View Patriots vs Wildcats Photo Gallery 

To the Patriots’ frustration, the opening minutes of their game at Deep Run was like watching a superhero movie, where the Wildcats’ do-everything player Antone Exum starred as one of the X-men.  He was Magneto attracting the ball on kick-off returns, pass interceptions and fumbles; Quicksilver speeding down field and Wolverine slicing through special teams, taking two consecutive kick-off returns in for touchdowns in the first 41 seconds. 

  Deep Run’s flash bang start earned them the upper hand early over a momentarily stunned Patrick Henry special teams.  With a stunning 21 points scored between the two teams in the opening minute, the rest of the game was rather anti-climatic with Deep Run taking the victory 27-9. 

  The game began with Exum’s almost effortless and untouched 88-yard kickoff return.  Cody Harless’s extra point was good for 7-0 lead. 

  Patrick Henry momentarily regained their footing when quarterback Brandon Cash, on second-and-five, answered with a pass to Raquis Morris, who beat his man to take it in for a 75-yard TD. Brandon Wong’s kick tied things up. 

  But then Exum did an 83-yard repeat performance on the ensuing kickoff, scoring once more and some scratched their heads asking, ‘How did he end up with the ball again?

  “Our kicker is a soccer player and is still getting a handle on the game,” said Patriots’ head coach Ray Long.  “We told him to squibble it up high and out of bounds, but it didn’t happen like that.” 

  Despite the mind-boggling beginning, once the Patriot’s defense finally got on the field they shut down the Wildcat drives. But it was the numerous miscues on offense that did PH in.

  On Patrick Henry’s second possession, they turned the ball over on their own 11 on an Exum’s interception. In return, the Patriot defense terminated Deep Run’s opening drive when Adrian Cavanaugh batted down an end zone pass from the waiting hands of 6-3 tight end, Jake Snyder.

  Taking over on their own 3-yard line, the Patriots were only able to advance to their 20 before Marcus Centers stripped Clay Schools of a caught pass; and Exum was Johnny-on-the-spot again retrieving the fumble.

  A less-than-happy Coach Long later exhorted his offense, “We gotta catch the ball,” he said. “To fumble on third-and-two against a team like Deep Run—you cannot make mistakes like that and expect to win.”

  Again Patrick Henry defenders went to work; and on third-and-goal, Exum showed that he was indeed human when the Patriot’s B.J. Moss roped in an end zone pass intended for Michael Dosh. 

  But the Patriots’ offense was not able to advance the ball more than 13 yards before turning it back over to the Wildcats on a short punt that was returned to the Patrick Henry 23-yard line.  Despite a Brandon Long tackle behind the Deep Run line of scrimmage and a holding penalty that had the Wildcats at second-and-22, Deep Run managed to get a first down with a Parker Tuck 24-yard reception, and Dallas Simmons scored on a 3-yard run.  Harless made good on the PAT to make it, 21-7 Wildcats.

  “The guys played hard, but we got beat tonight because of our field position due to fumbles and interceptions,” Long said.  “Our defense held them to one-for-four with less than 30 yards of field position, but you give a team like that enough opportunities, and they’re going to score.”

  With 10:37 left in the first half, Patrick Henry found themselves in good field position for the first time, starting from their 39 after a Nigel Willis return.  Kenny Jamison’s run from first and ten moved the chains, but the Patriot’s progress was halted at that point, and on fourth-and-18, Cash’s pass intended for D’vante Derricott was broken up by who else, X-men Exum again.

  Cash came into the game with an injured wrist, but Long did not feel it was a major factor in the outcome.  “It may have accounted for a few floaters he threw tonight; but it was our kicking game that killed us; and the offense wasn’t able to capitalize on their opportunities,” he said. 

  As the second half began, Patrick Henry found themselves in better field position, but fumbled again on second-and-eight from the Deep Run 38. This time the Wildcats’ Cole Knapp was there to recover on their own 45.  The Patriots’ defenders rallied again to force a short punt, but the offense delivered the ball back to the Cats on a fumble from a Billy Skrobacz tackle.

  The relentless Patrick Henry defense only made the Wildcats go backward on the drive and they found themselves punting on fourth-and-42.  Deep Run defenders returned the favor as the Patriots’ offense were not able to move the chains this time, punting out of bounds on fourth-and-five.

  Starting from their own 37 to begin of the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were able to score once more against the Patriots defense. Exum notched his third touchdown run on the night from 11-yards out. 

  The Wildcats gave up their last two points on a safety as the ball was hiked over his head of Ben Spitzner and carried out of the end zone.

  For Exum, the first minute of action made the difference in the game. “I was able to start strong with those kick-off returns and hit the holes our guys opened up for me,” he said. “After that, we were a bit slow offensively.”

  Wildcats’ head coach Greg Kendall agreed, “It was exciting,” he said. “Antone’s a special athlete.  I’m sure everybody had a good time watching it; but it made our stomach turn a little bit when our offense didn’t capitalize on opportunities.  It really kind of frustrated us.” 

  After suffering back to back losses, Patrick Henry will now look to regroup.  “If we don’t win the next three games, we can start packing our uniforms,” Long said.
 
Patrick Henry 7 0 0 2—9
Deep Run 14 7 0 6—27
RUSHING: Patrick Henry: Kenny 8-32; Cash 10-38; Cavanaugh 5-29; Harris 2-5; Morris 2-minus-7; Sweat 2-3; Wong 2-16 Deep Run: Exum 14-41; Simmons 7-10; Roberts 5-7; Love 4-minus-6
PASSING: Patrick Henry: Cash 7-12-104-1 Deep Run: Copeland 1-1-11-0; Exum 6-12-54-1
RECEIVING: Patrick Henry: Morris 2-79; Schools 3-21; Wong 1-4 Deep Run: Tuck 4-33; Love 1-13; Dosh 1-13; Snyder 6-6