Lafayette followed a one-game-at-a-time mentality throughout the season, working their way through the Bay Rivers District and Group 3A competition seemingly with ease.
Now, following Saturday’s 3A state semifinal win, head coach Andy Linn doesn’t anticipate anything different entering next week’s 3A State Championship.
“It doesn’t change,” Linn said. “One more.”
The Rams (14-0) built 27-point halftime advantage and withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat Western Albermarle, 33-14, at Wanner Stadium.
The win sends Lafayette to the state final for the fourth time in program history.
“It’s great for these kids,” Linn said. “I think it’s great for Lafayette football, I think it’s great for our region, this side of the state – you know, everyone says this side of the state can’t play football – so I think it’s great for all of those things. But it’s really great for these kids.”
Unlike each of the Rams’ three previous postseason wins, all of which ended with at least a 40-point cushion, Western Albemarle (11-3) managed to keep the score within reason.
A 22-yard screen cut the Lafayette’s lead to 19 midway through the fourth quarter before a disputed onside kick set up the Warriors with a short field. A 41-yard strike narrowed the Rams’ lead to 13, at 27-14 with just over five minutes to play.
Faced with adversity they rarely see, Lafayette responded. After a second questionable onside kick went the Warriors’ way, senior wideout and defensive back Brandon Villanueva-Pernell logged his second interception of the night. On the ensuing play, junior tailback John Douglass broke free for a 55-yard score. Western Albemarle wouldn’t threaten the lead again.
“When that hole opened up, I was like ‘Thank god, man,'” Douglass said. “In the huddle we told everyone to calm down, don’t worry about those two onside kicks, and as soon as they heard me step up they just listened and I’m proud of them.”
Lafayette dominated time of possession and the run game for most of the afternoon. The Rams, led by tailbacks Douglass, junior Joey Kraegenbrink and senior Derrick Harris, piled up 177 yards in a first half that saw three rushing scores. Defensively, Lafayette held Western Albemarle to under a hundred yards of offense in the first half.
Kraegenbrink opened the scoring late in the first quarter, capping an eight-play, 60 yard drive. Villanueva-Pernell and senior quarterback Brendan McGinty scored on back-to-back drives in the second quarter as the Rams entered the break with a 27-0 lead.
The early success didn’t come without injury, though. McGinty, who finished 5 of 10 for 88 yards, left the game with an apparent right wrist injury after scrambling for a first down midway through the third quarter. McGinty did not return.
“If I’m a betting man, he’ll be starting quarterback under center next week,” Linn said. “I guarantee you.”
McGinty’s replacement, junior Cheyton Pine, effectively executed the Rams’ rushing attack the rest of the night. After Harris forced a Western Albemarle fumble, Pine logged his only pass on the ensuing drive, hitting junior wideout Tyreke Graham for a 36-yard score.
After Western Albemarle scored 14 unanswered points, Douglass’s 55-yard score capped the game’s scoring.
Defensively, the Rams harrassed the Warriors’ quarterback Sam Hearn into two interceptions. Hearn rarely enjoyed a stable pocket, spending most snaps eluding pass rushers and avoiding sacks. Still, Lafayette ended the night with four sacks.
“We just did everything coach [John] Byron taught us to do. We paid attention in practice and just did everything coach wanted us to do. It worked out well,” senior defensive lineman Matt Hummel said. “We ran a couple of new stunts that we hadn’t run all year, and I don’t think their line was ready for the pressure we brought them.”
Lafayette advances to face Magna Vista (13-1) at Liberty University in next week’s state final. Magna Vista beat James Monroe (11-3) 41-28 on Saturday.
“One family, one team, one goal,” Douglass said. “Since January first, we’ve been busting our butts off. The fact that we have the state championship next week is just amazing. We’re going to come out mad, that’s all I have to say.”
LAFAYETTE 33 WESTERN ALBEMARLE 14
Western Albemarle- 0 0 0 14 – 14
Lafayette- 7 14 6 6 – 33
First quarter
Laf- J. Kraegenbrink 16-yard rush (Horne kick), 3:08
Second quarter
Laf- Villanueva-Pernell seven-yard rush (Horne kick), 10:56
Laf- McGinty six-yard rush (Horne kick), 4:34
Third quarter
Laf- Graham 36-yard reception from Pine (Horne kick fails), 0:50
Fourth quarter
W.Alb- Herndon 27-yard reception from Hearn (Hearn rush), 5:35
W.Alb- Kreienbaum 41-yard reception from Hearn (two-point try fails), 5:01
Laf- Douglass 55-yard rush (two-point try fails), 4:35
Totals
W.Alb; Laf
First downs: 4; 17
Rushes-yards: 18-54; 53-338
Passing yards: 118; 129
Comp-att-int: 9-21-2; 6-11-0
Penalties-yards: 3-35; 5-40
Fumbles-lost: 2-1; 2-2
Sacks allowed-yards: 4-34; 0-0
