"To be the man the you got to beat the man" or so says Ric Flair for anyone that ever watched wrestling. While the Skyhawks dropped two games this season, when it counts they win and they are now 13-0 when it counts since 2012 and that's in the playoffs.
LC Bird traveled to Hermitage with the inferior record and having just gotten by the top-seeded Springers last week with a 2-point win, 25-23 over Highland Springs last week. Hermitage however was 12-0, had little trouble beating Henrico or Manchester in back-to-back weeks and had revenge on their minds after two straight losses to Bird. However tonight, Bird played like the undefeated team, like the team that was hungrier.
It began in the first quarter with the Skyhawks who the PA Announcer for Hermitage continuously called Seahawks, whether intentional or not remains to be seen. The Skyhawks forced the Panthers to three and out on their first possession of the game after winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half. The Panthers fared no better with their second possession with Rashad Robinson slipping on third down and losing nine yards in the process. LC Bird on the other hand had moved the ball on their first possession of the game and on their second possession, on the first play from scrimmage, the Skyhawks Stephen Mines picked up where he left off in the first half of last week's game with a 40-yard touchdown run.
Hermitage would need to respond after the Skyhawks drew first blood on the scoreboard but the Panthers went three and out on two consecutive possessions whereas LC Bird continued to move the ball and after stopping the Panthers yet again, Mines scored his second touchdown of the night with a 68-yard touchdown run putting the Skyhawks up 12-0.
LC Bird continued to move the ball after another three and out for the Panthers but the first positive of the night for Hermitage came when Dallas Carter-Taylor intercepted a Jalen Elliott pass but the Panthers were unable to do anything with the ball. Just as had been the case so many times in the first half, it was yet another three and out and then Bird got the ball back and they put together a long 62-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by JB Wright and then a two-point conversion attempt by Elliott to makeup for a previous failed two-point conversion and missed PAT. The Skyhawks took a 20-0 lead into halftime stunning the home crowd at Hermitage, especially considering the Panthers had been held to just five yards of offense!
The Skyhawks had the ball to start the second half and appeared as though they might be forced to punt. The Skyhawks faced a third and eight and Elliott was scrambling searching for a line to run or a receiver to hit with the ball when he found his man and threw the ball across himself and the field and hit his target. The Skyhawks had a first down at the 50 and kept the drive alive but no points would come of this drive. Hermitage on the other hand would finally get some offense going as they would record their first first down of the night but the Panthers needed points and that they could not find. They were faced with a third and one and on two consecutive plays they could not convert. The Panthers might have made a breakthrough offensively but the Skyhawks defense was not allowing much more.
LC Bird tookover on downs from Hermitage and moved the ball to the 10 yard line before quarterback Jalen Elliott fumbled the ball but recovered it and at the same time, a penalty against Hermitage was called. Penalties had been a common theme of the night for both teams but more so Hermitage and Coach Kane and the staff began to get a little frustrated with the refs and that of course got a reaction from Bird fans who were yelling at Kane and calling for him to be tossed out of the game. When it was said and done with the chaos of Kane yelling at the refs and Bird fans yelling down at both, the Skyhawks had the ball at the 5-yard line. Despite a false start call, the Skyhawks would get another score when Jalen Elliott would hit Tyler Wilkins with a touchdown pass and another two-point conversion made it a 28-0 lead for the Skyhawks.
Hermitage finally got on the board with an 80-yard drive that saw Robinson passing the ball to a variety of targets rather than running the ball himself or handing it off to Johntae Wilson. Several pass interference calls again LC Bird didn't hurt either although two of the pass interference calls were somewhat questionable but it is what it is. Hermitage continued to move down the field be it on their own or with the aid of penalties against Bird until Robinson hit Christian Harden with a 5-yard touchdown pass to end the shutout making it LC Bird 28-7 with 6:21 to go in the game.
LC Bird's next to last possession of the night started from their own 44 and began with JB Wright running of a huge 40-yard run on second down to the 16 of Hermitage and following that up with 5 and 6 yard runs. One penalty set the Skyhawks back; the other negated a Jalen Elliott 16-yard touchdown run. The Skyhawks were unable to overcome the personal foul that negated the touchdown and the Panthers got the ball back on their own 11 yard line.
Hermitage's Robinson would continue to put the ball in the air trying to pull off some late game heroics much like the Springers last week. Unlike the Springers however, the Panthers were down far more and it would take a lot more to beat the Skyhawks and with a fresh set of downs, the Panthers needed a score. Robinson however had his first three passes fall incomplete and now it came down to a fourth down play needing 10 yards for a first down. Robinson put it in the air and time and time again the Skyhawks had disrupted passes, come close to interceptions but on this play, this fourth down pass, Rayshard Ashby intercepted the pass to end the Panthers scoring threat and bring this game to a close.
The Panthers fall 28-7 and 12-1 on the season as their season comes to an end against the Skyhawks for a third straight season. On the other hand, LC Bird is now 11-2 and will be traveling to Salem next week for a rematch with the team they beat last year at home to advance to the state finals.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st QTR-
4:36- (Bird)Stephen Mines 40-yard touchdown run, PAT no good; LC Bird 6-0.
2nd QTR-
10:36- (Bird)Stephen Mines 68-yard touchdown run, two-point conversion fails; LC Bird 12-0.
45.5- (Bird)JB Wright 6-yard touchdown run, Jalen Elliott two-point conversion; LC Bird 20-0.
3rd QTR-
No scoring.
4th QTR-
8:48- (Bird)Tyler Wilkins 8-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Elliott, JB Wright two-point conversion; LC Bird 28-0.
6:21- (Hermitage)Christian Harden 5-yard touchdown reception from Rashard Robinson, PAT good; LC Bird 28-7.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
I truly am surprised at how ineffective the offense of Hermitage was for much of the night. Johntae Wilson had trouble moving the ball all night. Rashad Robinson could not find any rhythm till it was too little too late.
While the Panther's offense struggled, the defense didn't play nearly as well as they have all season as the Skyhawks seemed to be able to run the ball at will against the Panthers, especially in the first half.
After beating top-seeded Highland Springs and now undefeated Hermitage and to beat Hermitage the way they did, I truly feel the Skyhawks are in great position to win another state title.
Three times in the game Herm players lost their footing, once it was Rashard Robinson and twice it was the punter. They were the only two players from either team to have trouble with the field tonight.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
LC Bird Offense- Stephen Mines; 170 yards, with 22 yards receiving and 148 yards on the ground including two touchdowns.
LC Bird Defense- Rayshard Ashby; roughly four tackles although I believe there were more than just the four I counted plus an interception at the end to effectively end the game.
Hermitage Offense- Rashard Robinson; 71 yards of offense with 80 yards passing and -9 rushing.
Hermitage Defense- Deonta Robinson; roughly 5 and a half tackles on the night.
EXTRA POINTS
Hermitage's 7 points was the fewest they have scored since their loss to Battlefield in the 2010 Division State Final.
Hermitage has a losing record at home against the Skyhawks, now 1-3.
LC Bird seems to reach the state semifinals in threes this century 2003-2005 and now 2012-2014.
First time Bird will have a rematch in state semifinals since facing Landstown in back-to-back years, 2003-2004.
Coach Bedwell's 7th trip to the state semifinals; once with Henrico in 1999 and with LC Bird, 2003-2005, 2012-2014.
LC Bird traveled to Hermitage with the inferior record and having just gotten by the top-seeded Springers last week with a 2-point win, 25-23 over Highland Springs last week. Hermitage however was 12-0, had little trouble beating Henrico or Manchester in back-to-back weeks and had revenge on their minds after two straight losses to Bird. However tonight, Bird played like the undefeated team, like the team that was hungrier.
It began in the first quarter with the Skyhawks who the PA Announcer for Hermitage continuously called Seahawks, whether intentional or not remains to be seen. The Skyhawks forced the Panthers to three and out on their first possession of the game after winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half. The Panthers fared no better with their second possession with Rashad Robinson slipping on third down and losing nine yards in the process. LC Bird on the other hand had moved the ball on their first possession of the game and on their second possession, on the first play from scrimmage, the Skyhawks Stephen Mines picked up where he left off in the first half of last week's game with a 40-yard touchdown run.
Hermitage would need to respond after the Skyhawks drew first blood on the scoreboard but the Panthers went three and out on two consecutive possessions whereas LC Bird continued to move the ball and after stopping the Panthers yet again, Mines scored his second touchdown of the night with a 68-yard touchdown run putting the Skyhawks up 12-0.
LC Bird continued to move the ball after another three and out for the Panthers but the first positive of the night for Hermitage came when Dallas Carter-Taylor intercepted a Jalen Elliott pass but the Panthers were unable to do anything with the ball. Just as had been the case so many times in the first half, it was yet another three and out and then Bird got the ball back and they put together a long 62-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by JB Wright and then a two-point conversion attempt by Elliott to makeup for a previous failed two-point conversion and missed PAT. The Skyhawks took a 20-0 lead into halftime stunning the home crowd at Hermitage, especially considering the Panthers had been held to just five yards of offense!
The Skyhawks had the ball to start the second half and appeared as though they might be forced to punt. The Skyhawks faced a third and eight and Elliott was scrambling searching for a line to run or a receiver to hit with the ball when he found his man and threw the ball across himself and the field and hit his target. The Skyhawks had a first down at the 50 and kept the drive alive but no points would come of this drive. Hermitage on the other hand would finally get some offense going as they would record their first first down of the night but the Panthers needed points and that they could not find. They were faced with a third and one and on two consecutive plays they could not convert. The Panthers might have made a breakthrough offensively but the Skyhawks defense was not allowing much more.
LC Bird tookover on downs from Hermitage and moved the ball to the 10 yard line before quarterback Jalen Elliott fumbled the ball but recovered it and at the same time, a penalty against Hermitage was called. Penalties had been a common theme of the night for both teams but more so Hermitage and Coach Kane and the staff began to get a little frustrated with the refs and that of course got a reaction from Bird fans who were yelling at Kane and calling for him to be tossed out of the game. When it was said and done with the chaos of Kane yelling at the refs and Bird fans yelling down at both, the Skyhawks had the ball at the 5-yard line. Despite a false start call, the Skyhawks would get another score when Jalen Elliott would hit Tyler Wilkins with a touchdown pass and another two-point conversion made it a 28-0 lead for the Skyhawks.
Hermitage finally got on the board with an 80-yard drive that saw Robinson passing the ball to a variety of targets rather than running the ball himself or handing it off to Johntae Wilson. Several pass interference calls again LC Bird didn't hurt either although two of the pass interference calls were somewhat questionable but it is what it is. Hermitage continued to move down the field be it on their own or with the aid of penalties against Bird until Robinson hit Christian Harden with a 5-yard touchdown pass to end the shutout making it LC Bird 28-7 with 6:21 to go in the game.
LC Bird's next to last possession of the night started from their own 44 and began with JB Wright running of a huge 40-yard run on second down to the 16 of Hermitage and following that up with 5 and 6 yard runs. One penalty set the Skyhawks back; the other negated a Jalen Elliott 16-yard touchdown run. The Skyhawks were unable to overcome the personal foul that negated the touchdown and the Panthers got the ball back on their own 11 yard line.
Hermitage's Robinson would continue to put the ball in the air trying to pull off some late game heroics much like the Springers last week. Unlike the Springers however, the Panthers were down far more and it would take a lot more to beat the Skyhawks and with a fresh set of downs, the Panthers needed a score. Robinson however had his first three passes fall incomplete and now it came down to a fourth down play needing 10 yards for a first down. Robinson put it in the air and time and time again the Skyhawks had disrupted passes, come close to interceptions but on this play, this fourth down pass, Rayshard Ashby intercepted the pass to end the Panthers scoring threat and bring this game to a close.
The Panthers fall 28-7 and 12-1 on the season as their season comes to an end against the Skyhawks for a third straight season. On the other hand, LC Bird is now 11-2 and will be traveling to Salem next week for a rematch with the team they beat last year at home to advance to the state finals.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st QTR-
4:36- (Bird)Stephen Mines 40-yard touchdown run, PAT no good; LC Bird 6-0.
2nd QTR-
10:36- (Bird)Stephen Mines 68-yard touchdown run, two-point conversion fails; LC Bird 12-0.
45.5- (Bird)JB Wright 6-yard touchdown run, Jalen Elliott two-point conversion; LC Bird 20-0.
3rd QTR-
No scoring.
4th QTR-
8:48- (Bird)Tyler Wilkins 8-yard touchdown reception from Jalen Elliott, JB Wright two-point conversion; LC Bird 28-0.
6:21- (Hermitage)Christian Harden 5-yard touchdown reception from Rashard Robinson, PAT good; LC Bird 28-7.
AFTERTHOUGHTS
I truly am surprised at how ineffective the offense of Hermitage was for much of the night. Johntae Wilson had trouble moving the ball all night. Rashad Robinson could not find any rhythm till it was too little too late.
While the Panther's offense struggled, the defense didn't play nearly as well as they have all season as the Skyhawks seemed to be able to run the ball at will against the Panthers, especially in the first half.
After beating top-seeded Highland Springs and now undefeated Hermitage and to beat Hermitage the way they did, I truly feel the Skyhawks are in great position to win another state title.
Three times in the game Herm players lost their footing, once it was Rashard Robinson and twice it was the punter. They were the only two players from either team to have trouble with the field tonight.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
LC Bird Offense- Stephen Mines; 170 yards, with 22 yards receiving and 148 yards on the ground including two touchdowns.
LC Bird Defense- Rayshard Ashby; roughly four tackles although I believe there were more than just the four I counted plus an interception at the end to effectively end the game.
Hermitage Offense- Rashard Robinson; 71 yards of offense with 80 yards passing and -9 rushing.
Hermitage Defense- Deonta Robinson; roughly 5 and a half tackles on the night.
EXTRA POINTS
Hermitage's 7 points was the fewest they have scored since their loss to Battlefield in the 2010 Division State Final.
Hermitage has a losing record at home against the Skyhawks, now 1-3.
LC Bird seems to reach the state semifinals in threes this century 2003-2005 and now 2012-2014.
First time Bird will have a rematch in state semifinals since facing Landstown in back-to-back years, 2003-2004.
Coach Bedwell's 7th trip to the state semifinals; once with Henrico in 1999 and with LC Bird, 2003-2005, 2012-2014.