Raiders visit Wildcats in battle for the district championship
The Woodbridge varsity football team rallied from a 14-0 first half deficit to defeat Sussex Tech, 29-20, last Friday on senior night in Greenwood. Woodbridge visits Delmar this Friday night in the regular season finale with the district championship at stake.
“We’re going to need to be better next week than we were today,” said Woodbridge head coach Marvin Dooley. “Playing Delmar it’s more than a trophy game, it’s a personal game. We’re going down there with the chance to be conference champs and that’s all you can ask for.”
The Woodbridge defense converges on Sussex Tech senior LeBryan Jones on a run. Photo by Mike McClure
On Friday, the Raiders recovered an onside kick by the Ravens on the Sussex Tech 48, but Sussex Tech got the ball back on an interception by Braydon Hazzard on the play of the possession.
The Ravens started on their own 25 and picked up a first down on a four-yard run by Kyle Thompson on third and one. On third and nine from the 39, Sussex Tech quarterback Knox Sheets was stopped by Woodbridge’s King Peden and Noah Jackson before an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Raiders moved the ball to the Woodbridge 47 and kept Sussex Tech’s drive alive.
Sussex Tech’s Isaiah Jones rumbled three yards for a first down on fourth and one from the 28. Thompson added a nine-yard run and Jones ran it in from three yards out. Joshua Leon-Villanueva booted the extra point for a 7-0 Sussex Tech lead with 2:57 left in the opening quarter.
Peden took a short kick to the Sussex Tech 39. Woodbridge quarterback Logan Moran completed a 15-yard pass to Kam’Ren Johnson on third and 10 from the 39 late in the first quarter. The Raiders faced third and six from the 20 early in the second quarter when Tyler Eley sprinted toward the end zone but lost control of the ball which was recovered by Sussex Tech’s Brayden Long at the one.
The Sussex Tech offense pushed the ball out of the end zone before punting it, giving the Raiders the ball on the Sussex Tech 45. Moran completed an 11-yard pass to Ji’Kare Banks on third and seven from the 42 before Hazzard hauled in his second interception of the game.
The Ravens put together a scoring drive starting at the 18. Thompson had a 10-yard run on third and five from the 24. Sussex Tech’s pass on third and eight from the 35 fell incomplete but a questionable pass interference call moved the ball to the 49. Thompson ran 15 yards into Raiders’ territory, LeBryan Jones had a six-yard run on third and three from the 28, and Isaiah Jones scored on a 22-yard run with 45.5 seconds left on the next play. Leon-Villanueva’s extra point made it 14-0.
Peden recovered Sussex Tech’s short kick at the 38 and Hayes’ 14-yard run moved the ball into Ravens’ territory before the Raiders called a timeout with 32.2 seconds left. Peden had a 12-yard run and Moran completed a 16-yard pass to Johnson to set up first and 10 on the 21 with 16.7 seconds left. Following three incomplete passes, Woodbridge’s Evan Woodall attempted a 38-yard field goal as time ran out, but it was wide left and the score remained 14-0 going into the half.
“We didn’t think we played our best football. I told the guys (at half-time) the key was the first drive,” Dooley said. “It’s easy when you’re winning. My leaders stepped up today.”
Woodbridge’s Christian Artson returned the Ravens’ kickoff to the Sussex Tech 39. Hayes had two carries for 10 yards before zig zagging his way across the field for a 29-yard touchdown.
Hayes ran out of the wildcat to score the two-point conversion to pull the Raiders within six with 10:03 remaining in the third quarter.
Woodbridge’s Te’Quan Smith forced a fumble and Hayes recovered it at the Sussex Tech 46. Hayes ran it in on third and seven from the 43. The extra point was wide left and the score remained tied at 14-14 (7:57).
The Raiders’ defense held Sussex Tech to three and out and the offense took over at the 25. Hayes had four carries for 18 yards and added a five-yard run on third and five from the 40.
Hayes capped the drive with a four-yard run and Johnson ran in the two-point conversion for a 22-14 lead with 34.6 seconds left in the quarter.
Woodbridge’s offense got the ball back and faked a punt on fourth and five from the Sussex Tech 45 but Johnson was stopped a yard short of the first down at the 41. Ravens’ quarterback Knox Sheets keeper picked up five yards on fourth and inches from midfield. Thompson scored on a nine-yard run before being stopped on two-point conversion attempt by Woodbridge’s Jayven Chapman to keep the score at 22-20 (2:20).
The Blue Raiders’ Marquel Clark recovered Sussex Tech’s onsides kick. Hayes had a 43-yard run out of the wildcat to the Sussex Tech 10. Hayes scored on a five-yard touchdown run and Woodall’s PAT gave Woodbridge a 29-20 advantage with 45.3 seconds left in the game and the Raiders held on for the win.
“It feels great. Thanks to my offensive line, my running back Malachi,” said Johnson. “We’re going to practice and work hard for next week and we’re going to go out and play our game.”
