Meadowbrook holds off Highland Springs

Troy Taylor was emotionally drained.

The sweat on his face glistened from the glow of the Friday night lights.

He had nothing left to give, but he could hardly conceal his ecstasy.

Moments earlier, the final horn had sounded ending the wild and wooly non-district matchup between Meadowbrook and Highland Springs, and his Monarchs had battled their way to a 36-32 victory on the road.

"This is gigantic," said the rookie head coach.

"Highland Springs is a great team, well-coached, with a lot of great players.

"We made the plays when we had to, but we're just lucky to get out of here with a win."

The clincher came with 1:17 remaining when cornerback Jacaurey Thomas leapt high into cool night air to intercept a JaQuan Burchette pass intended for LeTrey Wingate at the Meadowbrook 11.

"I kept an eye on No. 11 [Wingate] all day," said Thomas, a 5-8, 150-pound junior.

"This time, I went straight for the ball. When I saw it coming, my eyes got big, and I just grabbed it."

The Springers and Monarchs went into halftime tied at 14, but Akil Dorsey returned the second half kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown to give the visitors from the Central District a lead which later became tenuous but which they would never relinquish.

After Dominique Roane recovered a fumble to end the Springers' next series, Meadowbrook, No. 6 in the Times-Dispatch preseason poll, went 45 yards in six plays, the last a 4-yard TD run by Domico Phillips to go up 28-14 at 8:56 of the third period.

The Monarchs seemed in control, but late in the quarter they were flagged for a late hit, and the No. 2 Springers came to life.

On the next two series, Burchette (10-for-17 for 163 yards and four touchdowns) passed 9 yards to Gevonn Young for a score and 35 yards to Marcellus Carter for another, and with 12 minutes to go, Meadowbrook was clinging to a 28-26 lead.

"We did an excellent job battling back," said Highland Springs coach Loren Johnson, "but the most important thing is, we didn't get the 'W'.

"That personal foul got us fired up, and it put us in a position where we could make some plays, but we need to capitalize on everything we're doing."

The Monarchs soon found their equilibrium, and quarterback Andre Coble directed them on a 12-play, 69-yard drive that ended when Phillips followed his blocking up the middle from 3 yards out with 8:21 remaining.

A Coble-to-Thomas pass put them up 36-26.

A 1-yard scoring run by Montrel Garrison to conclude an 8-play, 72-yard Burchette-directed drive cut the Springers' deficit to four with 4:41 left.

"We wanted to come out with more intensity in the second half," said Coble, a 5-11, 170-pound senior.

"Our coach's favorite word is 'finish.' We knew we had to keep moving the ball and finish the game."

Meadowbrook ------------------------- 6 8 14 8 -- 36
Highland Springs ------------------------- 0 14 12 6 -- 32

MBK Phillips 13 run (kick failed)

HS Johnson 26 pass from Burchette (kick failed)

MBK Lloyd 13 pass from Coble (Coble run)

HS Johnson 29 pass from Burchette (Young pass from Burchette)

MBK Dorsey 88 kickoff return (Thomas pass from Coble)

MBK Phillips 4 run (kick failed)

HS Young 9 pass from Burchette (kick blocked)

HS Carter 35 pass from Burchette (pass failed)

MBK Phillips 3 run (Thomas pass from Coble)

HS Garrison 1 run (run failed)
RUSHING

Meadowbrook Phillips 19 carries, 117 yards, Coble 14-64. Highland Springs Burchette 19-66, Thompson 6-47, Garrison 11-35, Saunders 1-0.
PASSING

Meadowbrook Coble 14 completions, 27 attempts, 0 interceptions, 164 yards. Highland Springs Burchette 10-17-2-163.
RECEIVING

Meadowbrook Lloyd 6 receptions, 73 yards, Wingate 2-45, Dorsey 3-23, Thomas 2-15, Wright 1-8. Highland Springs Carter 4-81, Johnson 4-73, Young 1-9.