By Rick Kozlowski
HEDGESVILLE — Washington’s modus operandi this season has been to use the fourth quarter to win its games.
The two previous weeks, the Patriots claimed comeback victories over Northern Panhandle teams. Even in an opening week overtime loss to Woodrow Wilson, Washington came back late to force the extra session.
Although the Patriots didn’t need to score in the fourth quarter to win Friday night against Hedgesville at remodeled Mumaw Stadium, they did.
Washington tallied 28 points in the final period, including two touchdowns in the final minute, on the way to a 42-7 victory over the Eagles in league action.
“I think when adversity hits,” Washington quarterback Michael Thompson said, “we did something about it; we play harder.
“We’ll run through the wall. We start to go, push each other and gets us on track.”
The Patriots came in ranked ninth and Hedgesville 10th in the Class AAAA West Virginia Secondary School Activity School ranking.
“It was 737 days from when we won our last (Eastern Panhandle Athletic League) game,” Washington coach Terry Rea said. “The last time was two years ago in the first game against Hedgesville.”
Hedgesville played its first game on its sparkling new artificial-turf field after spending much of last season on the road because a sinkhole developed on the grass surface, leaving it unplayable.
The Eagles also were celebrating homecoming, but it was an emotional day for many associated with Hedgesville because of the unexpected death the day before of a long-time retired coach and alumnus of the school.
The late Ben Merica coached pretty much every sport Hedgesville offered, was known mostly as the varsity baseball coach and was beloved as an extraordinary gentleman.
The school paid tribute to Merica during the pregame, but Hedgesville was unable to gain any motivation from the memorial against the Patriots.
Washington limited the Eagles to 61 yards in the first half while building a 14-0 lead.
Allen Casey’s 26-yard run started the scoring for Washington in the first quarter and then quarterback Michael Thompson pushed in from the 2-yard line with 58 seconds left in the half.
The Eagles, though, closed to within one touchdown with 3:39 left in the third quarter as quarterback Chaz Milburn zipped a 15-yard touchdown pass to Woody Smith on a skinny post.
Gavin Young, who returned an interception for 105 yards in a one-touchdown win over Keyser two weeks ago, set up the Hedgesville touchdown with another long interception return.
He picked off a Thompson pass at Hedgesville 24, and zigged and zagged through traffic and finally was tackled 49 yards later at the Washington 27.
The next series, though, Washington padded its lead.
Thompson ran 5 yards for his second touchdown on fourth down just into the fourth quarter, and then Tavon Jones raced 34 yards for a touchdown the next series, giving Washington a 28-7 lead with 2:40 remaining.
“We got the ball back and went down and scored,” Thompson said.
Washington finished the victory with a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by Terry Rea III with 53 second left. Braylon Holmes then rushed 15 yards for a touchdown 19 seconds later after an interception at midfield by Kyree Brooks.
Jones ran the ball 19 times for 139 yards. Casey added 71 yards on six carries.
Hedgesville finished with 132 total yards in falling to 2-2.
“It was a little different because in three of the last four games, we’ve had to stay sharp the whole game,” Rea said.
Washington is delighted by its 4-1 record and has set its goal on finishing in the top eight of division’s 16 teams for the playoffs to host its first home game.
Washington should be tested in the next two weeks.
The Patriots host top-ranked, undefeated and unscored on Spring Mills next Friday and tangle a week later with undefeated, second-ranked defending Class AAA state champion Martinsburg.
Hedgesville, which began the season 2-0 and was ranked third in the initial SSAC ratings, suffered its second lopsided loss in a row, hosts Jefferson a week from tonight.
