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Brooke Point's Chase Barnett plows through the Massaponax line for a touchdown during last night's game.
Massaponax quarterback Shane Ludden scrambles out of the pocket during last night's game at Brooke Point.
Massaponax's Drake Sanders tries to gain an extra yard last night. He ran for 55 yards and one touchdown. |
BY TAFT COGHILL JR.
The Commonwealth District first-place showdown turned into the Chase Barnett show last night at Brooke Point High School.
The Brooke Point junior running back rushed for a career-high 379 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries, as the Black-Hawks handed Massaponax its first loss of the season in an impressive 31-14 victory.
The Black-Hawks (6-1, 4-0 Commonwealth) now sit alone in first place, one game ahead of Massaponax (6-1, 3-1).
"It's a pretty big win but this doesn't do anything," Black-Hawks head coach Jeff Berry said. "You can't win the district championship in week seven. You've got to keep playing out the string."
Barnett finished just 26 yards short of former James Monroe star running back Trell Parker's Fredericksburg-area record of 405 rushing yards he set against Bruton in the 1996 Group AA, Division 3 playoffs.
Barnett had a 67-yard touchdown run called back in the third quarter because of a holding penalty.
"Jesus. I had no idea it was even close," Berry said of Barnett nearly breaking the record. "I'm just so proud of that kid. The last couple of weeks we had to pull him early and he didn't say a word. He doesn't care if he gets the ball once or 30 times, as long as we win."
Barnett's low-key attitude was on display last night.
After his fourth touchdowns, he calmly handed the ball back to the official.
And just as his personality would indicate, Barnett credited Brooke Point's coaching staff and offensive line with his big night.
"My line means everything to me," Barnett said. "I couldn't get those three hundred and something yards without my line."
The Black-Hawks line was able to control Massaponax's smaller defensive front.
It opened the holes and Barnett did the rest.
After three straight 2-yard carries on Brooke Point's first drive, Barnett broke a 71-yard run to set up a 25-yard Zach Hodgen field goal to give the Black-Hawks a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers answered when quarterback Shane Ludden found Freddie Richardson for a 43-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for a 7-3 advantage.
The teams continued to trade leads throughout the first half, but the Black-Hawks had the final say when Barnett scored on a 70-yard touchdown run with 2:46 left.
"They wore us down with the running game," Massaponax head coach Eric Ludden said. "They deserve a lot of credit."
Barnett's 70-yard put the Black-Hawks ahead 17-14.
Massaponax had a chance to take the lead at the end of the second quarter, but on first-and-10 from the Black-Hawks' 12-yard line, Shane Ludden fumbled and Brooke Point standout defensive end Isaiah Hamlette recovered to end the threat.
"I think if we convert instead of fumbling, who knows?" Ludden said. "It might've been a different game."
Instead, the Panthers added another turnover to start the second half just as a rainstorm began.
The Black-Hawks were able to recover a Thaddeus Scruggs fumble at the Panthers' 19-yard line. Six plays later, Barnett scored on a 2-yard touchdown to make it 24-14.
Barnett added an 11-yard score in the fourth quarter to wrap up the scoring.
"[Coach Berry] talked to me personally," Barnett said. "He was like, 'This is your time to shine. If you're a good running back like they say you are, you're going to produce.'"
Barnett wasn't the only one producing last night. Hamlette stayed in Shane Ludden's face all night, finishing with several tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Massaponax hosts Stafford next Friday at 7:30. Brooke Point hosts Albemarle in its homecoming.
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com
Massaponax | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -- | 14 |
Brooke Point | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | -- | 31 |
First Quarter
BP--Z. Hodgen 25-yard FG.
Ma--F. Richardson 43-yard pass from S. Ludden (J. Hildebrand kick).
Second Quarter
BP--C. Barnett 18-yard run (Z. Hodgen kick).
Ma--D. Sanders 10-yard run (J. Hildebrand kick).
BP--C. Barnett 70-yard run (Z. Hodgen kick).
Third Quarter
BP--C. Barnett 2-yard run (Z. Hodgen kick).
Fourth Quarter
BP--C. Barnett 11-yard run (Z. Hodgen kick).
TEAMSTATISTICS
BP | Ma |
First downs10 | 12 |
Rushing yardage41-389 | 34-120 |
Passing yardage35 | 92 |
Passes4-9-0 | 4-14-0 |
Punts-Avg.4-33.2 | 6-29.8 |
Fumbles-lost0-0 | 4-2 |
Penalties-yards 13-103 | 3-25 |
INDIVIDUALSTATISTICS
Rushing: Brooke Point--Chase Barnett 37-379, 4TDs; Brian Hudson 2-6; Leon Eldridge IV 2-4. Massaponax--Drake Sanders 7-55, TD; Thaddeus Scruggs 11-51; Darius Green 1-18; Freddie Richardson 2-15; Diaunte Bell 1-1; Shane Ludden 12-(-20).Passing: Brooke Point--Brian Hudson 4-9-0 35. Massaponax--Shane Ludden 4-14-0 92, TD.
Receiving: Brooke Point--Larry Lowe 3-44; Chase Barnett 1-9. Massaponax--Freddie Richardson 3-75, TD.
Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526| MASSAPONAX 14 BROOKE POINT 31 |
