Drifters last drive downs Charles City 20-14

Charles City's Richard Adkins (51, at right) delivers a blow to rain-soaked Drifter quarterback Alonzo Turner as teammate Mason Jefferson (4) closes in for the assist.

Andre' Jones photo

Two weeks prior to last Friday night’s contest, Charles City’s Panthers fell in the waning moments of a tight contest thanks to a last minute drive. The host Panthers, unfortunately, faced that déjà vu moment against the visiting Colonial Beach Drifters.

A plunge by Colonial Beach’s AnaJai Lewis with 1:24 remaining on the clock proved to be the difference maker as the visiting Drifters escaped Charles City with a 20-14 victory.

The hosts came out with a bang against the Drifters. With a slight rain coming down, Panthers return man Mason Jefferson and was able to gather his footing and race 78 yards on the opening play of the contest. His score gave the Panthers a 6-0 lead, a score they would maintain until the midpoint of the second quarter.

As Charles City possessed the ball at the 7:40 mark of the second quarter, a miscue exchange between Jefferson and Cecil Tyler resulted in a Drifter recovery. After Charles City stopped Colonial Beach’s traditional running formations on three successive plays, the visitors elected for an airborne attack in the wet conditions. The gamble reaped dividends as Drifter signal-caller Alonzo Turner connected with tight end TeJahn Whiting on a 30-yard crossing pattern on fourth and long as the received streaked across the field for a score. Lamar Lucas’ conversion run gave the visitors an 8-6 halftime advantage.

Taking advantage of a short field after the opening second half kickoff, the visitors found more success on the ground thanks to precipitation ending. Within three minutes, Lucas toted the ball from two yards out, giving the visitors a 14-6 advantage, a lead they carried over into the final stanza.

Charles City began to find success on the ground, pounding the ball with alternating paces between Jefferson and Tyler. Behind a strong push from the offensive line, the Panthers moved the ball 60 yards down the field, capped off by Tyler’s one-yard dive. Jefferson’s conversion toss to Kyle Jones knotted the score at 14 apiece with seven minutes remaining.

But the Drifters managed the clock for the next six minutes, pounding the ball on the ground. But when they faced with third and 13 from the Panthers 42, Turner bootlegged right and threw the ball across the field to the left, connecting with Andrew Lewis for a 38-yard completion that saw the receiver tackled at the four-yard line. Two plays later, AnaJai Lewis’ heroics would occur. The Panthers saw their final attempts to move down the field fall short due to defensive pressure applied by the visitors.

After the game, Panthers head coach Steward Greene indicated that he was proud of his team’s efforts, but needed to get more offensive production.

“I wanted this one so bad and I thought we had it,” the head coach said. “I think tonight we just didn’t get things clicking on offense.

“As coaches we didn’t do what we had to do to put our players in the best position to win this contest,” Greene added. “We have to work harder as a unit to get back in the win column and that starts with me, the coaching staff, and trickles down to the players.”

Charles City falls to 1-4 and will travel to King William Friday night (Oct. 7).

1st Quarter
CC (11:45)- Jefferson 78 yard kickoff return (run fail) 6-0
2nd Quarter
CB (6:52)- Turner 30 yard pass to Whiting (Lucas run) 8-6
3rd Quarter
CB (9:30)- Lucas 2 yard run (pass fail) 14-6
4th Quarter
CC (7:20)- Tyler 1 yard run (Jefferson pass to K. Jones) 14-14
CB (1:24)- Ana. Lewis 2 yard run (pass fail) 20-14

Passing (completions/attempts/yards)
CB- Turner 2/4/68, 1 TD, 1 int.
CC- Jefferson 3/5/15.

Receiving (receptions/yards)
CB- And. Lewis 1/38, Whiting 1/30, 1 TD.
CC- Thomas 1/11, Tyler 2/4.

Rushing (attempts/yards)
CB- Lucas 18/57, 1 TD; Turner 8/25, Davis 4/27, Ana. Lewis 9/26, 1 TD, Davis 3/1, Setliff 3/-3.
CC- Tyler 12/31, 1 TD; Jefferson 18/-27, Thomas 1/-5.