Lee-Davis head football coach Jason Meade had to feel confident in his Confederates’  chances of winning coming into last Friday’s Capital District showdown at Highland Springs.  Senior quarterback Phillip Gardner came into the game as the area’s second leading passer averaging 247.2 yards per game and the C-feds had stood toe-to-toe just a few weeks ago in a one point loss against fourth ranked Varina, one of the area’s other top team.  However, mistakes, miscues, and turnovers derailed the Confederates’ (3-4, 1-3) chances early and spearheaded the No. 5 Springers’ (6-1, 3-0) to a 49-14 win. 

  It could not have started much worse for the C-feds.  On their first possession, Springer senior strong safety Deshawn Holmes intercepted the first of the five picks Gardner would throw on the night, returning this one 49 yards for the Springers first touchdown.  On the ensuing possession, senior cornerback/running back John Saunders picked off another Gardner pass.  Saunders would add another interception on the Confederates next possession putting the pressure on the Lee-Davis defense.

  “The defense was put in some very bad spots early,” Meade said.  “And they responded to those bad spots nicely early.  The offense did some good things and the offense did some things we could have done better.”

  The turnovers were costly but on the other hand the Springers could not take full advantage because of an assortment of penalties and Lee-Davis only trailed 14-0 at one point in the second quarter.  However, the Springer’s speed and big play ability started to overwhelm the young Confederates.  Senior quarterback JaQuan Burchette (10 for 12, 250 yards 4 touchdowns, 1 rushing TD) completed two touchdown passes in the second half to senior wide receiver Wyatt Johnson (4 catches, 2 touchdowns).  Then Saunders foiled the chances of Lee-Davis regrouping for only a 21-0 half time deficit. 

  The Springers were deep in their own territory with approximately 50 seconds left to the half when Saunders (15 carries 174 yards) burst through the right side of the line for a 73-yard gain.  The run setup a Burchette quarterback-keeper and an almost insurmountable 27-0 halftime lead.

  “That’s a tough hole for I kids,” Meade said.  “We’re still young and we’re still learning how to compete and overcome adversity.  Obviously our safety was slightly out of position because of the way we were playing the pass.  He’s (Saunders) a good running back.”

  Highland Springs head coach, Loren Johnson, though pleased about his team’s offensive sparks, was much more in tune with their early defensive stands.
  “Was it five picks?” said a surprised Johnson. “The kids did a good job of doing what we told them to do.  Our rule is if you get beat in cover three coverage you come stand next to me on the sideline.  What really helped us big play wise against this team was stopping their drives and getting their offense off the field.  Once we got their offense off the field it put us in a position to do different things. ”

  It was a second homecoming of sorts for Meade.  A member of the Springer coaching staff just a couple of years ago, Meade’s ties to the Highland Spring’s football team are still very evident.  The players from Highland Springs greeted him with hugs and handshakes following the game.  However, the outcome of the game this year was very similar to last year. 

  Though slightly nostalgic, Meade has no qualms on where his loyalty is.  Meade credited his team’s fight at the end of the game.  Lee-Davis scored a quick 14 points off of a quarterback keeper by Gardner and a blocked punt recovered in the end zone by Emmit Atkins.

  “We scored a touchdown and blocked a punt at the end,” said Meade. “The kids continued to fight.  That’s what’s nice to see.”

  Lee-Davis has a short time to think about this loss and then it is another Capital District road matchup this week.

  “We got Henrico (this) week,” Meade said. “And that is not a team we can sit around reminiscing about this loss.  We have to focus on the next play.  And the next play is Henrico.  They run a single wing.  If we do what we have to do as a team we are going to be fine.  We can play with anybody in the Central region. Henrico has a tricky little offense and the athletes that can run it but I always feel it is more about what we do at Lee-Davis than the opponent.”

Lee-Davis ....................0 0 0 14—14
Highland Springs .....7 20 22 0—49
HS — Holmes 49 interception return (Portillo kick)
HS — Johnson 29 pass from Burchette (Portillo kick)
HS — Johnson 31 pass from Burchette (Portillo kick)
HS —Burchette 1 run (kick failed)
HS — Wilkerson 4 pass from Burchette (Carter run)
HS — Holmes 11 return on blocked punt (Moore kick)
HS — Pugh 18 pass from Burchette
(Moore kick)
LD —Gardner 4 run (Castelvecchi kick)
LD — Atkins recovered blocked punt in end zone (Castelvecchi kick)
RUSHING
Lee-Davis — Gardner 2 carries, 13 yards, Atkins 6-9, Scott 3- minus-2, Angus 1- minus- 2; Highland Springs — Saunders 15-174, Burchette 9-16, Wilkerson 2-4, Thompson 7- minus-1, Holmes 1- minus-3. Charlie Leffler
Lee-Davis junior running back Emmit Atkins, center, muscles his way through a pile of Springer defenders in Friday night’s 49-14 loss at Highland Springs.
PASSING
Lee-Davis — Gardner 11 completions, 29 attempts, 96 yards, 0 TDs, 5 interceptions;
Highland Springs — Burchette
10-12-250-4-0.
RECEIVING
Lee-Davis — Becker 6 catches, 62 yards, Connerley 2-18, Atkins 1-13, Angus 1-3, Scott 1-0; Highland Springs — Johnson 4-146, Carter 2-59, Pugh 3-41, Wilkerson 1-4.