By Andy Murray
LoCoSports Contributor
Aldie (September 20, 2015) – Coming off a bye week can either make your team sluggish or well prepared, both were the case for John Champe High School in their, 40-13, win over visiting Loudoun Valley High School on September 18 in Aldie.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game this week,” John Champe head coach Jason Dawson said. “Getting prepared was essential and our guys do their work.”
After electing to receive the opening kickoff, John Champe (3-0) was forced to punt on its opening drive, but quickly got the ball back with excellent field position after Loudoun Valley (2-2) fumbled the ball during their opening drive.
Four plays later, John Champe senior quarterback Zach Burdick ran it in up the middle from the 1-yard line giving the Knights the early 7-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Loudoun Valley returned the ensuing kickoff all the way to their 36 before junior quarterback Nick Kalivokas connected on a 45-yard pass to the Knights’ 19-yard line which put the Vikings in motion. After a quick scramble Kalivokas threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Jordan Elam, but a botched extra point kept Loudoun Valley in the deficit.
After another John Champe punt, Kalivokas orchestrated a series of short passes before tossing a 35-yarder to junior receiver Duron Norris to put the Vikings back in John Champe territory.
However — after getting down inside the 5-yard line — a host of Knights prevented the touchdown and forced a turnover on downs.
With tough field position – deep inside their own territory — the Knights fumbled the ball and turned it back over to Loudoun Valley. The Vikings would make the most of it as senior receiver Trey McDyre carried the ball 1-yard for the go-ahead touchdown.
The John Champe crowd was a bit quiet while the Loudoun Valley stands were pumped and rocking. But it would not be long before the tables turned.
That touchdown would be the last points scored by the Vikings.
On their next drive, the Knights did their own running and passing including a 28-yard toss from Burdick to senior receiver Coleman Rafferty to give John Champe a 14-13 lead early in the second quarter.
A drive later, Burdick tossed his second 28-yard touchdown pass of the game to Rafferty — who was able to corral the pass in through two Loudoun Valley defenders before crossing the goal line.
On their next drive — in what some Viking fans could describe as the dagger of the game — Kalivokas was hit hard and left with a game ending injury.
Loudoun Valley head coach Anthony Long then turned to senior Jacob Stapleton – who fought Kalivokas for the starting quarterback spot during the preseason – to lead the Vikings.
After a John Champe sack, the Knights blocked a punt that once again gave them excellent field position. On the first play of the drive, Burdick completed a 50-yard pass to sophomore Carl Garmon — who remained untouched until the 5-yard line — before he scampered across the goal line.
“We got off to a bumpy start,” Dawson said. “But our guys brought it together and found a way to right the ship and not give up.”
In the second half, it was all John Champe. The Knights would go on to kick a 21-yard field goal by senior kicker Will Nichols, score on another Burdick touchdown and force a safety with less than a minute left in the game.
The Knights will travel to Sterling to face an up-and-coming Park View Patriots on September 25, while the Vikings will host the always dangerous Dominion Titans in Purcellville.
Scoring Plays:
1Q JC Zach Burdick 1-yard TD run (Nichols PAT)
1Q LV Nick Kalivokas to Jordan Elam 10-yard TD pass (PAT failed)
1Q LV Trey McDyre 1-yard TD run (Reeley PAT)
2Q JC Zach Burdick to Coleman Rafferty 28-yard TD pass (Nichols PAT)
2Q JC Zach Burdick to Coleman Rafferty 28-yard TD pass (Nichols PAT)
2Q JC Zach Burdick to Carl Garmon 50-yard TD pass (Nichols PAT)
3Q JC Will Nichols 21-yard FG
3Q JC Zach Burdick 9-yard TD run (Nichols PAT)
4Q JC Defense forced safety
