Judges 18 Wood 10

By David Selig
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — After a week of preparation and anticipation for the oldest rivalry in area high school football, it only took two snaps for the Handley defense to take the steam out of a large, loud James Wood cheering section Saturday afternoon.

When it comes to doing that, nobody is better than the Judges’ defense.

Dexter Sloane sacked Wood quarterback Trae Tinsman on the first play from scrimmage, then Elijah Washington swallowed Matt Copley on an end around for another loss. The Judges didn’t allow a first down until they were already ahead 18-0 at the 7:10 mark of the second quarter, and they polished off an undefeated regular season with an 18-10 victory at the Handley Bowl.

“Our defense played as well as they did all year,” Handley coach Tony Rayburn said. “We haven’t played that game at our best, and we’ve got to get to that level to be successful as the season goes on. So, I think the kids bought into it and were excited — especially the first drive.”

Thanks to that unyielding defense, the Judges (10-0, 4-0) didn’t need to score in the game’s final 31 minutes to guarantee sole possession of the Northwestern District championship and the top overall seed in Region II’s Division 3. Handley will have a bye next week and host either No. 5 Millbrook or No. 4 Goochland in a regional semifinal Nov. 21.

Although Saturday’s game didn’t have a great deal at stake for Handley, the Judges took plenty of motivation from facing the rival Colonels (6-4, 1-3) for the 48th time. (Handley leads the all-time series 31-16-1.) In the locker room before the game, Washington said the team got fired up chanting “Burn Wood” and “Pop Colonels,” which ultimately resulted in players stomping on a white Halloween mask before they left to take the field.

Early on, the Judges treated the white-clad Colonels much like the mask.

After forcing a three-and-out on that first Wood series, Handley was just as tough on the next one.

Brock Lockhart, the area’s leading rusher, was stopped for no gain on first down. Lockhart was then brought down five yards shy of the line of scrimmage on a second-down pitch. A third-down sack by safety Trae Peck forced another punt.

Then Handley’s offense got rolling.

Having what Rayburn called his best game so far, senior quarterback Geremi Long guided the Judges 78 yards on 11 plays, finishing with a one-yard sneak for a touchdown.

After Handley forced another three-and-out, and Kenny Griffin returned the ensuing punt 22 yards to the Colonels’ 29, Long went to the air.

After making a play-action fake, the right-handed quarterback rolled out to his left, where he found enough space to loft a touchdown strike to David Carter in the left side of the end zone.

“It was really weird, because I just felt like I was out there all by myself,” said Long, who finished with 168 yards passing, 39 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. “I just threw it to the corner of the end zone. I just throw it in the air and let him go get it.”

Following a third Colonel punt, Long only needed three plays to take the Judges 38 yards, finishing with an eight-yard scamper after the pocked collapsed.

James Wood got its hands on all three of Graham Sharples’ extra point attempts and also blocked a 34-yard field goal try in the fourth quarter, but the Judges had enough points to lean on their defense and shift into the win-ugly mode they’ve made popular this season.

“With the lead and the defense that we have, we get conservative,” Rayburn said. “There’s obviously a reason, because when you have a defense like that, it allows you to win games. In some ways that makes our wins [as close as] they are.”

Rayburn also credited the Colonels for turning what seemed like a blowout into a tense affair.

After that third touchdown, which came with 7:44 remaining in the second quarter, Wood decided to forget deception and run right at the Judges.

With 10 straight running plays, Lockhart (20 carries for 108 yards), Cory Schrock and Ryan Abdelhalim marched the ball to the Handley 5. From there, Tinsman made a play-action fake and rolled out right into the end zone.

“I think that some of our older guys took it upon themselves to really get after Handley there in the second quarter,” Colonels coach Mike Bolin said. “They’re really good, and instead of trying to run away from them, we went right at them.”

Junior defensive lineman Noah Cundall popped Long to force a fumble that Cody Vorous recovered to set up a 30-yard Zach Lloyd field goal, making it a one-possession game with 8:41 remaining in the third quarter.

But, as has been the story all season, Handley did just enough to win.

On the final play of the third quarter, the Judges stripped the ball from Lockhart and safety Daquanta Pannell pounced on it.

With Wood in Handley territory with just over four minutes remaining, Peck picked off Tinsman on a pass to the Judges’ 25.

Peck had said earlier in the week that he was spending extra time studying Tinsman, because he knew how dangerous the Colonels’ quarterback could be. It paid off on that interception, Peck’s fourth of the season.

“I was supposed to take the flat, and we pressured from the right side, causing him to roll out,” Peck said. “When he rolled out, I knew there was no way he could throw back-side, so I just kind of drifted to the side that he was rolling to and found an open receiver that he was targeting.”

James Wood had one final chance, taking over on its own 44 with 1:57 left. The Colonels tried a trick play in which Tinsman faked handoffs in two directions before giving the ball to Copley on an apparent end around.

Copley, Wood’s backup quarterback, ran to the right and looked to pass, but Handley’s defense was too fast. Carter dropped Copley for a 12-yard loss, and Tinsman had to look downfield on three straight passes that fell incomplete.

The loss was the Colonels’ fourth in the last five games, after the team began the season 5-0.

“We’re disappointed that we lost, and we’re disappointed at the turn that our season has taken, but it’s not an effort thing,” Bolin said. “We’re just snakebitten, I guess.”

The Colonels aren’t completely unlucky.

Thanks to Liberty’s win over Fauquier on Friday night, Wood didn’t need to win to qualify for the Region II Division 4 playoffs. The Colonels, seeded sixth, will visit No. 3 Loudoun County (8-2) in the regional quarterfinals this Friday.

As Wood’s players slowly walked off the Handley Bowl field, some looking back at the commotion still on it, the Judges received the Northwestern District championship plaque. They were also given the Barr-Lindon Crimson Apple, awarded by The Winchester Star to the team that wins the annual series between the four Winchester-Frederick County teams.

Handley had earned both of those prizes a year ago, but at that time they were 9-1.

Having a 10-0 season — especially with the number of players they needed to replace because of injuries along the way — made the Judges’ accomplishment a little more special.

“I’ve never been a part of a team in any sport that was perfect in the regular season,” Peck said. “Just being a part of something like this is ridiculous. I mean, we deserve this because we put in hard work, but it feels great. ... We’re fortunate to be 10-0.”

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