Dinwiddie Stuns Springers 28-21 In OT!
Might last night have been the game of the year? Time will tell but what I can tell you is that last nights game had more swings than your local playground.
Consider the fact that the game opened up with a fumble return. The fact that Dinwiddie was down 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Consider the fact that Dinwiddie locked up the game 14 all midway through the second quarter and by the time we got to have, the Springers were up by 7.
Nevermind the fact that the Springers had a touchdown lead with a minute to go in the game. That Dinwiddie would score with 7 seconds to go in the game. That the Generals score in overtime. That Highland Springs is held out of the end zone as bedlam spread across the visitor sideline as if Dinwiddie had just won it all!
This does not account for the big plays on both sides of the ball or the numerous turnovers that are all part of the story of one of the best games of the season.
Road To 14-0
It did not take long for Highland Springs to get on the board. Early yes but not the way the Generals wanted to start and it elicited the thought from some that maybe this would not be Dinwiddie’s night. It took 12 seconds for the Springers to punch the ball loose and Malik Bullock to return it for a score. The Springers then went aggressive with an Eric Byrd 2-point conversion.
Fast foward to the Springers second possession where they put together a 85-yard/12-play drive that saw a heavy dose of the Eric Byrd ground game but the Springers scored their second TD of the night by way of Antoine Richardson hitting Jalen Padmore from 26 yards out.
Credit the Generals for blocking the PAT but the damage had been inflicted as the Springers had a 14-0 lead at home and a ton of momentum. The Springers defense then locked down the Generals offense to force a 3 & out.
Dinwiddie Fights Back
It appeared early on as though the Springers might put foot to pedal and tear off with a win. When you consider the huge return that Jalen Padmore pulled off with his athleticism, speed and vision engaged. However, two plays later Eric Byrd fumbles on the Generals 16 and Macdevyln Mason is there with the recovery.
As we spilled into the second quarter the Generals put together a 90-yard/10-play drive that almost went the other way. That is because with the ball on the Springers 3-yard line the ball was fumbled but Derrikus Nelson was able to fall on it and keep the ball in the Generals hands. Two plays later Zion Boisseau ended the Springers shutout with a 1-yard shot to the promised land.
Ball control became an issue for both teams. Fumblitis flared up for the Springers when they got the ball back and fumbled on the return but Malik Bullock was able to recover keeping the ball with the black and gold. Four plays later fumbilitis flared up again but this time it was Gabriel Randall of Dinwiddie getting to the ball first.
Despite Jalen Padmore breaking up a Zion Boisseau pass from jump, the Generals were able to tie it up with a 58-yard/3-play drive that saw Kaevon Wiggins on the receiving end of Boisseau’s pass. Wiggins turned on the jets and off he went.
6:53 left in the first half the Generals had erased a 14-point deficit and appeared to be the one in control with the pendulum of momentum completely in their favor
Springers Lead
The Springers had seen their lead erode over the course of the second quarter. The Springers had an answer key and it came in the form of a 79-yard/10-play drive. A drive that was extended by a personal foul penalty when the Springers were punting on 4th & 6! The Springers saw yellow too as on an Eric Byrd run facing 2nd & 5 the Springers were called for a personal foul of their own. That penalty sent them back to their own 41 but when you have athletes like Antoine Richardson and Jalen Padmore its easy to overcome. 59-yard yard pass connection with Padmore getting past JayC McDowell and Nyion Mason. Just like that the Springers were back on top.
An exclamation point for the Springers as the half came to a close was J’Monte Archer getting to Zion Boisseau with a sack.
Dinwiddie With The Tie!
There were moments for both teams in the second half, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
For Dinwiddie JayC McDowell had a pass breakup that forced a 3 & out for the Springers. There was also a Jordyn Williams sack on another series that forced a 3 & out for the Springers.
For the Springers Jalen Padmore broke up a pass and Hezekiah Fox had a sack against the Generals on 4th & 2 at the Springers 22. Maybe the standout play on defense was the Ladanian Brown tipped PBU that he then intercepted.
There were also missed moments for both teams.
For Dinwiddie, they marched 48 yards only to turn it over on downs.
For the Springers there was an intentional grounding call that hurt midfield. Nothing was more damaging though then a missed field goal with 8:44 to go in the game.
The Springers last possession of regulation mustered just 29 yards. Malik Bullock got the pitch from his QB for a pickup of 10 yards and then Eric Byrd followed that up with an 11-yard run. Ball at midfield the Generals defense would clamp down allowing just 8 more yards.
Then it was Dinwiddie’s last chance.
In two plays the Generals had a first down but as quick as that came, so too did the Generals facing 3rd & 4. That is when Zion Boisseau sent one flying to Kaevon Wiggins who with the Zamar Bledsoe getting handsy caught the ball. Of course yellow rained down too for pass interference setting up the Generals at the Springer 18 with 55 seconds to go and a fresh set of downs.
1st pass calls incomplete and the second fares no better. On third down the Generals spike the ball to set the stage for perhaps one last gasp.
4th & 5 Boisseau rolls right, looks back and finds Joshua Adams up the middle for a first down at the 4 with now 24.3 seconds on the clock.
Next play it is a pass to Kaevon Wiggins for 3 yards to the 1-yard line with 10.6 seconds to go.
Next play… Zion Boisseau with the keeper and a touchdown! With Victor Pacheco PAT we are tied!
Overtime For The Win!
It took four tries but Dinwiddie found the end zone again with a Kaevon Wiggins 8-yard run. The Springer defense would not allow the Generals to run up the middle and first down pass attempt was for a modest gain with Kenneth Lawson quick to cover. On the fourth attempt the Generals found the end zone again with Kaevon Wiggins fighting the whole way powering through Springer defenders to get there.
Now it was the Springers time to shine. QB keeper sends Antoine Richardson up the middle as the Dinwiddie defense converges upon him stopping him for little gain.
This time it is Eric Byrd up the middle with Daiveon Wilson and company meeting him head on stopping him in his tracks.
Richardson again takes the ball but this time instead of aiming for the middle he rolls to the left hoping to find a lane to turn and shoot but Robert Pettaway is tracking and hunting pulling him down in the vicinity of the 4-6 yard line.
It all comes down to this… but this time the Springers go pass instead of run with Jalen Padmore the target but T’Mari Buford who is tracking Padmore from jump spots the ball, leaps up and gets just enough fingers on it to knock it down to the ground.
Bedlam spills from the sidelines to the field as the Generals top the Springers for the first time ever!
| Time | Play | Score |
| 1Q – 11:48 | 26-yard fumble return from Malik Bullock fumble return. Eric Byrd 2-pt conversion. | 8-0 Springers |
| 1Q – 3:31 | 26-yard pass from Antoine Richardson to Jalen Padmore. PAT blocked. | 14-0 Springers |
| 2Q – 9:33 | 1-yard run form Zion Boisseau. Victor Pacheco PAT. | 7-14 Dinwiddie |
| 2Q – 6:53 | 57-yard pass from Zion Boisseau to Kaevon Wiggins. Victor Pacheco PAT. | 14-14 Dinwiddie |
| 2Q – 1:28 | 59-yard pass from Antione Richardson to Jalen Padmore. Anthony Barrett PAT. | 21-14 Springers |
| 4Q – :07 | 1-yard run from Zion Boisseau. Victor Pacheco PAT. | 21-21 Dinwiddie |
| OT | 8-yard run from Kaevon Wiggins. Victor Pacheco PAT. | 28-21 Dinwiddie |
Players of the Game
For Dinwiddie look no further than Zion Boisseau despite the fact that Kaevon Wiggins scored the game-winning TD. That overtime is not possible without the smooth play of Zion at QB. When was the last time a QB threw for 278 yards against the Springers? Zion completed 26 of 37 passes but just one touchdown. Zion did score twice on the ground, however, where he rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries.
Color me impressed by Jalen Padmore. Not much on the ground with 3 carries for 14 yards but Padmore caught 2 of the 3 Springer touchdowns for 85 yards. He was also impactful on defense with multiple tackles and a pass breakup. Don’t forget the big kick return in the first quarter as part of 100+ yard return game.
Coach Speak
Post-Game Nuggets
- This would be Coach Billy Mills first win against Coach Loren Johnson.
- Last three meetings of these two teams have been decided by a TD or less.
- This was Dinwiddie’s first overtime win since beating King George in the playoffs in 2022.
- This was Highland Springs first overtime loss since losing the Spring 2021 Class 5 Final.