Run It Again: Fluvanna sprints past Monticello in barnburner

Fluvanna running back Matthew Rea scores from short yardage for the Flucos.

As senior kicker Henry Laufer split the uprights on a 26-yard field goal late in the third quarter putting Monticello up by a point, it set the stage for a happy homecoming game and extending a three-year streak against Fluvanna County in the Route 53 Showdown.

Instead, the lead lasted all of 63 seconds.

“These kids know how to respond in those situations because we've been there before and they do not ever quit,” said Fluvanna coach Mitchell Pace.“We’ve been through the grind this year, battle-tested.”

Fluco senior Sam Loving provided a quick spark with a 36-yard kickoff return across midfield. On the second offensive snap, junior Garrett Jordan made a house call.

“I just saw a hole and I know I’m the fastest, so I just ran around and scored,” said Jordan, who went 48 yards around the right edge to reclaim Fluvanna’s lead. Christopher Johnson added his second two-point conversion run of the game to make it 23-16 for the visitors.

On a night where the margin never exceeded one score, the Mustangs answered. Junior back Jaiden Walker broke a 33-yard run to move the chains on third down. Three plays later, Blake Barnes took his only carry of the night on a sweep left for an 11-yard touchdown.

With the score tied 23-23, the sides traded punts as the fourth quarter clock ticked under three minutes. When the Fluco offense took the field at their own 29, Pace dialed up a sequel.

“I was hype and I just heard everybody cheering,” said Jordan. “Same play as last time. It worked the first time, so we just ran it again.”

The 71-yard sweep proved to be the game-winner after senior defensive back Andre Key picked off a fourth-down pass with 17 seconds left, sealing Fluvanna’s 30-23 win.

“We’re a dynamic team with guys that can make plays in lots of places,” said Pace after Jordan led the way with 116 yards on just four rushes. “My job is to find out who’s clicking that night and what plays are going to work against the defense. It’s a nice thing as offensive coordinator and head coach to have lots of different talent to use.”

A week after the Flucos staked out a two-touchdown lead with senior back Matthew Rea and the offensive line grinding chunks through the middle, this time senior quarterback Will Lambert got things started through the air. On the third play from scrimmage, Lambert hit Loving streaking wide open down the left-side numbers for an 81-yard score.

“It’s just stuff that we practice every day, every week,” said Lambert, who completed 5-of-9 passes for 163 yards. “It’s kind of like muscle memory, getting the ball to our athletes, and that’s all I’ve got to do.”

MHS responded on its opening drive. After Walker, Shkai Pendleton, and quarterback Shade McGann took turns rushing for three first downs and crossed midfield, McGann lofted a pass down the middle for Mason Bendall, who had slipped behind the secondary. The junior tight end made the grab and beat the pursuit for a 48-yard touchdown.

“We weren’t able to kind of manhandle them, and we had to try different things,” Pace said. “Monticello came out and played a heck of a game.”

The score remained 7-7 until the middle of the second quarter as the teams traded fumbles on consecutive plays and had drives thwarted by an interception and turnover-on-downs. Returning to the field roughly where they were before the meshugaas, Fluvanna marched 40 yards in six plays, including a 27-yard reception by last week’s receiving standout Brody Shields to convert a third-and-7. Rea got on the board with a 1-yard plunge and Johnson added the two-point conversion.

Monticello answered with a 64-yard drive, all runs. Pendleton broke loose for chunks of 11, 11, and 30 yards before Walker broke the plane on third-and-goal from the 2. The Flucos stuffed the two-point try to maintain a 15-13 lead at the break.

Monticello received the third quarter kickoff and the offense would hold possession for most of the period. The first series crossed the Fluco 30 before a penalty and sack forced a 53-yard field goal attempt, which cleared the endzone but missed left for a touchback. The defense held for a quick punt, maintaining favorable field position. Pendleton made a diving catch for a 32-yard pickup into the redzone before a holding call stalled the march. Although Laufer drilled a 42-yard field goal, a roughing penalty offered a first down in lieu of the points. Fluvanna’s defense stood firm on three runs, so Laufer returned and hit from 26 yards, giving Monticello its first and only lead with 1:05 left in the third.

Walker led the Mustangs with 112 yards on 20 carries. Pendleton rushed 11 times for 71. McGann added 31 yards and completed 7-of-12 through the air for 119 yards. Monticello (2-4, 0-3) next heads across town to Charlottesville (1-5, 0-3).

Standing 1-3 in late September, back-to-back October wins have Fluvanna (3-3, 2-1) back at .500 with Orange County (3-3, 2-1) coming to Palmyra next Friday.