It was the game fans had been looking forward to all week. The two most storied and successful programs in the region clashing for a region title. The Skyhawks of course having won 3 state titles from 2012-2014 only for Highland Springs to win from 2015-2018. 7 straight state championships for the region by these two programs.

A beautiful Saturday afternoon saw the Skyhawks well represented on the visitor side and the home side always rocking with the stands packed and the band adding to the atmosphere of a great game.

That great game never fully materialized. Close for much of the first half, the Skyhawks will look back at this game and see opportunities that were missed in the first half. Of course Coach Johnson looks at that first half differently. That's what you get in any game... for Highland Springs it was sloppy sluggish play that they were able to overcome. For Bird it was missed opportunities, moments you cannot get back but when you look back on film you will second guess yourself.

The biggest moment of this game came in the final seconds of the first half. LC Bird to this point had played as well as they could without scoring. The defense was for the most part holding their own against a deep Springer squad. The Skyhawks had the ball at their own 15 with seconds left in the half. Rather than take a knee and go into the half down 7-0 to the Springers, the Skyhawks snapped the ball only to see it go over the finger tips high of the reach of the QB, Javion Williams. It only took one play for the Springers to get in the end zone.

Back from the half the Springers scored in three plays and off an interception scored on three plays and a short field. In the span of a little over 3 minutes of actual game time, the Springers had scored three times... twice as a result of Skyhawk turnovers.

The Springers from there could dictate the terms of this game as Bird down 4 touchdowns could not rely solely on the run to get them back in this contest. The problem for Bird is, Jaivon Williams was not a true QB, he was just the latest to fill the position in what has been a revolving door of QB's since Brad Hurt went down weeks ago with an injury. A passing game with just 626 yards this season, 13 TD's and 6 INT's was not threatening.

Highland Springs would score twice more with one TD called back for a facemask and win their 15th region title and last Region 5C title as they will move up to Region 6A next season. The Springers now get a re-match with Stone Bridge, the very team that has ousted them from the playoffs the last two seasons... but this time the game is at their house, not a neutral field (Spring of 2020) or at Stone Bridge (last season).

LC Bird had the ball three times in the first quarter after receiving the opening kick-off following the Springers winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half.

Bird and Highland Springs came away with very little out of the first quarter.

The Skyhawks covered 20 yards in 5 plays on their first possession, a benefactor of an offsides call against the Springers. The Springer defense held the Skyhawks to a 3 & out on their next posession and forced the Skyhawks to a turnover on downs on a posession that carried into the second quarter.

Meanwhile Highland Springs fared no better than the Skyhawks. Two posessions in the first quarter covered 11 yards in 6 plays on their first possesion of the day. A hold did not help matters but more crushing was a bad snap which Aziz Foster-Powell was able to recover but not without a huge loss that ultimately led to a punt.

The next Springer possession was a turnover by Khristian Martin, recovered by the Skyhawks Jhyrie Lawrence.

The Skyhawks offense came away with nothing from the second quarter. The Springer defense made sure of this forcing the Skyhawks to back-to-back three and outs.

The Springers nearly coughed up the ball again but in a scamper to get to the ball between the two teams, the ball went out of bounds. The Springers dodged a bullet but failed to overcome the loss of yards.

Fast-forward to moments later when the Springers offense found their rhythm with an 85-yard, 7-play drive that saw Aziz Foster-Powell carry three times for a total of 20 yards and Khristian Martin carrying for 12 yards of his own including the first touchdown of the day.

After the Springers next possession was foiled by multiple penalties, the Skyhawks got the ball back with just seconds left in the half. You know what happens next... high snap and the ball is recovered by Malik Morrow of Highland Springs.

It took just one play for the Springers to score their second TD of the day with Khristian Martin and Caron Ferguson connecting and the Springers would go into the half up 14-0 following the PAT.

The Springers would score three times in the third quarter but only two would stand. On the opening possession of the second half the Springers flew down the field in 3 plays with Khristian Martin hitting Takye Heath along the home sideline and then Heath going across the field to the visitor side evading Skyhawk defenders and scoring on a 50-yard play.

Takye Heath made another brilliant play when he happened to be in the right place at the right time for a ricocheted ball on a pass play from the Skyhawks and Heath came away with the interception. That setup the Springers at the Bird 30 and it took just 3 plays yet again for the Springers to find the end zone for a fourth time on this day.

Bird had the ball twice in the third quarter... the first a turnover and the other a turnover on downs. The Skyhawks, however, did move the ball down the field before the turnover on downs by way of a pass interference call against the Springers and a fourth down conversion needing just one yard.

When the Springers did get get the ball back, they saw Khristian Martin convert on third down and overcome a bad snap. When Martin had to leave the field for a play, Jakyre Henley assumed the position. In that instance Henley took off like a rocket along the visitor sideline to score from 20 yards out. The TD called back for a facemask but Henley showing off that speed we have seen all season no matter what position he is at on the field.

Things did not get any better for Bird in the fourth quarter. Two posessions netted 20 yards on a total of 7 plays combined. The Skyhawks without a true passing threat were just unable to sustain drives or threaten to end the shutout.

Meanwhile the Springers had the ball twice and on their first possession of the quarter it was the Jakyre Henley show. 55 yards in 8 plays, Henley converted a third down on a jet sweep. Moments later LC Bird was called offsides on a third down. On the very next play Khristian Martin hit Henley with a 20-yard pass which Henley would tag the end zone and the TD would stand this time. Henley would then convert the two-point conversion and just like that, it was 35-0.

The Springers gave us a glimpse of the future perhaps at running back with Javon Robinson carrying the ball in the closing stages of this game for nearly 40 yards, 28 of that on his first carry of the day. The Springers could simply run out the clock knowing they will be playing at home next week against their playoff rival and nemesis... Stone Bridge.

Highland Springs

Aziz Foster-Powell with 9 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Khristian Martin with 7 carries for 62 yards and a TD on the ground plus 3 TD passes completing 10 of 14 for 135 yards.

Takye Heath with 4 catches for 86 yards a TD plus an interception in the third quarter that led to a short field and the fourth Springer TD of the day.

Darius Taylor with 6 tackles.

Malik Morrow with multiple tackles and fumble recovery.

LC Bird Skyhawks

Alvin Townes-Fox 13 carries for 22 yards.

Rashad Lewis with 7 tackles.

Colin Jackson-Gusti with 5 tackles and a sack.

LC Bird was shutout in the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

The 35-point loss by LC Bird was the most they have lost a playoff game by since 1997 when they fell to Varina by 36.

This would be the Springers 6th shutout of the season in 13 games.

Highland Springs has only allowed 10 points thru 3 games in the playoffs.

Lucky 13... Springers have 13 shutouts to their credit in their playoff history; 9 of those in the Coach Johnson era.