Trojans’ offense stalls in second half as Warhill escapes with 13-12 win

New Kent’s Bryan Pascale (74) gets his hands on Warhill quarterback Carson Strickland (15) to bring him down for a loss.

Robb Johnson photo

A hot first half on Friday night positioned New Kent to have the opportunity to pull off a massive win against the visiting Warhill Lions in the football team’s home finale. But a lackluster second half coupled with errors proved to be the deterrent that kept the Trojans from raising the flag of victory.

Warhill escaped New Kent with a 13-12 win, ruining a Senior Night that saw both teams fight until the very end.

In the early going, it seemed like the high-powered offense by the Trojans would be too much for Warhill to handle. On the opening drive, the Trojans had no issues orchestrating a 75-yard drive, capped off by Ben Christian’s seven-yard scamper to provide the hosts a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.

After Warhill got onto the board with a field goal, Christian once again positioned New Kent for a score as he connected with teammate Owen Payne on a long pass play. From there, teammate Chase Wiles’ tote from six yards away added to New Kent’s advantage (12-3) at the 8:20 mark of the second quarter.

Warhill bounced back, as they were able to punch the ball into the end zone on their next possession. New Kent was forced to punt on their next series, and miscues began piling up for the hosts. A pair of 15-yard penalties set up Warhill’s Cooper Bradley’s 26-yard field goal to provide the visitors with a one-point (13-12) lead heading into the halftime intermission.

In the second half, New Kent seemed poised to get back to the end zone as they drove down to the Lions’ 11-yard line. However, an illegal chop block penalty pushed them back to fourth and long, with the Trojans unable to convert in the early fourth quarter. On Warhill’s next possession, New Kent was able to regain possession as Carlos Young intercepted the ball. But the Trojans’ offense once again fizzled out, returning possession to the visitors who milked the clock for the remaining time, escaping with the win.

Despite the loss, New Kent (5-3) sits in prime position for a playoff spot. The Trojans will lose 10 players on their squad to graduation this year.