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Brentsville gives up 17 point lead in 33-23 loss to Millbrook
How bad was Brentsville District's loss to Millbrook last Friday in Nokesville?
Think of it this way: If the Tigers (1-4) want to salvage a winning season, they now must win all of their remaining games.
Millbrook (3-3) came back from a 17-0 deficit in the second quarter to win 33-23 after a 99-yard fumble recovery touchdown completely reversed the trajectory of the entire game.
That play late in the second quarter came as the Tigers were situated with a third-and-goal at the one yard line. Quarterback PJ Borko's handoff attempt to his right side runner fell to the ground and rolled behind him, giving the Pioneers enough time to swarm the senior QB.
Quinn Courtney picked up the loose ball and ran with an entourage of teammates behind him, easily trekking the distance of the field with 30 seconds remaining before half time.
“The game changer was actually in the first half,” said Millbrook quarterback Andrew Oates. “We had to have a gut check to ourselves.”
Even though Millbrook finally earned a spot on the board, it was not like Brentsville's defense had not done its job up until that point. The second half, however, proved to be a completely different story.
Gutsy play calling helped the visiting team finally make its run at the Tiger D. Oates completed a pass to Courtney on a fourth and eight at the BD 35-yard line during Millbrook's first drive in the second half.
Four plays later, on a fourth-and-inches inside the BD 5 yard line, Calvin Rodney attacked the right side of the line and brought the ball down to the four. Three plays later, as the Tiger faithful hollered and stomped their feet in the stands, Rodney pierced the Brentsville defensive line on the right side again.
He added a little insult to injury, too, successfully scoring on a two-point conversation on an outside pitch where he plowed into and over Brentsville's Chris Spinks at the goal line.
Almost in rapid succession, Cummings lost a fumble on the Tigers' first play of their next drive near the BD 45 yard line.
When Oates lobbed up a 35-yard pass toward wide receiver Neil Bishop and Tiger corner back Kyle Robinson, an epic fight ensued for ball control as the two tussled and rolled over each other, both trying to prove to the referees that he had control.
Ultimately, the officials sided with Millbrook, causing Robinson to yell in disbelief.
“I thought I had it...[but the] refs thought otherwise,” Robinson said after the game.
Rodney made quick work of the end result, as he scampered into the end zone in two plays.
The running back hit paydirt for a third time near the end of the fourth quarter, while Brentsville's Borko and Millbrook's Jordan Hartman traded touchdowns earlier.
“He's running hard every night,” Oates said of Rodney. The QB also credited his offensive line for an “all-state” performance.
According to Tiger coach Dean Reedy, Millbrook's play calling really did not change after half time.
“They didn't do anything different in the second half,” he said.
According to Robinson, the reason for Brentsville's collapse was quite simple.
“We stopped them in the first half but didn't stop them in the second half,” he said.
The Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a touchdown run from senior Matt Cummings.
Up 10-0 in the second quarter, Cummings burst past the line of scrimmage on a fourth-and-1 from the Millbrook 34 yard line and ended up two yards shy of the end zone.
Two plays later, the senior back punched it across for his second score of the day, putting Brentsville up by three scores.
At the time, Millbrook just could not catch a break.
Just before Cummings's second TD run, the Pioneers pounced on what appeared to be a loose ball and Bryon Tavers ran it back past the Tigers' offense with nothing but green grass and white lines in front of him.
But the ball was ruled dead and had to be returned to the line, setting up the score.
Brentsville is scheduled to hit the road this week before returning to Nokesville Oct. 17 for homecoming against Northwestern District rival Skyline.
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