Louisa wins in overtime

MINERAL - In a battle of “two archrivals that like each other,” as Louisa County head coach Mark Fischer puts it, his Lions hosted Orange County on Friday night. For those in attendance, whether on the field or in the stands, it was a classic that will be talked about for years to come.

When the dust settled, Louisa came away with a hard-fought 19-16 overtime victory on a one-yard plunge from Andre Mealy to push its overall record to 4-2. The Lions kept themselves in prime position in the Jefferson District standings at 2-1, a game back of unbeaten Western Albemarle.

“This is a game I’ll remember for a long time,” Fischer said. “Both teams showed tons of character, and that’s what high school football is all about. Anybody who missed it missed a great game, and whoever saw it, I think they got a nugget for the rest of their lives.”

Louisa got things started early, as junior running back Anthony Hunter scored on a 3-yard run on the game’s opening possession, and the Lions led 7-0.

Midway through the second quarter, Orange was threatening to tie, but Louisa senior Brandon Payne picked off a Cameron Hughes pass at the five yard-line. The Hornets would get another chance to put points on the board before halftime, and on a third-and-ten with two minutes to go, the Lions defense bailed out their opponent with a pass interference call to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, on another third down, Louisa again committed a penalty - its tenth of the half - which set up a Hunter Ferguson 31-yard field goal as time expired, and Orange trailed by just four at the break.

Each team’s defense came up big in the third quarter, highlighted by Orange senior defensive end Pierce Glass’s momentum-changing, back-to-back tackles for loss. However, Louisa’s Dillon Hollins intercepted a Tyrone Ellis halfback pass deep in Lions territory again - this time at the 3-yard line, with 1:50 left in the period.

Orange got the ball back at the 11:14 mark and went on a 9-play, 73-yard drive, with clutch receptions by wideouts Evan Walters and Amir Waller along the way. The Hornets capped the drive with a 21-yard strike from Hughes to sophomore Tyler Seal, and Orange took its first lead of the night with 6:31 to play.

“Immediately, our heads dropped and we felt bad for ourselves,” Fischer said. “And we told the guys, ‘Don’t worry about it, in fact, take it as a challenge and say now you’ve made it interesting.‘”

Louisa responded, as quarterback Kire’ Worley found Payne down the right sideline on a big 33-yard play down to the Orange 24. After an offensive holding call made it second-and-14, Worley threw what would have been a wide open touchdown pass that went through the fingertips of receiver C.J. Lambert.

Two plays later, on fourth-and-eight with the game on the line, Worley connected with Hunter, who took it 23 yards to the end zonee to give Louisa a 13-10 lead with four minutes left. Elijah Payne’s PAT was deflected at the line, however, and Orange still had life.

The Hornets were flagged for holding on the kickoff return, and had to begin the drive back at their own 20. With 2:12 remaining, it appeared that Louisa might have wrapped it up, as Rashawn Jackson intercepted Hughes around midfield, but a flag was thrown for holding against the Lions, and Orange had yet another opportunity.

On the following play, Waller made another huge catch on third down to move the chains, and Orange pushed the ball into field goal range with time winding down. Hughes scampered 14 yards, inside the 10 with 14 seconds left, and the Hornets’ hopes rested on the leg of Ferguson, who kicked another buzzer-beating field goal to send the game to overtime.

Louisa won the toss and elected to go on defense first, and Fischer admitted that it had been so long since he’d been involved in an overtime game, he wasn’t sure where the ball would be spotted.

“I had to ask the ref, and he asked if I was serious,” chuckled Fischer.

Even though the knowledge of the rules wasn’t fresh, Fischer and his staff were well prepared for the situation and instilled the Lions with the right extra-session attitude a while back.

“We tell our kids from the very first day of practice that we want to walk on the field being ready to play five quarters,” he said. “If they make us play the fifth in the parking lot, we’re good with that.”

On Orange’s possession to start overtime, the Hornets failed to move the ball and settled for a field goal attempt. Once again, Louisa made a costly mistake.

Ferguson’s 27-yard attempt fell short, but the Lions were called for another penalty, giving the 6-foot sophomore a chance to redeem himself. From five yards closer, Ferguson’s kick sailed through the uprights to put his team on top by three.

Needing a touchdown to win, the Lions turned to Mealy on first down, and the sophomore found a seam and dragged defenders down to the one-yard line.

“The hole was wide open, there was like no one there touch me, and I just tried to punch it in at the goal line [on the next play],” Mealy said.

Mealy did just that, and the Lions escaped.

“It doesn’t matter, records or anything like that, when kids are out here playing their guts out on the field like that,” said Fischer. “You tip your hat to Orange, because they did the exact same thing, we just had the ball last.”

Up next for the Lions is a homecoming date next Friday with 3-3 Charlottesville. Orange (2-4, 1-2) plays host to William Monroe.