By Sara Page, Midlothian Exchange
spage@midlothianexchange.com

The Clover Hill defense came up with the big stops in their District 5 regional football semifinal against Petersburg Nov. 21, but it was a potent offense that turned the game in Petersburg’s favor.

The Crimson Wave picked up long drives in regulation, nearly doubling Clover Hill in total time of possession – 39 minutes, 30 seconds to the Cavalier’s 20:30 – then followed it up with a stiff running performance in overtime for a 22-21 win.

Tied at 14-all early in the fourth quarter Clover Hill’s Christian Conklin booted a long punt downfield that was downed on the Petersburg 3-yard line by Jalen Wood. Despite the bad field position, Petersburg quarterback Kevin Green (29-of-42, 290 yards, one interception) went to the short screen passes. Green hit four different receivers and drove the team 73 yards to the Clover Hill 24-yard line.

The Cavalier defense came up big in the red zone. Cornel Williams sacked Green for a 2-yard loss, then Craig Sprouse hurried the quarterback and kept him to a short gain. An incomplete pass brought up fourth-and-nine for Petersburg. Deep in Clover Hill territory, the Crimson Wave went for it. A short hookup form Green to Damond McLaughlin was stuffed in the backfield by Clover Hill defensive backs Tim Thaniel (six tackles, one for loss) and Holland Fisher (six tackles, two for losses).

Clover Hill took over on downs, but Petersburg had taken crucial time off the clock.

With just 3:02 left in regulation and 69 yards away from the end zone, Clover Hill went to the hurry-up offense.

Joel Caleb (8-of-11, 110 yards, one interception) found a hole on the first play from scrimmage and scampered down the left sideline for a 40-yard gain. A holding penalty brought the play back to the Clover Hill 46-yard line but still gave the Cavaliers a first down. Caleb ran for another first down on third-and-10 to keep the drive alive and put the Cavaliers in Petersburg territory.

On second-and-15, Caleb hit Thaniel with a 24-yard completion. Rushes by Caleb and Connor Donnelly put the Cavaliers within field goal range on fourth-and-three with 11 seconds left on the clock. Petersburg blocked the field goal attempt to send the game to overtime.

“We were tired and that’s been a problem for us all year,” Petersburg head coach Mike Scott said. “We get tired and start making mistakes, and we just had to mentally get ourselves together.”

In overtime, each team gets four attempts from the 10-yard line to cross the goal line. Clover Hill won the toss. The Cavaliers took their first lead of the game on a diving catch by wide receiver Tyler Groves in the back of the end zone. Kicker James Swoap added the extra point for a 21-14 Cavalier lead.

Petersburg ran three running plays. The Cavaliers appeared to have Green stopped on the third attempt at the one-yard line but a second surge put him in for the score. A facemask penalty against Clover Hill put the ball on the one-yard line again for the extra point attempt. Petersburg ran the option and Green swung right for a two-point conversion, which put the Crimson Wave in the Central Region final next Friday night against Hanover. The Hawks were 35-33 winners over Dinwiddie in the other Central Region semifinal.

“I’m proud of our guys. We scored in overtime, we had some big stops on fourth down,” Clover Hill head coach Sean O’Hare said. “A game like that against a team like [Petersburg] is going to come down to who makes the last play, and they did.”

Petersburg ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 8 6 0 0 8 — 22
Clover Hill ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 0 7 7 0 7 — 21

P – McGlaughlin 11 pass from Green (Green rush)
P – Green 10 run (run failed)
CH – Caleb 14 run (Swoap kick)
CH – Wood 18 pass from Caleb (Swoap kick)
CH – Groves 5 pass from Caleb (Swoap kick)
P – Green 5 run (Green run)

RUSHING
Petersburg: Green 19 carries 40 yards; Spain 1-4. Clover Hill: Caleb 29-128, Tyler 9-15, Sprouse 1-15, Donnelly 1-3.

PASSING
Petersburg: Green 29 completions 42 attempts 290 yards 1 interception. Clover Hill: Caleb 8-11-110-1.

RECEIVING
Petersburg: Gregory 10 receptions 56 yards, McGlaughlin 5-89, Magruder 5-41, Johnson 4-38. Clover Hill: Groves 3-34, Sprouse 2-10, Thaniel 1-24, Donnelly 1-24.