The stands were packed, fans lined the fence... it was just as you would expect for a battle of Central District foes who came into this one undefeated.

Matoaca was off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2006 and coming off a win over Thomas Dale whereas Dinwiddie was 2-0. With a shorter resume given games missed due to Covid the jury was still out on just how good Dinwiddie truly was but the Generals left no doubt on this night.

It was an ominous start for the Generals who moved 45 yards on their opening drive. Dinwiddie got to the Matoaca 12 but had to settle for a field goal try which failed. With thee minutes to go in the quarter the Generals found themselves playing from behind after a Quentin Johnson TD put the Warriors on the board first.

By halftime the score was 14-7 in favor of the Generals who had stormed back. Dinwiddie increased that lead in the third quarter behind a defense that made stops when it counted the most such as a couple of 4th & 1's and execution. They did this without two of their biggest playmakers, Harry Dalton & Kelmari Brown.

Dalton never saw the field on this night, having been injured within the last two days to my understanding. Kelmari played but following his TD catch in the second quarter he sustained an injury was could be found on the sidelines on crutches with his knee wrapped up.

The fact that the Generals did not miss a beat speaks to the depth, leadership and resiliency of this team.

Matoaca never gave up, they drew within a touchdown just before the end of the third quarter but the Generals kept attacking adding two more scores in the fourth to seal the win.

Dinwiddie's opening drive covered 45 yards. Within two plays the Generals were at the Matoaca 15 but Dinwiddie would get no closer than the 12 and have to rely on a Tyler Bell field goal attempt... which failed. An early missed opportunity for Dinwiddie.

Dinwiddie's defense appeared to have forced Matoaca to a 3 & out but the Generals defense was called offsides and Matoaca got a much needed first down. Quentin Johnson busted off back-to-back runs for a total of 30 yards but disaster struck when the Generals Howard Spencer intercepted David Field.

After Matoaca's defense forced Dinwiddie to a 3 & out the Warriors were back on the offensive and having to overcome a holding call that presented a 1st & 22 which Quentin Johnson overcame with his legs. The Warriors workhorse did not relent and with 3:38 to go in the game, the Warriors had their first score and lead of the night.

Dinwiddie would respond with a scoring drive of their own that saw Christian Drumgoole on the receiving end of a 40+ yard pass from Brenton Hilton. Just like that the Generals were at the Matoaca 18 knocking on the door yet again. Five plays later QB Brenton Hilton was calling his own number as the Generals tied it up with a Tyler Bell PAT.

In the second quarter Dinwiddie was hampered by a couple of penalties; holding and delay of game that took an early successful drive and translated it to a 30 yard setback for which the Generals could not overcome.

The General defense continued to play the Warriors tough with another three and out highlighted by the Warriors failure to convert on 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1.

Back on the offensive, Dinwiddie's Brenton Hilton hit Kelmari Brown with a pass and Brown turned on the jets and flew 64 yards for a score. Tie broken, the Generals had their first lead of the night, 14-7 after the ensuing PAT.

As if falling behind were not enough for Matoaca, the Warriors saw disaster strike on 2nd & 8 at the 50. David Field went to the pass and Dinwiddie's Quentin Mankin went low to the ground to scoop it up.

The two teams exchanged possessions before the half but nothing changed, the score remained 14-7 in favor of the Generals.

Quentin Johnson continued to lead the way for the Warriors on offense with three runs to get the fist down. 18 yards in two runs the Warriors were headed in the right direction but Matoaca's defense continued their defensive prowess to thwart the Warriors drive.

With the ball back Dinwiddie covered 68 yards in 6 plays with an empowering Zachary Weaver making plays. Weaver caught a Brenton Hilton pass for 18 yards on first down and finished the drive with a 30-yard catch. Just like that Dinwiddie had a 2-touchdown lead on the Warriors midway through the third quarter.

Matoaca would respond with a 75-yard drive that ate up the second half of the third quarter. David Field put together some completions hitting Bryce Yates, Gavin Hall and Marcus King. Cam Johnson and David Field added to the production with the un and the Warriors were aided by a late hit call against the Generals on the Matoaca sideline.

The Warriors offense continued to mix it up to keep the Generals defense busy and not sure where to go and it worked. 1st & 10 a the 30, within 7 plays the Warriors were in the end zone for their second TD of the night behind a 1-yard shot from Quentin Johnson(his 2nd of the night).

With the Warriors within a TD, Dinwiddie said no way, not tonight. Raphael Tucker had back-to-back runs totaling 24 yards for two first downs and Brenton Hilton's passing game, strong and on point continued to move the Generals offense down field. Michael Rhodes came up with a big play when he came away with 35 yards on a Hilton pass and Hilton took care of the rest with his 2nd TD of the night. Just like that the Generals had a 2-touchdown lead.

Malachi Cook had a huge return for the Warriors on the kickoff making it just 55 yards to go to keep pace with the Generals with about 8 minutes to go in the game. A hookup between David Field and Bryce Yates got a much needed first down, now at the Dinwiddie 40. Field followed that up with a 9-yard run but his next two plays were incompletions presenting a 4th & 1, a scenario we had seen a couple of times on this night and this time the result was the same... turnover on downs.

The Warrior defense went out and denied Dinwiddie another score let alone anymore momentum on offense. They also gave their offense another shot.

On second down Benjamin Pfister came through and got to Warrior QB David Field with the only sack of the game. That set the Warriors back facing a 3rd & 15 and Field went airborne again with his first pass incomplete and his 4th & 15 pass knocked down.

With a short field to work with it took Dinwiddie just two plays to hit the jackpot again with Raphael Tucker flying in from 20 yards out with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. Another Tyler Bell PAT and Dinwiddie had a 35-14 lead.

Matoaca feeling defeat set in never gave up. With Ryley Justus now in at QB the Warriors moved the ball 20 yards in just two plays! Justus followed that up with a 38-yard pass to Byrce Yates that put the Warriors on the Dinwiddie 15. Things went south from there as Justus would be hit for a loss of 1 and the Warriors fourth down pass fell incomplete.

Dinwiddie would take the knee and the win.

Dinwiddie Generals

Brenton Hilton - 11 of 18 for 271 yards, 2 TD's passing plus 2 rushing TD's.

Kelmari Brown - 3 for 72 and 1 TD receiving.

Christian Drumgoole - 4 for 100 yards receiving and 6.5 tackles.

Adrian Parson - 7 tackles.

Matoaca Warriors

Quentin Johnson - 22 for 136 & 2 TD's rushing.

Bryce Yates - 6 for 65 yards receiving.

Michael Shank - 8 tackles.

Gavin Hall - 7.5 tackles.

Matoaca at 4-1 still is in great position for a high seed in the Region 4B playoffs but with Dinwiddie & Thomas Dale behind them, their next biggest obstacle is Hopewell.

Speaking of Hopewell... the Generals still have dates with both Hopewell & Thomas Dale so while they are now 3-0, they still have two tough games ahead of them.

Coach Billy Mills record against Matoaca now improves to 13-4.

Dinwiddie has now won 8 straight at Matoaca's.

Then Generals have now won 13 of the last 15 meetings with the Warriors.