Chantilly Prevails in Shootout, Wins 47-38
Annandale's Julian Mills battles Chantilly's Chris Vaughn over important yardage in a game that featured a combined 85 points...
Photo By: Barry deNicola
Torrian Pace's five touchdowns helped Chantilly triumph over upset-minded Annandale by a score of 47-38
CHANTILLY, VA -- Just one year ago, the Robinson Rams marched into Chantilly High School and knocked off the favored Chargers in the regional quarterfinals. So it came as no surprise when Torrian Pace, who racked up 318 yards rushing on the night, along with the rest of the Charger squad, came into Friday night's game versus the Annandale Atoms with a chip on their shoulder.
That chip is gone, however, as the Chargers advanced to the Northern Region Semifinals after defeating the Atoms 47-38.
With less then two minutes off the clock in the first quarter, Pace opened up the scoring with a 52-yard TD reception, bringing the score to 7-0. The Atoms quickly struck back with a 23-yard run from quarterback Cason Kynes. However, a missed extra point, a problem that haunted the Atoms throughout the course of the game, left the Chargers with a 7-6 advantage.
Pace quickly went back to work on the next offensive drive for the Chargers, capping it off with a 1-yard TD run. The very next possession, Pace found the endzone for a third time via a 2-yard leap over the pile just three seconds into the second quarter. Pace's incredible first quarter of play, which included three touchdowns, did not stop there, as on the next offensive possession, Pace reached paydirt once again on a 28-yard scamper, giving the Chargers a 28-6 lead.
The Atoms on the other hand refused to go away, ending the first half on a 13-3 run thanks in part to a fake punt that was taken 59 yards to the endzone by Kynes. The score at the break was 31-19.
The Atoms opened up the 2nd half scoring, as the 6'2", 195 pound sophomore wide receiver Melvin Robinson caught a 72-yard TD reception, bringing the Atoms to within 5 points of the Chargers.
Pace got his fifth and final score of the night with 5:46 to go in the third quarter after running six yards into the endzone, putting the Chargers back up by 12 points, making it a two possession game once again. With 2:06 to go in the first quarter, Charger place kicker Scott Puschell booted in a 37 yard FG to further extend the Chantilly lead to 41-26.
The Atoms continued to show their resilience on their next possession, as Kynes ran into the endzone on a 1-yard run. However, the Atoms failed to boot in the PAT for the third time that night, and found themselves trailing 41-32 and down by two possessions.
On a third down play, the Chargers put the icing on the cake, as Mike Farris ran the ball 60 yards into the endzone to seal the game. Kynes would score one more TD, but it proved to be too little too late, as the Chargers won the game 47-38.
With the victory, not only do the Chargers claim redemption from last year's 17-14 heartbreaker to the Rams, but they move on to the semifinals. The semis will be no walk in the park, however, as they will face the Westfield Bulldogs, the reigning state champions. Earlier in the year, in one of the most anticipated games in all of the Concorde District, the Bulldogs beat Chantilly on the road by a score of 32-7. This time, the Chargers will have to make the trip across town to Westfield High School to claim redemption.
