The effort was evident and the game plan was executed for the majority of the contest.  However, key mistakes by the Hanover Hawks (3-3, 1-2) allowed the region’s top ranked Varina Blue Devils (7-0, 3-0) to escape with a hard fought 14-9 road victory in Capital District play. 

  The critical loss places Hanover in a virtual elimination series where if they lose one more game on their schedule, a berth in the Division 5 playoffs may not come to pass.

  “We have to do our best and forget about this loss,” said Hanover head coach Joshua Just. “Our backs are against the wall, we can’t lose another one.”

  The Hawks held a 9-0 lead going into the last minutes of the first half thanks to quarterback Josh Wells (18 of 28 for 138 yards and a touchdown) who completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Deane Cheatham on Hanover’s opening drive.  In the second quarter, kicker Rachel Moore added a 27-yard field goal.

  It appeared the Hawks would hold the margin heading into the locker room because their defensive game plan had slowed down Central Region leading rusher Trey Johnson (1,111 rushing yards) who finished the game with 31 yards on 14 carries.  However, the Hawks did not account for Varina’s other running back and in a momentum shifting play, senior wingback Donald Upshaw exploded around the left side for a 76-yard touchdown with 1:36 until the break. 

  “Their slot back, he made a couple of great plays,” Just said of Upshaw, who finished the game with 149 yards and a touchdown on three carries.

  Hanover started their opening drive of the second half following their game plan and moved the ball on the strength of a physical running game and short precision passes.  Running backs Cheatham (11 rushes, 47 yards) and Chris Lee (16 rushes, 59 yards) took advantage of the seams the Hawks’ offensive line created. 

  Hanover had the Blue Devils defense on their heels when Lee burst through the middle of the defense for a 12-yard gain.  With the ball at the 14-yard line, it appeared the Hawks were on the verge of taking a commanding lead.  However, quarterback Josh Wells threw an errant pass off his back foot that was tipped at the goal line and landed in the hands of Varina cornerback Ishmael Banks ending a 16-play, nine-minute drive.

  “Critical mistakes at critical times,” Just said. “I mean you turn the ball over like that, in a game like this against a team like that.

  “It kills you…it absolutely kills you,” he added.

  Still, the Hawks, who physically pounded their opponents, did not lose the lead until the 10:21 mark of the fourth quarter. 

  Again, Upshaw was the catalyst.  In another momentum changing play, Upshaw sprinted 66 yards down the left sideline to set up the game-winning score.  Varina quarterback Hermon Norrell then completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to 6-5 wide receiver Bobby Smith.

  “We gave up a big play,” Just said of the 66-yard run by Upshaw. “We had people in position and we knew it was coming. We blew it up on the line and he outran our linebackers and secondary. That was a great play by him. Really two plays, he won them this game. He made a play and we didn’t.”

  Hanover had a chance to retake the lead on the last two drives.  Wells drove the Hawks’ offense to the Varina 40-yard line.  However, Varina linebacker Quvaughn Jones recovered a fumble after Wells was stripped of the football.  On defense, Hanover forced a punt and on their next drive, the Hawks still had visions of winning the game.  But the drive ended after Hanover wide receiver Danny Trsic pulled in a Wells pass only to be stripped on the sidelines by cornerback Ishmael Banks and the ball was recovered by the Blue Devils.

  Varina head coach Stu Brown felt fortunate to leave Hanover with the win. “They had us well game-planned and well schemed,” he said. “That’s a well coached ball team. We had a kid that rushed for 1,200 yards in six games [Johnson] and they made sure he was ineffective tonight.”

  After close losses in three of their last four games, all to ranked teams, the road does not get any easier for Hanover when they travel to No. 10 Cosby this week. 

  Despite the losing streak, Coach Just feels his team is playing well. “The effort was outstanding,” he said. “That was 110 percent. It means a lot to me, they went down fighting.”

Varina 0 7 0 7—14
Hanover 6 3 0 0—9

H—Wells 11 pass to Cheatham (kick failed)
H—FG Moore 27
V—Upshaw 74 run (Gay kick)
V—Smith 14 pass from Norrell (Gay kick)