Lafayette football coach Andy Linn was quick to point out that Thursday night football games can throw a wrench into any team’s weekly preparations.
Funny thing is, Linn’s Rams didn’t appear to miss a beat last night in their Bay Rivers showdown against host York at Bailey Field last night, a matchup between co first-place teams in the district also vying for a first-round home game in the Division 3 playoffs.
The Rams all but secured that coveted No. 2 seed after defeating the Falcons 25-20, thanks to a sound display on both sides of the ball.
Jahlil Green (23 carries, 230 yards, 3 TDs) led a dominant rushing attack that ran for over 330 yards against one of the district’s toughest defensive fronts while the Rams’ defense themselves offered a superb effort in holding the Falcons under 200 yards of total offense.
For Lafayette (8-1, 7-1 Bay Rivers), the victory kept them in a first-place tie with Smithfield (7-1, 6-1 Bay Rivers), who plays winless New Kent Friday, atop the Bay Rivers standings.
York (7-2, 6-2 Bay Rivers), the defending district champs, may have lost its shot at a repeat title, but remains the third seed in Division 3 having already clinched a spot in the playoffs.
“Good win against an even better team,” Linn said after the game. “Thursday games can throw you out of your usual routine – the kids have to wake up and go to school tomorrow – so this was big for sure, aside from all that district title talk and playoff stuff.
“We’re peaking at the right time.”
The only real hiccup for Lafayette came in the third quarter with the Rams ahead 19-7 when Green was stripped at midfield by York’s Devin Washington, who returned it 48 yards for a Falcons’ touchdown making it a one-score game (19-14).
Visibly frustrated as he lay on the field grasping his facemask as Washington trotted into the end zone, Green quickly regained focus. Maybe even quicker than expected. On his very next handoff, Green took it up the middle and went untouched for a 49-yard score to put Lafayette back on top, 25-14.
“I knew I let my team down,” said Green, who is quickly running away with Player of the Year honors in the district. “It was a big game, an emotional game, and I just knew that in order for our team to get it done, I had to get it done. It’s a big momentum boost moving forward.”
Both sides started quickly as each team scored on its opening drive.
Lafayette took over first and moved the ball downfield with eight straight running plays before Green broke off a 28-yard touchdown run to give the Rams an early 7-0 lead after Alex Webb’s PAT.
York answered right back after Dalton Dye took the snap and went up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run that was set up by Tywuan Lewis’ 42-yard reception from quarterback Austin Norman down the sideline.
Later in the first quarter, Lafayette had a 14-play drive ended after York defensive back Jordan West interecepted Rams’ quarterback Brendan McGinty in the end zone on a deep pass attempt to Brandon Villanueva-Pernell.
The Falcons, however, turned it right back over after Lafayette’s Corey Stephenson knocked the ball loose from Norman on a keeper to the outside.
Lafayette took over inside York territory and needed just three plays to score after McGinty’s 14-yard pass to Villanueva-Pernell set up Green’s second touchdown of the half, a nine-yard end-around to the right side to put the Rams up 13-7 after Webb’s extra-point attempt was blocked.
York was forced into a three-and-out on the Falcons’ ensuing again, and it was Green who made them pay once again.
On the first play of the drive, Green displayed just about every move in his arsenal spinning and stutter-stepping his way 36 yards down field. Fullback Scheckel Wallace handled the rest, taking four straight handoffs to pay dirt, the last a five-yard touchdown plunge up the middle to give Lafayette a 19-7 lead at the half following a failed two-point conversion attempt.
York’s offense, which looked fluid at the start effectively mixing run with pass, continued to struggle into the second half. Credit a stout Lafayette defensive front led by Corey Stephenson for wreaking havoc on Norman and the Falcons’ oft-effective option.
Stephenson forced a first-half fumble that led to a Lafayette touchdown and was in on several sacks as both he, Warren Atkins, Parker Kindley and Carlos Coronado each were a frequent presence in York’s backfield.
“Our whole line did an amazing job tonight just like last week,” Stephenson said. “We kept pressure on them and did it as a team; it’s never one person.”
A fake punt late in the fourth quarter orchestrated by punter Dalton Dye, who passed 13 yards downfield to Ben Jagt for a first down, kept the Falcons in it.
With a little over four minutes left in the game, Norman found wide receiver Staffon Smith cutting across the middle for a nine-yard touchdown cutting the Rams’ lead to five (25-20), but Lafayette’s running game wasn’t to be slowed down as they ran out the clock on their ensuing possession.
Lafayette 25 York 20
Lafayette- 7 12 6 0 – 25
York- 7 0 7 6 – 20
First Quarter
Lafayette- Green 28 yard run (Webb kick)
York- Dye 9-yard run (Strack kick)
Second Quarter
Lafayette- Green 9 yard run (kick blocked)
Lafayette- Wallace 5 yard run (2-PTfailed)
Third Quarter
York- Cambell 47 yard fumble return (Strack kick)
Lafayette- Green 49 yard run (2-PT failed)
Fourth Quarter
York- Smith 9 yard reception from Norman (2-PT failed)
TOTALS
Laf;York
First downs: 20;11
Rushes-yards: 50-331; 23-33
Passing yards: 31;162
Comp-att-int: 3-8-1; 10-15-0
Penalties-yards: 1-12;6-35
Fumbles-lost: 2-1; 1-0
INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS
Lafayette
Jahlil Green 23 carries, 230 yards, 3 TDs
Scheckel Wallace 15 carries, 57 yards, TD
York
Austin Norman 9-14, 149 yards, TD
Dalton Dye 2 carries, 12 yards, TD; 1-1 13 yards
