Football games are often about which team has the best timing.
Friday night at William Fleming Stadium, there was a big problem with the timing. Literally. At least on the totally dark Fleming scoreboard that kept players, coaches and fans alike confused all night.
In the end, when all sands had fallen through the hourglass kept by the officials on the field, Patrick Henry came away with the 31-15 win over their cross-city rivals in a contest that was much closer than the final score indicated.
“Yea, it was strange playing under those circumstances,” Patrick Henry head coach Alan Fiddler said afterward of not having a working scoreboard. “Especially at the end.”
Fiddler was referring to the final seconds when Patriot defender Alec Mini intercepted a desperation heave by the Colonels and returned it 91 yards for a touchdown on what would prove to be the game’s last play when the officials signaled ‘game over’ before sending the teams to post-game handshakes rather than the normal point-after attempt.
“It was hectic,” Fleming head coach Bobby Martin concurred in some dim light outside the Fleming locker room after the stadium lights even went dark with players still on the artificial turf and fans still trying to leave the stadium. “It was a challenge.”
Martin understandably seemed more concerned about injuries to a pair of his standout players, defensive back and receiver Darrius Bratton along with senior quarterback Tyrell Adams, whose absence put the Colonels in a tough situation. Martin said the severity of the injuries to both were still being evaluated.
Despite the injuries, Martin was pleased the way his squad kept Fleming in the game.
“Our back-ups were battling,” Martin noted. “Our players are tough. PH has a really good team. Despite all the adversity, we were still in it in the fourth quarter. I’ve got to give Coach Hardy (Fleming defensive coach Jermaine Hardy) credit for getting our defense ready tonight. Our young guys just kept competing.”
The opening half saw the teams trading scores before Patrick Henry got the final tally late in the second quarter on quarterback Quishon Calfee’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Garcia that sent the teams to the break with PH ahead 19-13.
PH had opened the game’s scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Calfee in the first quarter before Fleming tied things at 7 when Adams hit Malik Trayham on a 11-yard scoring pass early in the second.
Walter Franklin put the Patriots back in front with a 5-yard touchdown scamper and Fleming answered when Adams found senior Lajuan Greene on a 15-yard TD pass that knotted the game at 13.
“We were sloppy in the first half,” Fiddler noted. “In a rivalry game like this, you expect it .”
Patrick Henry was still holding on to the slim six point lead in the fourth quarter when Calfee led a PH drive that he capped off with a 6-yard touchdown run with 8:30 left, giving the Patriots a 25-13 cushion.
“He (Calfee) got focused,” Fiddler said of the key fourth quarter drive. “I was nervous when it was still a six point game. I was hoping our kids would keep executing. Fleming has some weapons.”
PH took an intentional safety late in the game to make it 25-15 before Mini’s interception return settled the final margin.
“When you play a rivalry team, a win’s a win,” Fiddler added. “We’ll take it any day.”
Bill Turner