and ran in for two points. After Monticello’s opening possession ended on downs at the FC 12 yardline, the Flucos marched 88 yards in 10 plays, trading runs by Logan Wade and Dickerson before the latter rolled in from 10 yards out with 10:14 left in the half.
Fluvanna had a prime opportunity to go up three scores after Monticello mishandled the ensuing pooch kickoff and Wade recovered at the MHS 43. Pace dialed up a gadget play that saw Lambert lateral to Loving for a pass to junior Benjamin Denby down to the 1 yardline. However, two plays later, a holding penalty erased a Loving rushing touchdown and set the Flucos back, and a fourth-and-goal pass came up two yards shy of the endzone.
“Holding penalty as we scored was a huge game-changer because we end up stalling on that drive,” Pace said. “Then they go down and make it one score at halftime. Instead of being three touchdowns to none, it’s two to one, and that’s a pretty big difference.”
After an exchange of punts, Monticello’s offense got into gear with a two-minute drill before the break. Starting at their own 41, junior quarterback Owen Engel rolled left and found senior receiver Brandon Herring for a 26-yard gain into Fluco territory. Junior running back Juelz Christmas-Jackson then picked up 17 yards on two carries to enter the red zone before Tre Early ran in from 11 yards to put the home team on the board. Christmas-Jackson carried in for two points to cut Fluvanna’s lead to 15-8.
“One of the biggest things that we reminded them is we’ve done this all year together,” said Hicks. “Tonight early on, there were a few moments where high stress, senior night, things not going well, we did a little bit of chirping at each other. Once we got that settled down, these young men can accomplish anything. It’s a special group because of how they play for each other and how they play together. Once we settled in, we as coaches knew we were heading in the right direction in the second half.”
Having deferred to start the game, Monticello’s offense was back out to start the second half after the special teams unit handled the Flucos’ pooch kickoff. The Mustangs covered 52 yards with a 10-play drive, including a key 20-yard completion from Engel to Herring to convert a third-and-11. Christmas-Jackson carried it in on third-and-goal from the 2.
“For us up front, it’s five guys working as a unit,” said Hicks. “[Fluvanna] was doing some things that had guys looking in different directions. We took time to get them together, trust the scheme, continue to push as one unit.”
With the game all square 15-15, Fluvanna’s offense started rolling with four carries by Wade plus an offsides penalty to move the chains on fourth-and-2. However, senior defensive lineman Lisaad Rose stripped Dickerson on his first carry of the half to set up MHS at the FC 47.
“We’re quick to forget,” said Jara Catillo, who plays on both sides of the line in addition to kicking. “We had a lot of struggles with guys playing offense and defense, but we just had to clear at halftime.”
Pour carried three times to reach the 5, but the Flucos’ front stuffed him in the backfield on third down to force a 25-yard field goal.
After a Fluco punt, Monticello took over at its own 17 early in the fourth quarter and began what had the look of a game-clinching drive. Stretching 15 plays and lasting 6:20 behind carries by Pour and a couple completions to Herring, MHS achieved first-and-goal at the FC5 before a false start and five-yard loss derailed the series. Jara Castillo came on and hit a 26-yarder, which marked 21 straight points for Monticello with 5:20 remaining.
But the margin was only six, and Wade had an immediate response that ignited Fluvanna’s side of the stadium.
“Kid just made a play,” said Pace, as Wade cut once and raced down the right side for a 57-yard touchdown. “He bounced it and went completely the other direction, so just an athlete making a play once he saw a hole. That’s what we’ve been relying on all year.”
Wade, also the Fluco kicker, nailed the extra point to put the visitors back up 22-21 with 4:57 left.
That setup Pour and Engel to lead a final drive for the Mustangs, who again began with favorable field position four yards shy of midfield after handling Fluvanna’s pooch kickoff. Pour picked up 17 yards on third-and-4 and Engel took off for a gain of 11 on a third-and-14. That allowed an offsides penalty on Fluvanna to move the chains with 1:28 remaining.
“We had great play from a young quarterback,” said Hicks, as Engel rushed four times in the game for 33 yards, in addition to completing 8-of-14 passes for 88 yards. “He was able to pull the ball a few times tonight [and run].”
Pour then carried three more times for 16 yards to reach the FC3 before MHS called its final timeout with 0:14 on the clock, setting up the game-winning kick.
“We just trusted our blockers, followed behind them,” said Pour, as the junior running back led Monticello (8-2, 6-1) with 150 yards on 32 carries, both game-highs. “Big shoutout to [senior lineman] Christian Proffit; I know every time I follow him, there’s going to be a big hole.”
Wade finished with 140 yards on 21 rushes for Fluvanna (5-5, 3-4). Dickerson added 54 yards on 10 carries.
