Atlee Rolls In Opener: Lee-Davis Shut Out

New Atlee quarterback Ruber Rucker's debut was highly successful, going 25 of 35 for 217 yards and one passing touchdown, plus 11 rushes for 80 yards and two touchdowns as the Raiders handled Deep Run with surprising ease on opening night, 55-14.

Meanwhile, Lee-Davis struggled on the road against defending Division 6 Regional Champion Hermitage, as the Panthers shut out the Confederates 27-0.

Next week, Atlee welcomes Patrick Henry while Lee-Davis has its home opener against Hopewell.

Game Of The Week---Hanover 42, Patrick Henry 14

In the world of high school football, Sam Rogers is a man among boys.

Only 5-11 and 200 pounds, what Rogers may lack in height he more than makes up for in skill, lower body strength, agility, and, most importantly for the Hanover Hawks, experience.

Only a junior, Rogers started his 26th game at quarterback for Hanover last night, leading the Hawks offense on five consecutive touchdown drives to help cement an opening night 42-14 victory over rival Patrick Henry.

Patrick Henry actually began the game with a well-executed, time-consuming drive of over eight minutes. But after converting three times on third down during the drive, they failed to convert on a fourth down from the Hanover 16 and ended the drive empty-handed on the scoreboard.

Rogers took it from there.

In a nine-minute span of the second quarter, he led the Hawks down the field four times, mixing strong running with timely passing. He and new tailback L.J. Jones each scored two rushing touchdowns, giving Hanover a comfortable 28-0 halftime lead.

After Rogers scored his third TD of the night early in the third quarter, his night was done. Andrew Knizner finished the game at quarterback, scoring his own touchdown early in the fourth.

Both of Patrick Henry's touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, with new QB Khalil Mock connecting on a 71-yard bomb to wideout Raymon Minor. Then, after a Hanover turnover deep in their own territory, Mock found Minor in the left corner of the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown pass, a play that featured Minor's athleticism as he jumped over his defender to grab the ball in one-on-one coverage.

Hanover has now won six straight against Patrick Henry and lead the overall series 6-4. Patrick Henry starts 0-1 for the fifth straight year.

NEXT WEEK: Hanover opens its home schedule against J.R. Tucker, who came back from a 21-7 deficit to beat Glen Allen 36-21, while Patrick Henry must travel to face an Atlee Raider squad coming off a rout of Deep Run, 55-14. Patrick Henry/Atlee will be heard Friday night at 6:30 on WHAN, 102.9 FM, 1430 AM, and on the internet HERE at HanoverCountySports.org!

Listen to Hanover/Patrick Henry Tonight Online!!

Click HERE for exclusive coverage of Hanover and Patrick Henry in the 2011 season opener beginning tonight at 6:30pm!!

Week One High School Football Schedule

All teams 0-0 unless otherwise stated; all games begin at 7pm unless otherwise stated....

HANOVER COUNTY GAME OF THE WEEK ON WHAN 102.9 FM:

Hanover at Patrick Henry--coverage begins at 6:30pm!

Trinity Episcopal at Collegiate, 4p (LISTEN LIVE at 3:45pm on WHAN, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM!)
Thomas Jefferson (0-1) at Armstrong, 4
Deep Run at Atlee
Lee-Davis at Hermitage
Glen Allen at J.R. Tucker
Henrico at Caroline
Meadowbrook (1-0) at Highland Springs
Varina at Dinwiddie
Thomas Dale at L.C. Bird
Matoaca (0-1) at Manchester (0-1)
Huguenot at Petersburg, 7:30
Prince George at Clover Hill
Douglas Freeman at James River, 7:30
Monacan at Mills Godwin
Hopewell at Cosby (1-0)
Midlothian at Powhatan, 7:30
George Wythe at Monticello, 7:30
Goochland (0-1) at Fluvanna
Courtland at Louisa (1-0), 7:30
King William at Essex
Woodberry Forest at Benedictine (1-0)

JV Game Makegood Schedule for Week One

All Junior Varsity football games involving county schools were postponed due to last night's inclement weather. Here is the makegood schedule:

Saturday 9/10: Atlee at Deep Run, 11:45am
Monday 9/12: Hermitage at Lee-Davis, 6:15pm
Patrick Henry at Hanover, 7pm

Atlee girls win home volleyball opener

Click the title link for details on Atlee's opening home victory over Powhatan!

NEW! Hanover County High School Football Game of the Week!

Welcome to the newly designed HanoverCountySports.org!  Your home for WHAN Radio's NEW 2011 High School Football schedule!

For the past nine years, WHAN has been the home of Patrick Henry Patriots football.  With the addition of our NEW FM SIGNAL AT 102.9 FM in May, we have expanded football coverage to ALL FOUR Hanover County high schools!

Our 2011 Broadcast Schedule:

September 9th:  Hanover at Patrick Henry
September 16th: Patrick Henry at Atlee
September 23rd: Lee-Davis at Patrick Henry (53rd Tomato Bowl)
September 30th: Lee-Davis at Varina
October 7th: Atlee at Hanover (tape delayed on radio 10/8--LIVE on the internet!)
October 14th: Patrick Henry at Deep Run (Patriots face former coach Ray Long!)
October 21st: Atlee at Glen Allen
October 28th: Lee-Davis at Hanover
November 4th: Varina at Hanover
November 11th: Atlee at Lee-Davis

Tell everyone you know to join us FRIDAYS AT 6:30PM for the best in high school football action on WHAN, 102.9 FM, 1430 AM, and online around the world HERE at HanoverCountySports.org!!

Hanover Hawks Football Preview from Mechanicsville Local

The Mechanicsville Local Sports - Hanover will look for success out of the spotlight

2011 Patrick Henry Football Preview from Mechanicsville Local

The Mechanicsville Local Sports - Line experience key with young PH quarterbacks

Lee-Davis Football Preview from Mechanicsville Local

The Mechanicsville Local Sports - Confederates step back to square one

Atlee Football Preview courtesy of Mechanicsville Local

The Mechanicsville Local Sports - Atlee supporting cast looking for leading roles

Patrick Henry girls even score with Hermitage

Click the title link for the latest on the competitive Colonial District race, courtesy of Arthur Utley at the Times-Dispatch.

Greyhound bus hijacked on way from Richmond to Raleigh

Click on the title link for the latest, courtesy of CBS6. Suspect is in custody.

National Signing Day in Area

Congratulations to the following players who signed letters of intent for college football scholarships yesterday!

HERMITAGE:

Curtis Grant---Ohio State
Diamonte Bailey---Virginia
Aaron Lewis---Holy Cross
Brendon Riddick---Norfolk State
Kenny Wagstaff--Carson-Newman

HANOVER:

Deane Cheatham---James Madison

JR TUCKER:

Michael Mey---US Naval Academy
Parker Cherlin---VMI

DINWIDDIE:

Chris Hall---Virginia Tech
Corey Marshall---Virginia Tech
Trey Gardner---Ball State

PETERSBURG:

Kevin Green---Virginia
Keith Johnson---Richmond

VARINA:

Brad Bradley---Old Dominion

HIGHLAND SPRINGS:

Alex Mosley---James Madison
Tareek Folsom---Charleston

MANCHESTER:

Jake Goins---Virginia Tech

GOOCHLAND:

Trevor Jenkins---Liberty

ST. CHRISTOPHERS:

Thompson Brown---Virginia

JAMES RIVER:

Jasper Coleman---William & Mary

LC BIRD:

Anthony Harris---Virginia

MEADOWBROOK:

Irabor Imobisa---Richmond

LOUISA:

Tommy Payne---VMI

Hermitage holds off PH, Patriots finish 5-5

A Hermitage kickoff return from Tristen Wright with :22 left in the first half stole the momentum away from the Patrick Henry Patriots Friday night in their Colonial District finale, giving the Panthers a 21-7 halftime lead on their way to a 41-28 victory.

The Panthers took the ball to start the second half and promptly marched 65 yards for another touchdown, and, with 2:43 to go in the third, Hermitage was firmly in command, 41-7. Playing against many second-stringers, the Patriots staged a comeback that climaxed with Brian Houchens intercepting a Dylan Jackson pass and returning it 85 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 41-28.

Brendon Riddick then returned to the field to lead the Panthers on a drive which ate up the remaining 4:02 of the clock, taking a knee inside the Patriot red zone to end the game.

Patrick Henry finishes 5-5 overall, but 4-3 in Colonial District, good for third place behind Hermitage and Deep Run. Both records are improvements over the disappointing 2009 season, where the Pats went 3-4 in the Colonial, 3-7 overall.

Certainly the highlight of the 2010 season will always be Coach Sam Hart's first victory at the helm, when the Patriots came back from a 24-0 deficit to win the Tomato Bowl at Lee-Davis, 25-24. Who knew as Jay Waller gleefully ran off the Mechanicsville field with the Tomato Bowl trophy that the loss would eventually cost PH's archrivals, the Confederates, a shot at the playoffs.

Now on to basketball and other winter sports at Patrick Henry! Good luck all teams and Go Patriots!

Season Finale Friday!

Patrick Henry looks to finish the 2010 season with a winning record. To do that, they must do what no one has yet to do this year, defeat the Hermitage Panthers. The Panthers are 9-0 and ranked #1 in the Central Region. Can the Patriots pull off the upset of 2010?

Find out Friday night at 6:30pm on WHAN (1430 AM) and online by clicking the UStream link above!

Senior Night at Patrick Henry

How time flies! The final home game of the 2010 football season is tonight as Patrick Henry battles JR Tucker, looking to keep their hopes for a winning season alive!

We'll begin coverage on WHAN (1430) tonight at 6:30pm with the pregame show, brought to you by Beverly Hylton, your local Ashland Allstate Agent! You can also listen LIVE ONLINE by clicking the UStream logo above!

Patriots on the road against Freeman tonight!

How will the Patrick Henry Patriots bounce back after a disappointing 27-21 overtime loss to Deep Run? Find out TONIGHT LIVE when the Patriots travel to the West End to face the Douglas Freeman Rebels!

Coverage begins at 6:30pm tonight, immediately following Collegiate Cougars football on WHAN-AM (1430)! You can also listen LIVE from anywhere at the UStream link above!

Homecoming 2010 Tonight!

Celebrate Homecoming at Patrick Henry tonight! Festivities begin at 6pm, with tonight's Patrick Henry/Deep Run football game kicking off at 7pm! See you there!

Week Six: Patrick Henry 6, Mills Godwin 3

The last time the Patrick Henry Patriots traveled to Axselle Stadium to face the Mills Godwin Eagles, the teams combined for 85 points as Godwin came back to nip the Patriots, 43-42. All of us in the press box couldn't remember the last time Patrick Henry scored 42 points....and lost.

Apparently the 2007 teams used up most of the points alloted by the football gods for the 2010 renewal Friday night.

Patriot fans knew coming into this Colonial District battle that points would come at a premium. Mills Godwin's defense held Highland Springs to 13 points earlier in the season, and survived a road test against John Marshall, the two teams' only common opponent in 2010.

Thus, when the Pats took the opening kickoff 80 yards, all on the ground, straight to the end zone, it was a pleasant surprise, and super start for the road team. Several times during the night I mentioned that I thought six points wouldn't be enough to win on the road.

I was proven wrong.

This was a game where the pessimist would say, "Neither team wants it. They're trying to give the game to the other team." Meanwhile, the optimist would declare, "both defenses have spent the night bending but not breaking, keeping their teams alive!"

Mills Godwin spent most of the second quarter in Patriot territory, thrice knocking on the door. The first drive ended on downs after Godwin failed on 4th down to move the chain. On the second and third possessions, Godwin kicker Whit Beebe missed on field goal attempts of 38 and 33 yards, on a side of the field quickly becoming muddy thanks to the rain of the previous 48 hours.

The Eagles only score would be, ironically, on the first possession of the second half, mirroring the Patriots but not equalling the score output, as their drive stalled and Beebe, who came back from halftime early to do some quick kicking practice, nailed a 23-yarder to cut the lead to 6-3.

Then, for the next 30-40 minutes of real time, they knocked, and knocked, and knocked on the door, thought once they'd knocked it down, but, in the end, did not.

Meanwhile, for the second straight week, the Patriots showed they don't yet have the poise and experience to make the key plays in the second half to close out games with authority. The Patriots twice had it first and goal. Both times the Pats commmitted offensive penalties to back themselves up.

The first drive ended controversially, when QB Jay Waller, seemingly going down for a tackle, tried a very ill-advised shovel pass to Brian Houchens. In the end, the referees ruled it a fumble, and Tom Solak picked up the ball and ran it some 94 yards for an apparent go-ahead Eagles touchdown. Confusion swept the stadium.

When the smoke cleared, it was determined to be a fumble and Godwin recovery, BUT...

....due to a penalty, Godwin's touchdown was taken off the board and their offense took over at their own 30. They didn't make it back to the goal line again.

The PH offense's second "down and goal" series of quarter four ended with Waller running for his life, tackled at the five on a fourth and goal, as a Brian Houchens touchdown run earlier in the drive was negated by, yep, a holding penalty.

Godwin's last hope ended when, with some questionable time management with some three minutes left, they used their last timeout of the second half to discuss a fourth down play deep in their own territory. Rather than punting to try to pin the Pats deep and ask their defense for a three and out, they went for it. Quarterback Dane Forlines was stopped on a great one-on-one tackle by Terrell Archer.

Josh Thomas broke a 2nd down run for 1st down yardage, and Godwin couldn't stop the clock.

Patrick Henry escapes Pump Road with the 6-3 win.

GOOD NEWS:

---More rushing production. Josh Thomas had some hard yards, and put the dagger in the Eagles' heart rushing for that first down at the end. Brian Houchens was solid in the opening drive.

---Glimpses of Waller's Best. Jay completed a huge 2nd half pass to Gibson Vaught in double coverage after slipping in the pocket to keep one 4th quarter drive alive, went 4 of 7 for the night, with no interceptions.

---Indvidual defensive efforts. BIG kudos to Ryan DeRusha, Montel Minor, Andy Joyce, as well as Terrell Archer, for each making one-on-one defensive tackles at key points in Godwin second half drives to either cause a loss of yardage or a turnover on downs.

BAD NEWS:

---Learning to close. Salesmen will tell you nothing is sold until the "close". Gotta have a signed deal. The Patriots' offense had the pen in hand twice in the fourth quarter and couldn't score the dagger touchdown. And, Kenny Mock had a sure pick-six late in the fourth and simply dropped it.

---Glimpses of Waller's Worst. One ill-advised lob throw in the first half fell harmlessly to the ground. The ill-advised shovel pass attempt broken down earlier would have been disaster, except for Godwin committing the penalty that negated what could have been the winning score.

The Patriots return to Ashland for Homecoming 2010 against Deep Run, a historically good team struggling mightily (they are 1-1, 1-4 going into their Saturday game at John Marshall). The Wildcats would like nothing more than to pin the Patriots with their first District loss.

For now, it's simple for Patrick Henry. They're tied for first with mighty Hermitage in the Colonial. The way Division Five teams (Clover Hill, Hanover, Atlee, Petersburg, Dinwiddie) are playing this season, the Patriots, even at 7-3, probably wouldn't have enough VHSL points to make the Division Five playoffs as a wild card.

To extend the 2010 season to week eleven, the Pats must win out. They're the only team left that can win the District other than Hermitage, essentially, unless there is a major upset in Hermitage's future (they have Freeman, TJ, and John Marshall the next three weeks).

It will be fun to watch this young team and its coaching staff respond to the challenge and I look forward to these Patriots putting together that "complete game" performance. Congrats to the Pats for a very hard-fought win, filled with lessons that can help this team make it to the next level.