VIRGINIA BEACH – Despite a near-perfect passing performance from quarterback Jalen Goodwin, First Colonial stayed winless on Saturday, suffering its fifth loss of the season by less than a touchdown, this time against its neighborhood rival from Cox, 21-14.
Goodwin completed eight of nine pass attempts for 202 yards (185 after the catch) in the Patriots loss. That included a pair of touchdown screens down the sidelines in the second quarter of 90 (Eryk Britt) and 45 yards (Aeneas Riddick), respectively.
Both FC scores shortly followed Cox turnovers, both lost fumbles.
Down 14-7 at the half, the Falcons (6-1) came up empty on a season-long 20-play, 54-yard drive that spanned the first 10:26 of the third quarter.
Their 20th play initially called for a gutsy Tayvion Robinson touchdown run on fourth and goal from the 3, running around a host of Patriots to reach across the left pylon. That was called back on a Cox personal foul in the backfield, leading to Mason Leslie missing a 41-yard field goal bid.
But, after the Patriots went three-and-out, Cox found pay dirt on its next drive.
Facing 4th and 7, Robinson located Leno Lester with a dart. Lester then slipped through a pair of FC defensive backs into the end zone for a 32-yard score with 9:58 to play in the fourth quarter. Robinson then gave the Falcons a 15-14 lead by running in a two-point conversion.
Cox then made it 21-14 on its next possession via an 11-yard half-back pass from Lester to Nate Evans (kick failed).
But, true to form in a rivalry game, First Colonial (0-7) wasn’t done yet.
Goodwin led the Patriots to the edge of the red zone with less than two minutes to go, where a failed trick play on 4th and 5 appeared to be correctly squashed by the Cox defense, had it not been for a roughing the passer penalty setting up first and goal from the 10.
But, on the next Patriot play, Isi Etute stripped the ball out of Goodwin’s hands as he tried to sneak to his left out of the backfield, allowing Jackson Morgan to fall on the football for the Falcons.
Defensively, Cox held First Colonial to -4 yards rushing while posting 200 yards on the ground on offense. Robinson put up 184 yards total offense (96 passing, 88 rushing) while Lester compiled a team-high 153 yards from scrimmage (79 rushing, 74 receiving) - both Falcons responsible for a pair of touchdowns.
Cox, who trails First Colonial in the overall series 34-19, has now won 10 of the last 12 meetings over the Patriots since 2007.
