Hanover coach Josh Just has seen his football team come a long way in five seasons. Now they are headed to the state semifinals.
by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
It was the classic battle between new and old in the Central Region, Division 5 championship Friday night.
In one corner stood Hanover, a program only five-years old and with little playoff experience. In the other was Patrick Henry, a team led by coach
Ray Long who has been to the postseason countless times.
And in the end, the new proved to be just too strong as the Hawks defeated the Patriots 24-7 to capture their first region title and advance to the state semifinals.
"This feels awesome," Hanover coach
Josh Just said. "This is something we have done together. I am so happy for the guys and the coaches. This is what we wanted."
Hanover (9-3) showed that they have come far from the teams that won just two games in the program's first three years and went 5-5 last season before being eliminated in the region semifinals.
Quarterback
Josh Wells and running backs
Kirk Rohle and
Terrell Tinsley each scored a rushing touchdown, all in a second half that saw the Hawks rebound from producing just three points in the first.
"We have worked so hard all year for this," Wells said. "We did what we had to do to win."
The Patriots (7-5) struck early in the game when running back
Bryon Harris took a handoff 52 yards for a touchdown on a spectacular run less then two minutes into the first quarter. That would prove to be the only score for Patrick Henry as the Hawks' defense buckled down behind linebacker
Kenny Fryman, corners
Jacob Kain (fumble recovery) and
Steven Fogleman and lineman
Blake Jones (sack).
Hanover had trouble getting any offense going in the first half against a tough Patriots' defense led by linemen
Tevin Scott,
Rodney Jackson and
Bryon Overstreet.
The Hawks finally started to move the ball after linebacker
Derek Crytser recovered a Patrick Henry fumble on the Hawks' 43. Hanover drove all the way down to the Patriots 3-yard line, but on third down Wells fumbled on a quarterback sneak and Patrick Henry recovered with six minutes left in the first half.
The Patriots were forced to punt and it was not a good one as Hanover ended up with the ball at the Patriots' 17. Four plays later a
Rachel Moore 27-yard field goal cut the lead to 7-3 with 1:42 remaining.
"They were taking it to us in the first half. They were more physical," Just said.
In the second half Hanover relied on their running game featuring Tinsley, Rohle, Wells and
Jayquan Kates to get the offense jump started. On their second possession of the half, five rushes in a row marched the Hawks 64 yards and to a 14-yard Wells' touchdown run to put Hanover up 10-7.
Then in the fourth quarter, after a bad snap on a punt gave the Hawks the ball on the Patriots' 4-yard line, Rohle ran it in from 1-yard out on fourth down. Tinsley put the finishing touches on the victory with a 16-yard touchdown run with only 52 seconds left in the contest.
After trailing and struggling early, Rohle said the team never panicked.
"We have been down early before and we knew there was a lot of time to come back," Rohle said.
This was a rematch of the season opener when the Hawks beat the Patriots 29-28. Patrick Henry has been to the playoffs 17 times under Long, making this victory for Hanover even more impressive.
"To beat a team with experience like that is outstanding," Just said. "They [Patrick Henry] wanted it and they didn't quit. I am really proud of our effort."
Hanover will now turn their attention to the winner of the Northwest Region final between George Washington-Danville and Potomac (Dumfries) which takes place Saturday. The Hawks will have to travel to play the victor next Saturday but at least for the next few days they can enjoy this victory.
"I'm so excited right now I don't know what to do," Rohle said. "This feeling right now is probably something I will never feel again."
Patrick Henry 7 0 0 0 - 7Hanover 0 3 7 14 - 24PH - Harris 52 run (Daniels kick)
H - FG Moore 27
H - Wells 14 run (Moore kick)
H - Rohle 1 run (Moore kick)
H - Tinsley 16 run (Moore kick)
RUSHINGPatrick Henry - Harris 10 carries, 77 yards, Cavanaugh 11-66, Cash 9-59, Smith 2-1, Moore 1-6, Sweat 1-1;
Hanover - Tinsley 9-72, Wells 9-40, Rohle 10-20, Kates 5-24
PASSINGPatrick Henry - Cash 4 completions, 8 attempts, 0 interceptions, 47 yards, Smith 2-2-0-46;
Hanover - Wells 5-15-1-66
RECEIVINGPatrick Henry - Kenny 2 receptions, 56 yards, Smith 3-8, Cash 1-29; Hanover - Rohle 3-47, Hines 1-11, Davis 1-8