September 16, 2003

Danny Lewis
VirginiaPreps.com Staff

Varina received to begin the game and on 1st and ten, received a penalty for motion. Hopewell's defense was looking about as good as anyone's at this point in time as Varina never got a first down and at 4th & 9, Varina punted to Hopewell. Hopewell came ready to play, the punt was blocked and Jarret Brown for Hopewell ran it in for a touchdown, extra point was good, Hopewell left Varina stunned with a 7-0 early lead.

Varina's second series was much of the same, Brandon Minor tried to run but Hopewell did their homework and knew who to focus in on. Varina was unable to get a first down and again had to punt to Hopewell. At this point, it's not looking good for Varina. The punt to Hopewell is awful, going almost straight in the air. Hopewell gets a first down and then is hit with a penalty for false start. This doesn't stop Hopewell as on 4th & 8 Jerrett Brown kicks a field goal to make it 10-0 Hopewell.

Varina receives yet again and on 4th & 12, unable to get a first down and relying only on Minor, Varina punts. Hopewell is 2nd & 6 on the 42 yard line when things turn around for Varina. Interception! Varina takes over on the 34 yard line, 1st & 10 and finally begins to show some life. On 3rd & 4, Marvin Clark rushes 8 yards and gets the first Varina first down of the night. On 1st & 10, Clark rushes for 7 yards but that's as far as it goes, Varina only goes back from there and on 4th & 15, Varina punts.

Hopewell starts their next series in the first quarter 2nd & 10, into the second quarter Varina's defense begins to step up and on 4th & 5, Hopewell punts.

The next series is Varina's biggest of the night, 4 first downs with Minor rushing a total of 40 yards and on 2nd & goal, Logan runs in for a touchdown to trim the lead 10-7.

Hopewell fumbles the kick return but is able to recover on their next series. Again, Hopewell is forced to punt to Varina. Varina receives and this time 5 first downs with a 12 yard reception by Darrell Cottman, a 10 yard run by Logan, a reception by Mario Lester and on 1st & 10 at the 21 yard line, Varina gets hit with a false start penalty. Minor rushes for 15 yards on 2nd & 4 and then on 2nd & goal, Varina fumbles but is able to hold on to it. Logan rushes in for a touchdown and the extra point it good, Varina goes up 14-10.

Hopewell is able to get two first downs but that is it on their next series, the momentum was clearly in Varina's favor at this point. Varina received a punt and on 1st & 10, fumbled but was able to recover but never did get a first down and they too were forced to punt.

Hopewell was able to get two first downs on their next series and were 3rd & 5 on the 44 yard line when they fumbled and Varina recovered. Varina was unable to do anything with their possession and Hopewell received the punt and was able to get two first downs again before fumbling for the second straight series and having it recovered by Varina.

Varina was hurt by a penalty on their next series and forced to punt. The game settled into an exchange of possessions until the fourth quarter. Hopewell was 1st & 10 at the 15 yard line and David Hedgepeth was wide open, no one around him as Bujakowski threw r to him and Hopewell took the lead for the first time since the second quarter and it was a 17-14 game.

Mykell Arrington returned a punt for 37 yards and on 1st & 10, Minor rushed 36 yards to get us a first down. 3rd & 11 on the 47 yard line, Logan keeps the ball and rushes 47 yards to score a touchdown, 21-17 with extra point. Memories of the shootout last season against Hopewell start resurfacing.

Although Hopewell gets two first downs on their next possession, Varina is able to stop them at 4th & 6. Varina begins on the 23 yard line and Minor rushes for 38 yards to get a first down. 3 first downs later, Varina is stopped at about the five yard line and on 4th & goal Varina fakes a field goal and hands off to Arrington who rushes in for the touchdown with only about four minutes left, 28-17 Varina.

This is the point that Varina's players appear to get over confident and the game begins to change. Hopewell returns the kickoff for 30 yards and despite a quarterback sack, on 4th & 7, Bujakowski puts it in the air and Varina's defense doesn't even attempt to tackle him, and completes a reception to Jerrett Brown, who takes off down the field to score a touchdown on a 70 yard play, making it 28-23. Hopewell goes for the two point conversion and gets it making it 28-25. Hopewell kicks an onside kick but Varina recovers it but does nothing with the possession.? Varina's punt pins the Devils from Hopewell back on their own 18 yard line with just over a minute remaining.

Bujakowski then orchestrates a magical drive, with successive completions to Hedgepeth, Hearington and Thorne, coupled with three incompletions and several spikes to conserve the clock, and marches Hopewell to the Varina 36.? Then with 5 seconds left, Bujakowski has time for one last past attempt, which naturally goes to the receiver he has played with all his life, David Hearington. Varina's Marvin Clark has good coverage on the play, but the ball eludes his fingertips and falls into the hands of Hearington who scores as time expires. Hopewell wins, 31-28.

Hopewell --------------------10? 0? 0? 21 - 31
Varina ------------------------0? 14? 0? 14 - 28

H - Ja. Brown 8 fumble return (Je. Brown kick)

H - Je. Brown 33 FG

V - Logan 8 run (Burke kick)

V - Logan 8 run (Burke kick)

H - Hedgepeth 17 pass from Bujakowski (Je. Brown kick)

V - Logan 47 run (Burke kick)

V - Arrington 5 run (Burke kick)

H - Je. Brown 71 pass from Bujakowski (Bujakowski run)

H - Hearington 36 pass from Bujakowski

RUSHING

Hopewell - Brown 7 carries 54 yards; Pigrim 3-6; Bujakowski 4-minus 20; Cunningham 3-14. Varina - Minor 31-159; Logan 13-81; Lester 4-31; Clark 2-13; Arrington 1-5.

PASSING

Hopewell - Bujakowski 20 completions 37 attempts 342 yards 1 interception. Varina - Logan 2-8-33.

RECEIVING

Hopewell- Hearington 8 receptions 157 yards; Hedgepeth 8-81; Brown 2-73; Thorne 1-26; Pigrim 1-5. Varina - Cotman 1-11; Lester 1-22.