Woodson’s Cavaliers ventured to Springfield on Friday night to tangle with the undefeated Lancers of Robert E. Lee High. The game proved to be an exciting, high-energy offensive shootout with Lee emerging with a thrilling 40 – 33 overtime win. Despite the loss, Woodson played its best game of the young season with its offense coming to life and contending blow-for-blow with the speedy Lancers.
The loss drops the Cavaliers record to 0 – 4. But, the team’s performance, in what many might have thought would be an easy win for Lee, shows coach Joe Dishun has Woodson on the right track as they head into the teeth of the Patriot District schedule.
Woodson’s offense set the tone for the night on the game’s opening series. The Cavs used less than two minutes to get on the board when Jonathan Stokes’ 15-yard touchdown quickly put Woodson in front. The Cavs failed to convert the extra point try, but led 6 – 0 at the 10:22 mark of the first quarter.
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Lee’s offense was not to be outdone. The Lancers took the kickoff, drove into Cavs’ territory in short order, and scored on Quintez Diggins’ long touchdown run. Woodson’s Mike Reaves blocked Lee’s extra point to keep the game tied at 6 – 6.
Woodson kept up the scoring pace on its next series. Runs by Nick Peevy and Stokes and a completion from QB Andrew Mackay to Stokes moved the Cavs to Lee’s six-yard line. Stokes finished the drive from there with a touchdown run and Sam Heaney added the extra point to give Woodson a 13 – 6 lead with 4:34 left in the quarter.
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The Lancers fired right back minutes later, tying the game on CJ Lewis’ short scoring run. Meghan Cox then connected on the extra point to tie the game 13 – 13.
Woodson opened the second quarter with another scoring drive. Beginning from their own 30-yard line, the Cavs used a 20-yard run by Stokes and completions from Mackay to Brendan Hogan and Bryce Mauro to move deep into Lee territory. Peevy capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run. The Cavs opted for a two point conversion try, but Lee stopped the run attempt to keep Woodson’s lead at six, 19 – 13.
Once again the Lancers responded. This time Lee struck with 35-yard scoring pass from Diggins to Kyon Taylor. After the score, Lee also chose to go for two, but the try failed and the game was tied at 19 – 19 with 7:15 left in the first half.
The game’s breakneck offensive pace slowed a bit on Woodson’s next drive. After Marcus Berry’s fine kickoff return, the Cavs were finally forced to punt. Joe Carter’s punt and a Lee penalty backed the Lancers up to their 10-yard line.
Undeterred, Lee’s lighting struck again. After moving out near midfield, Diggins connected deep over the middle with Lewis on a 54-yard touchdown toss to give Lee its first lead of the game. Cox added the extra point and Lee was up 26 – 19 with 3:15 remaining in the half.
Perhaps temporarily out of gas, the teams traded punts before retiring to the locker rooms for the halftime break.
Lee picked up the pace immediately to start the second half. After Lewis returned the kickoff deep into Woodson territory, Michael Jolly sprinted 29 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. Suddenly, leading by 33 – 19 with 10:02 left in the third quarter, the Lancers seemed to be pulling away from Woodson.
Woodson would come back, however. On their ensuing drive the Cavs used long runs by Stokes and Peevy to quickly move to Lee’s 14-yard line. From there, Mackay connected with Hogan in the end zone for the touchdown. Heaney’s extra point moved Woodson to within seven points of the Lancers, 33 – 26.
Woodson’s defense held Lee on the Lancers’ next possession to force a punt late in the third quarter. Peevy took over from there, breaking loose on a run from near midfield before being hauled down at Lee’s five-yard line. At that point the drive seemed to stall as Woodson faced a third-and-goal from the five.
Then, after a timeout the Cavs lined up in passing formation with trips left. The call was instead to Peevy who burst off center and into the end zone for the score. Heaney connected again and the game was tied 33 – 33 to start the fourth quarter.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth quarter, due in part to two key Woodson defensive plays. Early in the fourth Lee lined up for a first-and-goal at Woodson’s nine-yard line. Lee decided to strike through the air, but Stokes, playing defensive back, out jumped the Lee received to snare the fade pass near the back left corner of the end zone.
Woodson took possession at its 20-yard line after the interception, but was soon forced to punt. After the punt Lee moved the ball to near midfield. But the Cavaliers’ defense stymied Lee again when Luke Kaplon recovered a Lancer fumble at Woodson’s 45-yard line.
With time winding down Woodson could not move the ball and the teams finished an exhilarating 48 minutes of regulation tied 33 – 33.
In overtime Lee began first on offense from the 10-yard line. The Lancers struck on second down when Diggins sprinted in from off tackle to put Lee in front. Cox added the extra point, forcing Woodson into the hole of having to match Lee’s success.
The Cavs came out running on their overtime series. On first down Stokes bulled his way down to the Lee two-yard line. The run put Woodson in what seemed to be a solid position to score. But the Cavs’ good fortune and good ball security finally ran out, when a fumble on second down, Woodson’s only turnover of the game, sealed the win for Lee.
Woodson returns to Pat Cunningham Stadium for Homecoming next week to face West Springfield. The Cavaliers hope to build on the positive play they displayed against Lee and to knock off the Spartans for their first win of 2011.
