Big crowd, big plays, big excitement.

The Atlee-Hanover football game was everything it was supposed to be and more.

Hanover, ranked No. 2 in The Times-Dispatch Top 10 and No. 8 in The Associated Press Group
AAA state poll, defeated Atlee, ranked No. 7 in the T-D Top 10, 39-27 last night at Hanover.

The edge-of-your-seat thrill ride for the players, coaches and 6,000 spectators started on the first possession and didn’t end until Hanover’s Xavier Crocker intercepted a Drew Ferguson pass at the goal line with seconds remaining.

“It was awesome. It was exhilarating,” Hanover defensive back Shreve Rohle said.

Hanover (4-0 Capital, 8-0) scored less than three minutes into the game on a 2-yard run by Deane Cheatham, who covered 53 of the 65 yards on two plays, a dump-off pass from Sam Rogers that went for 29 yards and a 24-yard run. The extra point try was blocked.

Atlee wasted no time responding. The Raiders went 66 yards in five plays. Ferguson connected on a 30-yard TD pass to R.J. Price. Joseph Pulisic kicked the extra point to give Atlee its only lead.

Hanover scored the next 20 points on a 31-yard pass from Rogers to Tre Facison, a 5-yard run by Rogers and an 18-yard pass from Rogers to Marzae Brooks for a 26-7 lead fewer than two minutes into the second quarter.

Atlee could have folded, but Josh Doggett kept on making tackles (he was in on 27), and Ferguson capped a 71-yard drive on a 3-yard run 33 seconds before halftime to make the score 26-13.

The Raiders (2-2, 6-2) got the ball to start the second half. Trevor Elie was tackled for a 3-yard loss, then Ferguson found Price again for 64 yards and a TD. The extra point made it 26-20.

“This group doesn’t quit,” Atlee coach Roscoe Johnson said.

Cheatham scored twice more to put Hanover in the clear, but Ferguson scored again with 1:19 left, and the Raiders pulled off a successful onside kick. Crocker’s interception and the clock finally stopped the Raiders.

“That no-huddle offense wears out a defense,” Rohle said.

Ferguson, a 6 - 1, 195-pound senior, contributed 417 yards of offense. He threw the two TD passes but also had the two interceptions. The Raiders fumbled twice.

“They did a great job,” Hanover coach Josh Just. “They kept us guessing, but we made big plays when we had to. I’ll take the win.”

Said Cheatham, “Drew played out of his mind. I didn’t expect that good of an offense. I thought we would shut it down. We thought we could do whatever we wanted to on offense, and we did. It was an awesome game and a great atmosphere.”

Cheatham rushed for 159 yards and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Rogers rushed for 112 and passed for 147 more. Cheatham’s and Rogers’ 418 yards of offense nipped Ferguson by a yard.

Cole Stout and Cole Woody combined for 27 tackles and two sacks for Atlee.

“We knew they were capable of coming back,” Rohle said. “We had to bounce back and make big plays. We did, and we won the ballgame.”

Arthur Utley is a staff writer for the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Atlee ............................... 7 6 7 7 — 27
Hanover….......................19 7 6 7 — 39

H – Cheatham 2 run (kick blocked)
A – Price 30 pass from Ferguson (Pulisic kick)
H – Facison 31 pass from Rogers (Palmen kick)
H – Rogers 5 run (kick blocked)
H – Brooks 18 pass from Rogers (Palmen kick)
A – Ferguson 3 run (kick failed)
H – Cheatham 3 run (kick failed)
H – Cheatham 17 run (Palmen kick)
A – Ferguson 7 run (Pulisic kick)

RUSHING
Atlee — Ferguson 10 carries 77 yards, Elie 7-minus 5. Hanover — Cheatham 24-159, Rogers 24-112, Facison 12.
PASSING
Atlee — Ferguson 26 completions 41 attempts 340 yards, 2 interceptions. Hanover— Rogers 10-16-147.
RECEIVING
Atlee — Underwood 8 receptions 103 yards, Price 7-122, Williams 3-22, McCombs 2-15, Combs 2-21, Morales 2-46, Elie 2-11. Hanover — Facison 4-82, Cheatham 2-33, Knizner 2-18, Brook 1-18, Mahmood 1-0.