Hermitage scored three touchdowns in a hurry and used a stifling defense to make the lead stand up as they snapped L.C. Bird's 15 game playoff winning streak (including 3 losses of their own) in a 21-12 win over L.C. Bird.
Hermitage used a fast passed air attack to solve the heralded Bird defense. Right out of the gate it didn't look to be the Panther's night, however as Bird picked of Elijah Odom pass and then drove 52 yards down to the Hermitage 10 yard line. The Panther's then blocked the Skyhawk field goal attempt as they drove the field in 9 plays, but only using 2:26 of game time to do it. The big play was a 43 yard pass from from Odom to Snead and the score came from Odom himself as it ran it from 1 yard out. The Skyhawks used a big kickoff return to shorten the field and put together a tough 10 play drive to cut the lead to 7-6 as yet another place kick was blocked.
From then on the first half was all Panthers as Snead caught a 70 yard touchdown pass from Odom on the next play from Scrimmage and the Panther defense clamped down on the Bird offense only allowing them -5 yards on their next three drives. Meanwhile, the Panther offense was adding one more score to the total as they drove 52 yards in 7 plays to make it 21-6.
Bird threatened to make it a game halfway through the third quarter after recovering a muffed punt on the Hermitage 22, but they could not manage a first down and the threat was squelched. While Bird's defense continued to keep them in the game, Hermitage's defense continued to stuff everything Bird tried. The Skyhawks finally found the end zone with 7:21 to go in the game, but when their 2-point conversion attempt failed, they found themselves still two scores behind and Hermitage finally put together a drive that burned some clock. When the Panthers had their own field goal blocked a little excitement was added to the game, but once again the Panther defense was too much and the game ended up at 21-12 Panthers.
L.C. Bird 0 6 0 6 - 12
Hermitage 7 14 0 0 - 21
Herm - Odom 1 yard run (Burton kick)
LCB - Townsend 9 yard pass from Elliott (kick blocked)
Herm - Snead 70 yard pass from Odom (Burton kick)
Herm - Odom 4 yard run (Burton kick)
LCB - Elliott 4 yard run (pass failed)
Stats LCB Herm
First Downs 10 20
Rushing 41-68 33-73
Passing 10-15-94 14-24-235
Total Yards 162 308
Penalties 13-136 7-72
Turnovers 0 1 Muff, 1 Int
Time 27:39 20:21
Rushing: Herm: Odom 20-54 (2 TD), Hall 13-19; Bird Wright 18-48, McCall 11-27, Elliott 9-1, Pate 1-0, Banks 2- -8
Passing: Herm: Odom 14-24-235 (1 TD, 1 INT); Bird Elliot 10-15-94 (1 TD)
Notes: Hermitage is now 3-4 agains Bird all time. All meetings have been in the playoffs. Hermitage advances to the round of 8 for the 6th time in the past 12 years. Hermitage faces Highland Springs next week. The Panthers have won the last 5 in the series. Highland Springs last victory came 2000. This will be the fifth time the Panthers and Springers have met in the playoffs with Hermitage winning all previous meetings, three of the four games have been decided by 1 score or less. Hermitage is 15-13 all time in the playoffs and 13-9 since 2004. Five of those nine losses were to eventual state champions. Hermitage's record is 4-3 all time in round of 8 games (formerly regional championships), and 1-3 in state semis and 0-1 in state finals. The Gilliam Ratings is making them 2-point underdogs at Highland Springs. There are still 4 undefeated teams left in class 5A. It is possible for the final four to be Hermitage, Massaponax, Tuscarora and Hampton and for all of them to be sporting 13-0 records.
Hermitage used a fast passed air attack to solve the heralded Bird defense. Right out of the gate it didn't look to be the Panther's night, however as Bird picked of Elijah Odom pass and then drove 52 yards down to the Hermitage 10 yard line. The Panther's then blocked the Skyhawk field goal attempt as they drove the field in 9 plays, but only using 2:26 of game time to do it. The big play was a 43 yard pass from from Odom to Snead and the score came from Odom himself as it ran it from 1 yard out. The Skyhawks used a big kickoff return to shorten the field and put together a tough 10 play drive to cut the lead to 7-6 as yet another place kick was blocked.
From then on the first half was all Panthers as Snead caught a 70 yard touchdown pass from Odom on the next play from Scrimmage and the Panther defense clamped down on the Bird offense only allowing them -5 yards on their next three drives. Meanwhile, the Panther offense was adding one more score to the total as they drove 52 yards in 7 plays to make it 21-6.
Bird threatened to make it a game halfway through the third quarter after recovering a muffed punt on the Hermitage 22, but they could not manage a first down and the threat was squelched. While Bird's defense continued to keep them in the game, Hermitage's defense continued to stuff everything Bird tried. The Skyhawks finally found the end zone with 7:21 to go in the game, but when their 2-point conversion attempt failed, they found themselves still two scores behind and Hermitage finally put together a drive that burned some clock. When the Panthers had their own field goal blocked a little excitement was added to the game, but once again the Panther defense was too much and the game ended up at 21-12 Panthers.
L.C. Bird 0 6 0 6 - 12
Hermitage 7 14 0 0 - 21
Herm - Odom 1 yard run (Burton kick)
LCB - Townsend 9 yard pass from Elliott (kick blocked)
Herm - Snead 70 yard pass from Odom (Burton kick)
Herm - Odom 4 yard run (Burton kick)
LCB - Elliott 4 yard run (pass failed)
Stats LCB Herm
First Downs 10 20
Rushing 41-68 33-73
Passing 10-15-94 14-24-235
Total Yards 162 308
Penalties 13-136 7-72
Turnovers 0 1 Muff, 1 Int
Time 27:39 20:21
Rushing: Herm: Odom 20-54 (2 TD), Hall 13-19; Bird Wright 18-48, McCall 11-27, Elliott 9-1, Pate 1-0, Banks 2- -8
Passing: Herm: Odom 14-24-235 (1 TD, 1 INT); Bird Elliot 10-15-94 (1 TD)
Notes: Hermitage is now 3-4 agains Bird all time. All meetings have been in the playoffs. Hermitage advances to the round of 8 for the 6th time in the past 12 years. Hermitage faces Highland Springs next week. The Panthers have won the last 5 in the series. Highland Springs last victory came 2000. This will be the fifth time the Panthers and Springers have met in the playoffs with Hermitage winning all previous meetings, three of the four games have been decided by 1 score or less. Hermitage is 15-13 all time in the playoffs and 13-9 since 2004. Five of those nine losses were to eventual state champions. Hermitage's record is 4-3 all time in round of 8 games (formerly regional championships), and 1-3 in state semis and 0-1 in state finals. The Gilliam Ratings is making them 2-point underdogs at Highland Springs. There are still 4 undefeated teams left in class 5A. It is possible for the final four to be Hermitage, Massaponax, Tuscarora and Hampton and for all of them to be sporting 13-0 records.