With five seconds remaining, after scoring to cut the Titan lead to 36-35, the Patriots opted to go for two points and the apparent victory rather than kick an extra point to force overtime.
But, as Lake Taylor has done to Monacan (in miracle fashion) and Hanover before them this decade, the Titans pushed back at the goal line, the Patrick Henry two-point conversion falling a yard short, thus, ending their Cinderella season one step short of the Class 4 State Championship.
Lake Taylor will go on to face Tuscarora, winners over Salem in the other Class 4 semifinal, next Saturday in Lynchburg, for the state title.
The Patriots complete a season that maybe happened two to three years sooner than expected under first-year head coach Ken Wakefield at 10-4. There will be big losses to graduation, but there is a big nucleus of underclassmen returning, and, no doubt, they will spend the offseason hungry, and motivated by one thing.
One Final Yard.
We congratulate the Patriots on an outstanding season, their best since going 10-1 in 2005. We were honored to bring you ten of Patrick Henry's fourteen games live on 102.9 The Mater and on The RVA Sports Network.
Special thanks to Kelly Hughes and Jeff Keys of Patriot Talk Live for handling Saturday's play by play duties.
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