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Hawks mount fourth quarter comeback in 34-20 win over Tigers
Much like fans of the professional Buffalo Bills two Mondays ago, the Brentsville District football faithful cheered excitedly for their underdog team, ahead by a single score late in the game last Thursday in Nokesville.
Maybe, just maybe, they could pull this one out.
The Tigers (0-3) had a 20-14 lead into the start of the fourth quarter but eventually surrendered three unanswered touchdowns to Skyline in a 34-20 loss.
A 25-yard run by Travis Custer helped set up a 10-yard spinning sprint to the end zone by Kwaunte Stewart that, with the extra point, gave Skyline a 1-point lead with 6:25 left on the clock.
Skyline immediately regained possession after recovering a fumble during the ensuing kickoff, giving the Hawks only 30 yards to go to pay dirt.
Skyline's star running back Cliff Woodard burned the Tigers' secondary for a touchdown run, but it was called back because of a penalty.
That mattered little to Skyline, however, as Custer busted through multiple would-be tacklers two plays later en route to the Hawks' second touchdown of the quarter.
"Those kids fought and we were just fortunate to get the turnover ourselves and get the ball back into the end zone," said Skyline coach Heath Gilbert.
The Tigers and Hawks traded three-and-outs before Woodard, this time on defense, picked off junior Brentsville quarterback Blake Alexander for a 40-yard touchdown return as 1:20 remained in the game.
"He just kept running all the time," said Brentsville defender Alex Klaasse about Woodard's offensive showing, adding that the senior "hit the holes pretty well."
An ability to capitalize on turnovers set Skyline apart from the Tigers in the second half.
After Alexander fooled the entire Skyline defense with a fake hand-off to running back Will Bullock during the first drive of the third quarter, the rookie QB ran 29 yards unimpeded for six points.
A Tiger surge began to mount when junior defensive back Garrison Ernst intercepted Custer at Brentsville's 30-yard line on the next drive.
However, with the chance to take a two-score lead, the Brentsville offense could only muster five rushing yards on three tries, forcing the Tigers to punt.
Alexander provided much better fortunes in the air for Brentsville earlier in the game as he connected with David Hammond and Armando Duran for touchdown passes of 59 and 37 yards in the first quarter.
"I think they just weren't expecting it from us in the first half, coming out there." said Klaasse. "We're coming out 0-2 and they're coming out 2-0."
According to Ernst, the Tigers are "getting progressively better, day by day. We're trying our best to get better, step by step."
It's just going to take something extra in the weeks ahead to ensure that Brentsville does not fall victim to another 2-8 season.
"We've got to get intense, put a lot of points on the board and (have) good defense," said Klaasse.
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