No.5 Varina cruises to 37-10 win

There would be no photo finish this time. No heart-stopping final play. No overtime excitement. No drama.

After four games decided by a total of 10 points, the Varina Blue Devils finally had a breather, as much of a breather, anyway, as they could have when their Capital District visitors, the Hanover Hawks, came at them with a fast-paced no-huddle offense and a fervent desire to get a signature win for their 7-year-old program.

The final last night was 37-10, much to the delight of the partisan homecoming crowd.

"This is the game we've been looking for," said Blue Devils coach Stu Brown.

"We played Varina football tonight. Thank goodness. I'm happy."

The Blue Devils, No.5 in the Times-Dispatch Top 10, scored on their second play from scrimmage on a 65-yard touchdown run by De'Chavon Hayes and never looked back.

"I got good blocks, they opened a hole down the [left] sideline, and I just ran the ball," said Hayes, a 5-9, 160-pound junior.

The Hawks (0-2, 2-3) answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal by Matt Palmen at 0:39 of the first quarter, but the Varina defense stifled them until they pushed across a 2-yard-run by Chris Lee with 46 seconds left in the game.

The Blue Devils (2-0, 4-1) amassed 418 yards of offense, 385 by land and 33 more by air. Hanover had 190 (141 rushing, 49 passing), but 85 came in the first quarter and 70 on a drive late in the fourth when the outcome had been long since decided.

"Sometimes we start out a little slow, but our defensive coordinator, Coach [Eddie] Hansome, made some adjustments, and that's when we clamp down," said linebacker Addonis Robinson, a 5-10, 210-pound senior.

Cody McDaniel kicked a 20-yard field goal at 7:22 of the second quarter to put Varina up 9-3.

Trey Johnson (17 carries, 146 yards) ended an 11-play, 78-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run 28 seconds before the break to send the Blue Devils into the locker room with a 16-3 lead.

Jerel Harrison, Hermon Norrell and Hayes (6 carries, 157 yards) scored in the second half on runs of 50, 8, and 72 yards, respectively.

Hanover ------------------------- 3 0 0 7 -- 10
Varina ------------------------- 6 10 7 14 -- 37

V Hayes 65 run (kick failed)

H FG Palmen 27

V FG McDaniel 20

V Johnson 10 run (McDaniel kick)

V Harrison 50 run (McDaniel kick)

V Norrell 8 run (McDaniel kick)

V Hayes 72 run (McDaniel kick)

H Lee 2 run (Palmen kick)
RUSHING

Hanover -- Cheatham 13 carries, 53 yards, Lee 9-46, Rogers 4-22, Facison 2-7, Thornton 1-9, Brooks 1-4. Varina -- Hayes 6-157, Johnson 17-146, Harrison 5-53, Norrell 10-12, Pegeas 4-11, Finney 1-9, Bostic 1-6, Lawson 1-3, Team 1-minus 12.
PASSING

Hanover -- Facison 5 completions, 11 attempts, 2 interceptions, 31yards, Rogers 2-7-1-18. Varina Norrell 2-7-0-33.
RECEIVING

Hanover -- Cheatham 4 receptions, 25 yards, Trsic 2-16, Underdown 1-8. Varina Harrison 1-19, Pegeas 1-14.