Is it possible to have the best game of the year on the first night of the season? Some left Blue Devil Stadium last night asking that very question. After rallying from an 11-point deficit at the half, the Lancers watched as time expired with a Kamden Reed 32-yard field goal sailing through the uprights. The Lancers and Blue Devils fought through two overtimes for the season opening win, neither relenting but it was the Lancers with a stop on the 1-yard line on fourth down that would have sent this to its third overtime that was victorious.

It was a game that was highly entertaining but frustrating for both fans and coaches.

The Blue Devils for much of the first half were the team to beat... they were only slowed by costly penalties that must be cleaned up and turnovers. The Blue Devils could never completely put away the Lancers who struggled to throw the ball but found limited success in the run game.

In the second half it was the opposite, the Blue Devils continued to struggle with penalties and turnovers. Meanwhile the Lancers found themselves, dusted the rust off and went to work. Roemell Garcia who struggled in the passing game early came up big in the second half and threw two bombs to complete the comeback in the second half. The defense locked Varina down keeping them to a field goal in the second half.

A tale of two halves, it was only fitting that we hit the reset button when Kamden Reed hits a 32-yard field goal to send it to overtime.

To start the game Varina was on offense after Manchester won the coin toss but chose to defer.

Bobby Dunn completed his first pass as Blue Devil quarterback when he hit Isiah Paige with an 11-yard pass. The Blue Devils had modest gains but ultimately had to punt. The punt however was muffed by Manchester and the Blue Devils got the ball back recovering the loose ball.

The Blue Devils back at work scored quickly but Bobby Dunn's touchdown run was brought back due to a holding call... 1 of 17 penalties called against the Blue Devils on this night. soon thereafter James Reid fumbled the ball but the Blue Devils recovered.

Bobby Dunn and the Blue Devils found more success on their next possession when Bobby Dunn punched it in for his first touchdown as Blue Devils QB and of course the first touchdown of the 2019 season for the Blue Devils.

On the kick return Manchester was called for holding. The Blue Devils penalties were plentiful but that is not to say that the Lancers did not commit their fair share of penalties as well.

The biggest play of the Lancers thus far in the game unfolded shortly into the second quarter. The Lancers were facing a 4th & 1, Roemell Garcia went with the keeper, ran up the middle, saw the opening closing up and changed course veering to the right to find open space and he was off to the races... it seemed he would score the Lancers first touchdown of the season but Lorenz Terry caught up to him and dragged him down, shy of the endzone by 2 yards. Isaiah Todd punched it in from there to tie it up.

Speaking of stopping people... Quantez Christian who transferred to Manchester from Meadowbrook came up with a big stop for the Lancers when he tracked down James Reid as Reid was on his way to the endzone on a big return.

On the ensuing possession the blue Devils Quenton Baylor came up with a 35-yard reception to put the Blue Devils 1st & goal and Bobby Dunn took it from there to put the Blue Devils back on top.

The passing game of Manchester was not so hot in the first half. Garcia and Patrick Watson hooked up on a few occasions but the Blue Devil defense also got their hands on the ball twice... Barry Hill broke up a pass as did Jaiden Carthorn but Nazeer Jordan was the savior for the Blue Devils forcing Manchester to a turnover on downs at the Varina 8.

As Varina's defense was making plays, so too was Manchester. On an end around from Isiah Paige, Brandon Flippen came up with the stop. On the snap Varina puts the ball on the turf and Jalen Igner scoops it up to give the Lancers the ball back.

That gave the Lancers the ball nearly back where they were before the turnover on downs. In two plays from the 9, Isaiah Todd was back in the endzone to tie it up for a second time.

Then came what could have been a huge momentum shift... Varina's Bobby Dunn hit Isiah Paige with a 45-yard touchdown pass, the biggest of the night for the Blue Devils. Wanting to capitalize the Blue Devils went with the onside kick and recovered but... there was laundry on the field and the penalty was kick catch interference against the Blue Devils. Instead of a momentum shift that Varina could have capitalized on, the Lancers got the ball back.

Brenden Shelton had a big return for the Lancers. The Lancers again went to work and Roemell Garcia was nearly intercepted by Linard Scott on third down but the Lancers escaped disaster. They could not punch the endzone but they were able to hit a 35-yard field goal from Mason Domazos to head into the locker room at the half down 11 as opposed to 14.

Manchester had the ball on offense after the deferral from winning the coin toss. On the first play of the second half, Roemell Garcia scooted out a 21-yard run with those quick legs of his. The Lancers however could not do more with it, not this time anyhow.

Varina shot themselves in the foot twice on their first possession of the second half. James Reid pulled off the double reverse for a 29-yard run but another Varina penalty nullified that. On the next play Bobby Dunn put the ball on the ground and the Lancers recovered.

At this point Garcia hit his stride stroking 62 yards through the air including a big 40-yard pass to Deonte Hill. The Lancer defense did the rest holding the Blue Devils to a 3 & out but the back and forth game continued between the two teams.

Linard Scott broke up another Lancer pass and the Lancers took a shot at another field goal but the attempt failed this go around.

Despite a 17 yard pass from Dunn to Isiah Paige, the Blue Devils were struggling to find consistency on offense in the second half. The Blue Devils faced a 3rd & 5 and Bobby Dunn was pulled down by James Bell forcing the Blue Devils to punt.

The Lancers would fail to capitalize however as Linard Scott would intercept the Garcia pass setting the Blue Devils up at their own 36.

There were two instances of possible pass interference calls that the refs failed to call despite the outrage of the Varina coaching staff and their fans. The Blue Devils wasted another opportunity and it was about to bite them.

At their own 28, Garcia hit Quantez Christian with a pass that went 72 yards to give the Lancers the lead! Their first lead of the game!

The Blue Devils were not giving up. The Blue Devils looked to the ground game for answers and on two carries Brysen Ross had 18 yards but did not touch it again till overtime. The Blue Devils turned the ball over on downs unable to convert on 4th & 5.

The Lancers had the lead but the Blue Devil defense did enough to give their offense a chance with 53.6 seconds to go in the game.

Bobby Dunn is brought down for a loss of 10 yards by Brandon Flippen but they more than made up for it with Dunn hitting Barry Hill with a 47-yard pass! With 21.7 seconds to go the Blue Devils get another first down with a 10-yard shot to Paige.

12.9 seconds on the clock, Dunn spikes it. His next attempt is incomplete. Kamden Reed comes out with a shot at forcing overtime and as time expires the crowd on Varina's side roars to elation with the kick good to tie it up.

In the first overtime the Blue Devils got the touchdown in three tries... Brysen Ross scored from 1 yard out having been the only one to touch the ball in overtime.

Roemell Garcia for the Lancers ran twice for a total of 8 yards but it was Isaiah Todd from 2 yards out to tie it up again and force another overtime.

The Lancers were called for a false start to open the second overtime. Faced with a 1st & 15 Roemell Garcia picked up 5 on the first try, stopped on second down and then hit Brandon Flippen with a 10-yard shot to the endzone. Manchester was back on top 45-38.

Varina had to score to force a third overtime or it would be game over. Bobby Dunn picked up 2 yards on 1st down and followed that up with an incomplete pass that was nearly picked.

On 3rd & goal with the ball at the 8 Dunn hit Scott who got it to the 1! It all came down to this... 4th & 1... Game on the line the Blue Devils were shutdown! The game was over just like that... the tension diffused as the Manchester sideline and stands roared with joy as the stands on the home side began clearing out.

A highly entertaining game that went to the very end and lived up to the Game of the Week billing might have be the game of the year when it is all said and done. Manchester 45-38 in double overtime!

Well it is hard to argue with either quarterback to be quite honest.

Roemell Garcia had a slow start but rallied in the second half for Manchester. Garcia was 15 of 26 for 207 yards passing plus 3 touchdowns through the air while tacking on another 138 yards on 26 carries in runs alone. 1 of those touchdowns through the air of course being the game winning touchdown.

Bobby Dunn also had a solid debut airing it out for 262 yards on 15 of 24 plus 2 touchdowns. Dunn also had 2 touchdowns on the ground while sneaking out 32 yards in the ground game.

Honorable Mentions to Quantez Christian in his debut with the Lancers... 4 receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. Barry Hill came through for the Blue Devils with 111 yards on 3 receptions while cashing in a touchdown as well.

Varina was flagged 17 times... 9 in the first half, 8 in the second half.

This was the first win for Manchester at Blue Devil Stadium.

This was the first win for Manchester in the series since 1965!

This was the highest combined scoring game in the series.

This was Manchester's first overtime game since their triple overtime game versus Douglas Freeman in the 2013 playoffs.

This was Varina's first overtime game since 2013 and their first double overtime game since 2010 against Henrico.