Lee injury, fumbles too much for New Kent to overcome

New Kent defensive back Trent Orie holds on to one of his four interceptions despite the effort to dislodge the ball by intended King William receiver Austin Simons.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Fighting through the pain but still managing a wide smile, New Kent running back Trey Lee raised both arms from his prone position on a stretcher, exhorting his Trojan football teammates to carry on. Moments before, the senior’s high school football career came to a tragic end when his lower left leg snapped during a second quarter run Friday night against visiting King William.

“Trey Lee, Trey Lee, Trey Lee…!” his teammates shouted in unison as rescue workers and high school staff wheeled Lee past the New Kent bench to a waiting ambulance.

The mishap had quickly become evident to anyone within earshot. Referees immediately signaled for an ambulance. Expressions of shock fell across the faces of New Kent players.

“Oh my God. I heard it break,” a dazed offensive lineman, Shane Whitlow, said as he walked slowly toward his bench.

Quarterback Luke Mechling took charge, gathering the team in a huddle and issuing an impassioned plea to rise to the occasion. Running back Mikel Chalmers led the team in a prayer.

“If there was ever a reason to play hard, it’s now,” Mechling told his teammates. “It’s time to go, it’s time to strap up, it’s time to play 100 percent.”

When play resumed, the Trojans unleashed a Chalmers-led ground attack that crossed midfield and seemed destined to overcome a 14-8 King William lead. Football, however, is a game in which outcomes often are governed by mistakes. And unfortunately for the hosts, errors negated all momentum generated from Lee’s injury.

New Kent fumbled the ball away and did likewise on two of its next three possessions. The visiting Cavaliers turned all three turnovers into touchdowns for a 35-8 halftime lead. A fourth lost fumble led to the visitors’ final score as the Cavaliers walked away with a 49-8 victory in the season opener for both. Afterward, New Kent head coach Dan Rounds said he never envisioned disaster striking with such devastating results.

“I felt like we’d physically dominate them and offensively they’d have a hard time stopping us,” he said, pointing to the Trojan offensive line that averages close to 300 pounds and starting backs Lee and Chalmers who both exceed 200.

“But we made too many mistakes,” he said. “Then injuries didn’t help us either, but that’s all part of the game that you’ve got to overcome and use as motivation and play through.

“Our kids, the coaches all thought we’d dominate, but we couldn’t overcome the mistakes,” he said. “We felt like we were the better team, but we beat ourselves.”

New Kent answered King Williams’ initial touchdown on the visitors’ game-opening possession with a six-play, 76-yard drive midway through the first quarter. Lee shrugged off Cavalier arm-tackling attempts on a 36-yard jaunt into the end zone. Running back Davion Barnes dove for the conversion and an 8-7 New Kent advantage.

A special teams breakdown on the ensuing kickoff enabled the Cavaliers to start their go-ahead drive from the New Kent 23 yard line. Then on the first play of the Trojans’ next series, Lee went down.

“This is a big loss for what we try to do,” Rounds said concerning Lee’s injury. Barnes, who is about 40 pounds lighter than Lee, has big shoes to fill as Lee’s replacement, the coach added.

“We’ve got to ask Barnes to grow up a little bit,” Rounds said. “I’ve already told him he’ll get more reps and be the guy in there.”

For New Kent, star of the game honors fell to junior defensive back Trent Orie who had a career night picking off four King William passes. His first interception set up the Trojans’ lone touchdown.

“He’s the surprise player back [in the secondary],” said Rounds. “He’s a wide receiver on offense, but we put him back there because he’s got great hands.”

New Kent looks to bounce back this Friday (7 p.m.) as York come to town.

King William—— 14 21 7 7 —– 49
New Kent———– 8 0 0 0 —— 8
1st Quarter
KW (9:34)- Ortiz 2 yard run (Keaton kick) 7-0
NK (5:16)- Lee 36 yard run (Barnes run) 8-7
KW (2:58)- Harley 11 yard pass from Jones (Keaton kick) 14-7
2nd Quarter
KW (10:44)- Peatross 56 yard pass from Jones (Keaton kick) 21-8
KW (9:33)- Simons 13 yard pas from Jones Keaton kick) 28-8
KW (4:24)- Peatross 1 yard run (Keaton kick) 35-8
3rd Quarter
KW (6:34)- Ortiz 3 yard run (Keaton kick) 42-8
4th Quarter
KW (9:06)- Smith 94 yard fumble return (Keaton kick) 49-8

Rushing (attempts/yards)
KW- Ortiz 9/48, Jones 6/7, Smith 5/10, Jackson 3/39, Peatross 3/13, King 1/8, Jones 1/-24.
NK- Chalmers 17/106, Lee 7/66, Barnes 7/36, Mechling 4/-13, Ward 2/14.
Passing (completions/attempts/yards)
KW- Jones 11/22/249, 3 TD, 4 Int.
NK- Mechling 4/15/87, 1 Int.
Receiving (receptions/yards)
KW- Peatross 5/115, Pendleton 2/94, Simons 2/26, Harley 1/11, Johnson 1/3.
NK- Hill-Sanders 2/58, Schaefer 1/21, Chalmers 1/8.