Warriors Survive Scare, Advance With 21-14 Win
STEPHENS CITY, VA - As many teams found out Friday night, playing an opponent for the second time in a season is a tough thing to do. Sherando had previously beaten James Wood 28-13 back in week eight of the regular season, but on Friday night, the Colonels were better prepared. James Wood stifled the Sherando offense for nearly 3 quarters, but the Warriors stormed back behind three Ross Metheny touchdown passes to beat the Colonels 21-14 in one of the best football games of the year.
James Wood got on the scoreboard first with a Randy Brannon touchdown run on the first drive of the game. The Colonels drove the length of the field with ease and established the tone for the rest of the game with their power running game. Sherando struggled to stop the James Wood Wing-T attack that featured Brannon, Hunter Rutherford, and Tyler Orndorff.
Sherando threatened to score on more than one occasion in the first half but penalties and turnovers kept the Warriors off the scoreboard. The score remained 7-0 at the half and James Wood went into the locker room feeling good about their performance in the first half.
The Colonels struck again in the 3rd quarter when tailback Tyler Orndorff scored on a 50 yard touchdown run to give James Wood a 14-0 lead.
Sherando then put together an impressive drive that saw Metheny finish it off with a touchdown pass to Derek Crosen on a slant route. The Lucas Stump extra point was good and the Warriors pulled back within 7 points late in the 3rd quarter.
In the 4th quarter, Sherando stalled again inside the red-zone when James Wood intercepted Metheny on a pass that was tipped up in the air. James Wood chewed up more time on the clock with their running attack but eventually punted back to Sherando with under 6 minutes to go in the game. Metheny then started to work his magic as he led his Warriors down the field, and after a defensive holding penalty on a 2nd and long play, Sherando had first and goal from the 9 yard line with 4:52 on the clock.
The Colonels forced the Warriors to a 4th down and 3 from the 3 yard line and after a timeout, Metheny calmly hit wide receiver Derek Dehaney on a dig route in the end-zone to give Sherando a chance to tie the game up.
On the extra point attempt, a low snap nearly forced holder Derek Crosen to bail on the hold, but the sure-handed receiver managed to get the hold down for Stump to kick it through to tie the game at 14-14.
On the ensuing drive, James Wood was forced to punt when Sherando's defense finally stiffened and the Warriors got the ball back deep inside their own territory with less than 2 minutes left in the game.
Metheny began throwing short passes to receivers Doug Davis and Derek Dehaney on the outside as James Wood was giving a 10 yard cushion with their corners on nearly every play. Then, with less than a minute to go, Metheny hit a streaking Derek Crosen down the left sideline and Crosen did the rest, taking it to the house in one of the best diving touchdown plays of the year. Sherando took the lead 21-14 and most thought the game was all but over, except the Colonels.
On the kickoff, the ball was kicked high and short and Tyler Orndorff fielded the ball for James Wood and nearly broke through the Sherando coverage team and brought it all the way back to the Sherando 40 yard line.
James Wood then moved down the field with 32 seconds on the clock to the Sherando 3 yard line. After quarterback Trae Tinsman killed the clock with one second left, the Colonels had time for one final play to save their season.
Tinsman rolled to his left and threw a completion near the goal line, but safety Derek Crosen came up with a big hit to knock the James Wood receiver backward, and the referees called the game.
With the win Sherando advanced to the regional championship next week and will host Park View, a 16-12 winner over Broad Run on Friday night. James Wood finishes their season with a record of 8-3.
