JV Defeats Shenandoah, 7-6

The Bridgewater JV team traveled to Winchester on Thursday night and defeated Shenandoah's JV, 7-6. It was a cool 55 degrees with rain falling throughout most of the evening.

The first half was dominated by the Eagles, as the offense totaled 128 yards on 17 plays. BC gained 75 yards on 4-of-5 passing, while adding 53 yards on 12 carries. The Eagles defense held the Hornets to only 13 yards on 14 plays. Shenandoah was 0-for-3 passing, with the 13 yards being gained on 11 runs.

On the first possession of the game, Bridgewater took the ball 60 yards on nine plays before sophomore Jared Miller missed a 28-yard field goal attempt. The Eagles defense forced a Hornet punt on their first possession after a total of negative three yards on three rushes.

After getting the ball back near the 50-yard line, the Eagles offense would find the end zone in only four plays. On the first play, freshman quarterback Patrick Smoot handed off to wide receiver Chet Landes - a QB in high school - who then threw it 36 yards to freshman WR Corey Johnson. After an offsides penalty that backed them up five yards and a sack for another eight, Smoot found Johnson who ran it in for the 30-yard score. Miller's extra point made it 7-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter.

On Shenandoah's next possession, Eagles sophomore defensive linemen Patrick Lowery and freshman Willis Vann tackled the Shenandoah QB for a loss of two yards on first down. On second-and-12, Lowery hurried the QB which led to an incomplete pass. On third-and-12, a deep pass was broken up by sophomore defensive back Mark Brenneman.

The rest of the first half would be a game of field position as the Eagles took their 7-0 lead into the break.

The Hornets scored on their first possession of the second half thanks to a 48-yard touchdown run by freshman running back BJ Smoot. A missed extra point would be the difference in the game, with the Eagles still leading 7-6.

After the Eagles were forced to punt, the Hornets look poised to score again. They rushed four times for 21 yards, but on a third-and-nine from Bridgewater's two-yard line, freshman quarterback Ernest Brown fumbled the ball which was recovered by BC's freshman defensive back Tee Anderson.

With eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Hornets were on the move again. Starting on their own 40-yard line, they would move it to Bridgewater's 43-yard line on five runs. On fourth-and-five with just under four minutes to go, Brown dropped back to pass only to be hurried by freshman defensive lineman Emanuel Hoffman, leading to an incomplete pass.

After BC ran three minutes off the clock, sophomore Matt Husbands punted the ball out at Shenandoah's four-yard line. With only 10 seconds remaining, the Hornets were forced to heave it. Anderson broke up the pass to secure the Eagle victory.

Smoot played the whole first half and much of the third quarter, finishing 3-of-5 passing for 39 yards. He also ran 10 times for 16 yards. Freshman Robbie Lawrence came in and completed one pass for eight yards.

Freshman tailback Warner Williams led the ground attack with five carries for 49 yards. Freshman Brad Jones rushed for nine yards on five attempts, while freshman Will Osborne carried it three times for nine yards.

Sophomore fullback Bret Mottice gained four yards on one carry while freshman Darryl Forbes had three yards on one rush.

Johnson tallied 66 yards on two receptions, while Mottice caught two passes for 11 yards and freshman wide out Dave Hewitt hauled in a pass for six yards.

Freshman linebacker Jason Jones led the Bridgewater defense with five tackles, while Anderson added four. Junior linebacker Nolan Chase, freshman defensive lineman Layne Sheppard and freshman defensive back Jerome Butler each added three tackles.

JV (2-1) will play their final game on Nov. 5 when they host Gallaudet University at Jopson Field. Kickoff is set for 1 pm.