Anyone reading too much into Colonial Forge’s 2-2 record heading into Friday night’s matchup with Patrick Henry quickly realized the team from Stafford,VA was not going to be an easy assignment.
Aided by four Patriot fumbles, a blocked field goal and an 18-yard punt deep in Patrick Henry territory, Colonial Forge was handed all the advantage it needed in defeating PH 21-0, ruining the first Patriot home game of the season after a quartet of tough road games that had the Patriots 3-1.
“Their three touchdowns all came on short fields- a short punt and two fumbles,” PH head coach Alan Fiddler said at midfield after the game. ” We have to quit putting the ball on the ground.”
Colonial Forge’s two losses had come at the hands of state powerhouses Briar Woods and Massaponax, in scheduling that Eagle head coach Bill Brown feels essential.
“If you aspire to be a playoff team, you’ve got to be able to travel and win,” Brown noted. “I want to play a tough schedule and Patrick Henry is a good program. We’re battle tested and tonight we played some good defense.”
The short punt set up the initial Eagle score and a fumble on the ensuing kickoff had Colonial Forge in the end zone two plays later for the quick 14-0. lead. That score stood through halftime as the Colonial Forge defense came up with big stops and the steady Eagle offense ground out enough yardage to maintain the advantage in field position. Colonial Forge finished with a 177-75 edge in rushing yardage for the game.
PH stayed close in the third quarter, but could never find the end zone to get within striking distance. When the Patriots fumbled with 11:19 left in the fourth, Colonial Forge went on a time consuming 10-play drive that included a pair of third-down conversions to keep the drive alive and a fourth-and-three TD pass that put the Eagles up 21-0 with 6:14 left.
Patriot Trevor Mike led the PH rushing game with 79 yards on 17 carries, with Cortez Ogden bringing in 4 receptions for 41 yards to lead the PH receiving corps.
“We have a good team, ” Fiddler added. “Our group needs to come to practice on Monday and be focused on the rest of the year.”
– Bill Turner
