Sophomore Andre Martin stood on the south side of the Kettle Run football field Friday night, his team on the wrong side of a 28-14 season-ending loss on the Fauquier side of Nokesville.

The Brentsville District running back didn't have to think for too long before coming up with an assessment for why this game against Evergreen district foe Kettle Run (4-6 overall, 1-4 district) turned out different than on opening day on the Prince William side of Nokesville when the Tigers (1-9, 1-4) grabbed their only win of the season.

"Well, they didn't come out with anything new. They just came out with will," Martin said. "And they tried their hardest. I don't think they showed us any new looks."

Kettle Run broke open a scoreless game with 10:17 remaining in the second quarter when junior quarterback Mac Graham connected with senior receiver Greg Giunta on a jump ball in the front right corner of the end zone, closest to the home team's side line. Billy Smith followed up by booting his first of four successful extra points of the night.

The 30-yard touchdown bomb Giunta roped in over his Brentsville defender's head would be the only score of the first three quarters but clearly gave the Cougars enough self-assurance to figure out how to win.

"Well, the first game, we came out flatfooted and then we just gave it away in the second half," said Kettle Run running back Joshua Tapscott. "In this game, we wanted revenge. We just took it."

And take it they did.

Brentsville tied the game 2:39 into the fourth quarter on a floating 4-yard play-action pass from KC Willard to a backpedaling Josh Perkins, leading to a Wally Covington extra point. However, the Cougars' special teams immediately neutralized any positive momentum the Tigers attempted to capture during the ensuing kick off.

Sophomore Kylmen Breeden made a stutter-step around his team's 28 yard line and simply waited for the would-be Brentsville tacklers to approach him.

That's when he took off on an inside route and blistered his way more than 60 yards to the Brentsville 11 before the kicker Covington finally dragged him down, setting up first and 10 for the Cougars with 9:09 remaining on the clock in the game's final quarter.

"I found the hole on the kickoff return," said Breedan after the game before Tapscott finished his thought. "After that, everybody got happy. We got that confidence up and we just started driving it down their throats."

An 8-yard gain by Josh Wicka put Kettle Run within striking distance of the goal line, and two plays later, on a third-and-inches run inside the 2 yard line, Wicka pounded the ball up the gut for his third-straight run, this time coming out of an I-formation set up.

His straight-ahead run gave Kettle Run a 14-7 advantage and either gave Brentsville some despair or the Cougars an extra spark given how quickly the defense returned the ball.

On Brentsville's second play from scrimmage, Tapscott dove toward his left and picked off Willard in the middle of the field inside Kettle Run's 40 yard line.

"You know, I think they adjusted to the coverage a little bit for the second half, but I think we just let up. They just made a few big plays," said Martin. "I think that's just what happened defensively."

The sophomore Tapscott stayed on the field as the offense returned following his interception haul, having just enough time to catch his breath before taking a hand-off 62 yards to pay dirt. He burst from the center of the field to his right, toward the Kettle Run sidelines and streaked into the end zone untouched as the fans screamed for the Cougars' third score of the day.

"We just had momentum," said Tapscott.

Senior fullback Corey Baltimore tacked on one more rushing touchdown with 4:02 to go in the game four plays after the officials called back a Tapscott six-pointer for offensive holding. Brentsville wouldn't answer until it was already too late as Willard found wide receiver Garrison Ernst across the field with 8.4 second left in regulation.

Brentsville did have its moments earlier in the game, such as Martin's 56-yard reception in the first quarter quarter and his 40-yard nab in the third quarter.

Kettle Run refusal to collapse after those big plays, however, turned out to be the difference maker.

The Cougars' front line stuffed Brentsville on a fourth-and-one run at Kettle Run's 4-yard-line on the same first quarter drive Martin brought in Willard's 56-yard completion. Penalties and incomplete passes led to a Brentsville three-and-out after Martin's big third quarter play.

"I don't think they figured us out too much," said the sophomore back. "They just adjusted their coverage."

According to Tapscott, ending the season with a win and coming within a game of .500 gives the returning players something to build on for next season.

"We're all coming back," he said, noting the team has about twice as many sophomores as seniors. "We're the same team, stronger and bigger."