We were, like 90 percent sure of a playoff game for Patrick Henry going into Friday night's showdown with Hermitage, the game we've been looking forward to all season.
Never thought PH would be the favorite, not Hermitage, who was picked to be head and shoulders above the rest of the Colonial District.
Good game, HUGE crowd and a couple of pivotal plays.
It's 6-0 at the half. PH scores on a juggling catch by Robby Daniels to go 13-0. Then Hermitage gets on the board with their own juggling TD catch, and it's 13-7 with four minutes and change to go.
They line up in onside kick formation, deciding to kick to the opposite side of the field, where only one player is lined up to try to recover the ball for Hermitage.
The ball goes squarely to a huge lineman who, obviously, has little experience handling kickoffs. It bounced off him, and the pinball game began. Three or four different players had a hand on it....
....then finally, Johnny on the spot was wide receiver Anthony Muscolino, who came out of nowhere to pounce on the ball at the 50 yard line.
This was the game breaker.
PH proceeds to drive 50 yards in about two minutes and, on fourth down and goal at the one; QB Jordan Harris punched it in.
I've never been so happy to say, "Touchdown, Patrick Henry Patriots!!" on the radio as I was at that moment.
Hermitage gets the ball at midfield down six, and who knows what happens.
Instead, PH puts it away, and finishes an astonishing 10-0 and wins the Colonial District.
And their prize for going unbeaten??
A ROAD GAME!!!
THE VHSL point system set to determine playoff teams is the high school version of the BCS.
Note these facts about our Division 6 Playoffs:
1) Varina was #1 in area polls all season, going 9-0. They finished the season against Highland Springs, who was also undefeated in the District (Capital), but was 7-2 overall. But, winner gets the playoffs since the winner gets the District title. Highland Springs pulls off an incredible upset, 15-14 in double overtime, wins the district, and....
...Varina is now home. 9-1 record. No playoffs. Here's why it's so ridiculous...
...Meadowbrook High School does NOT win their district, finishes 8-2, and is not only in the playoffs....THEY HAVE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!!!!!!!
WHAT??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????
2) Patrick Henry is the only unbeaten team left, and they still get ranked behind two 8-2 teams, one of which is NOT is District title winner.
Need I say more??
Bitter. NO! Shaking my head? You bet, and if you don't agree with me, I invite you to have a conversation with PH Coach Ray Long, the winningest coach in Central Region history. He'd be glad to offer some thoughts on the lunacy that is the VHSL point system.
Nonetheless, they're in----and headed to Chester to play LC Bird (the defending regional champions) on Friday night. Coverage starts at 705pm on WHAN, for those of you in the Greater Ashland Area. :)
OH....and we got to do the post-game show on the field again (I love cell phones!), interviewing quarterback Jordan Harris, blitzman extraordinare linebacker Sam Smith (the most passionate PH player I've ever seen), and, of course, Coach Long. I let Stubby interview Coach...I get the shivers thinking about doing it. It's respect, pure and simple...for a man I knew as a teacher, who I was blessed to see as a student at the beginning of his PH career, and now get to broadcast more victories as his historic career continues.
And, besides....not only did I hold the equipment during Coach's interview, I also held his game ball! God knows I'll never have a game ball in a trophy case.....
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Stunning news for us wrestling fans yesterday, as I learned last night that Eddie Guerrero had passed away at 38. I noted that especially. I'm 38.
What we forget when we watch the scripted craziness that is wrestling (I don't condone all of it, BTW), these are also people....with families....with battles.
My condolences are to his wife and three children, and his entire blood family, and wrestling family...especially Chris Benoit.
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