Battlefield claims latest victim, beats Hermitage for state title

Three undefeated teams squared off with Battlefield High of Haymarket in the Virginia High School League Group AAA Division 6 playoffs.

The Bobcats beat them all. The last to fall was Hermitage, the No. 1 team in The Times-Dispatch Top 10 all season. Battlefield defeated the Panthers 26-7 Saturday night in the Division 6 final at the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium.

Hermitage (13-1) was chasing its first state title since 1958 and was bidding to follow in the footsteps of Thomas Dale as a Division 6 champion from the Central Region.

Quarterbacks Ryan Swingle and Devon Greene combined to throw three touchdown passes, and Bobo Beathard returned an interception 31 yards to lead Northwest Region champion Battlefield to its first state title. The Bobcats (13-2) finished the season with an eight-game winning streak. They eliminated unbeatens C.D. Hylton (who defeated Battlefield during the regular season) and Colonial Forge to win the region championship.

Swingle, a sophomore and the quarterback known for his passing, threw TD strikes to Andrew Smith (30 yards) in the first quarter and Jason Hoepker (37 yards) in the second.

"We worked on those routes all week, and Coach called those plays at the right time," Swingle said.

"When you get on top in a state game, you have a great advantage," said Battlefield coach Mark Cox, who won a state championship for Annandale in 1978 by throwing two touchdown passes in the second half to beat Highland Springs by a point. "Knowing our defense and how good it is, we were able to get two touchdowns in a hurry and put a whole lot of pressure on Hermitage."

Said Panthers coach Patrick Kane, "They did a good job with their drives. Their play-action caught us a couple of times."

Contained by the Battlefield defense and stuck in poor field position because of Hoepker's strong leg on kickoffs in the first half, the Panthers caught a break on the opening drive of the second half when Hoepker missed a field goal.

The Panthers then marched 80 yards in 11 plays. Quarterback Brendon Riddick scored from 6 yards out with 4:31 left in the third quarter. John Stiebel kicked the extra point to cut the lead to 14-7. Riddick, the Central Region offensive player of the year, carried the ball nine times for 61 yards on the drive. He had 35 carries for 124 yards in the game.

That was the only time the Hermitage offense got anything done.

Battlefield players acknowledged how hard the Panthers defenders could hit and how fast they were, but the Bobcats responded with a 70-yard drive for a more comfortable margin.

Greene, the running threat at QB, tossed a 10-yard TD pass to tight end Turner Meeks early in the fourth.

"They both have pluses and both have minuses," Cox said of his quarterbacks. Cox speaks from experience, having alternated with Todd Greenwood at QB for Virginia Tech in the mid 1980s.

Battlefield's defense, which had nine sacks, forced the Panthers to pass. Beathard, the grandson of former Washington Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard, cemented the victory with his interception return.

"I saw the play on film and kept waiting for them to run it," Beathard said. "I just read the quarterback, saw the deep post and my eyes lit up. I knew I was going to get it."

Riddick had to be helped off the field after a hard tackle while scrambling in the fourth quarter, but he returned.

"He's a warrior. He fought for every inch every play. He wanted it badly," Kane said. "My hat's off to Battlefield. They overcame a lot this season and beat every undefeated team they played in the playoffs. They're very talented. They earned the victory."

autley@timesdispatch.com

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Battlefield7 7 0 12 — 26

Hermitage0 0 7 0 — 7

B – Smith 30 pass from Swingle (Hoepker kick)

B – Hoepker 37 pass from Swingle (Hoepker kick)

H – Riddick 6 run (Stiebel kick)

B – Meeks 10 pass from Greene (kick blocked)

B – Beathard 31 INT return (kick failed)

RUSHING

Battlefield – Jackson 18 carries 35 yards, Tapscott 5-30, Beathard 2-12, Greene 3-14, Smith 1-2, Agyeman 3-26, Swingle 1-minus 6, Wendle 1-minus 1. Hermitage – Riddick 35-124, Green 6-12, Wright 3-19.

PASSING

Battlefield – Swingle 7 completions 9 attempts 134 yards 0 interceptions; Greene 3-4-17-1. Hermitage – Riddick 5-16-37-2; Jackson 1-4.

RECEIVING

Battlefield – Smith 3 receptions 46 yards, Hoepker 1-30, Beathard 1-12, Meeks 3-47, Wendle 1-14, Jackson 1-minus 5. Hermitage – Wright 4-28, Jones 1-11, Brown 1-2.