Defense, subs keep New Kent in game, but Poquoson escapes 16-14
New Kent ball carrier Bryce St. Clair squeezes through a narrow opening created by blocks from teammates Grayson Webb (58) and Dean Powell (88).Alan Chamberlain photo
Early in the second quarter, Poquoson’s Islanders owned a two touchdown lead and appeared well on their way to a blowout victory over New Kent’s Trojans. Instead, the home-standing Trojans, behind a pair of reserve running backs and a staunch defense, refused to allow the visitors to pull away. In the second half, New Kent closed the gap to two, but the Islanders stopped a Trojan fourth quarter trip into the red zone to salvage a 16-14 Friday night win.
“It seems like we cannot get a break in a big game,” Trojan coach Clark Harrell said afterward, noting the contest’s importance for his team reaching post-season playoffs, a level no New Kent team has reached since the 2003 season.
Actually, his team did get a break in the form of a Poquoson fumble shortly after the Islanders had taken a 6-0 lead with the game less than two minutes old. The Trojans’ Jason Godbey pounced on the fumble at Poquoson’s 24-yard line, but the Trojans returned the favor, coughing up the ball on second down from the 19.
The Islanders scored on a quick slant pass play from Jared Davis to Colten Hicks that covered 72 yards to open a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter. This time, however, the Trojans answered with an 82-yard TD march.
On the way to the end zone, the hosts gave the Islander defense a heavy dose of back-up fullback Kyle Coles (27 carries, 114 yards), in for injured starter C.J. Reeders. Coles carried on 11 of 14 plays during the drive, including eight in a row that set up reserve running back Ryan Curle for a 22-yard touchdown burst.
Breaks, however, played a role with less than a minute left before halftime. Back-to-back pass interference calls on the Trojan defense led to Islander placekicker Rhett Anderson’s 36-yard field goal and a 16-6 Poquoson lead at intermission.
The Trojan defense stopped Poquoson’s initial second half possession as Hunter Pitts dropped Islander runner Robert Henesy for a three-yard loss on fourth down from the New Kent 35. Two plays later, though, the hosts surrendered the ball on an interception.
But the defense again rose to the occasion. Bryce St. Clair sacked Davis from behind, forcing a fumble that Wyatt Terry scooped up and returned to the Islander 13. On second down from the nine, Curle (12 carries, 73 yards), subbing for the injured Evan Branch, raced over the goal line and ran for the two-point conversion. New Kent trailed by two (16-14) with 1:10 left in the third quarter.
Early in the final period, a Pitts interception and 10-yard return handed the ball back to the offense at the Trojan 39. From there, the Trojans overcame a holding call and benefited from a Poquoson late hit out of bounds while employing nine plays to reach the Islander 14 where they faced fourth down and five.
In a bad break, a procedure call cost the hosts five yards, forcing the Trojans to take to the air. Coles hauled in Richard Flournoy’s pass, but was tackled on the sideline after only a four-yard gain.
New Kent regained possession for a final time near midfield, but could not muster a first down. Poquoson ran the final 2:25 off the clock.
“We’re kind of banged up,” said Harrell, pointing to his injury-riddled backfield. “It seems like it’s all happened at a bad time and that has hurt us, but that’s football.”
New Kent fell to 4-5 and is now faced with beating powerful Lafayette in next Friday’s regular season closer as well as getting help from elsewhere to make the playoffs. But that looming scenario has not dampened Harrell’s enthusiasm.
“I told our guys we’re 4-5 but only three points away from being 6-3,” he said. “We lost to the number two-ranked team [Grafton] in Bay Rivers by one, and tonight we lost by two to the number three-ranked team. We’re right there.”