22 years and 7 days ago Varina walked off the field at City Stadium in Richmond (then home of the Richmond Spiders) heartbroken as did their fans (myself being one of them). Varina had a lead 27-7 lead at the half and it unraveled in the second half... their second straight loss in the big game.

Varina in the 90's was the team to beat in the Richmond Region and a perennial state title contender and in the early 2000's. Year after year Varina put out some of the best talent in the region with legendary coach Gary Chilcoat leading the Blue Devils but they never got back to the big game.

Four years later (2003) Hopewell would end the regions state title drought and Meadowbrook follow a year later.

In the 22 years since Varina lost by one point to CD Hylton the Blue Devils saw their dominance in the region erode, other teams rise, other teams win titles... Hopewell, Meadowbrook, Thomas Dale, Manchester, Dinwiddie LC Bird, and rival Highland Springs.

Today it was was different... the season as a whole was different. In 5 of the last 6 games the Blue Devils either won by a touchdown or less and in some cases had to play from behind as was the case last week against King's Fork and Patrick Henry the week before that.

Today was no different.

Varina built a 14-0 lead behind a physical defense and an offense that was having no trouble moving the ball on the Spartans.

Anthony Fisher was huge on both touchdowns scoring the first touchdown of the day from one yard out and then with a little trickery he and Myles Derricott reversed roles with Fisher throwing a TD to Derricott.

Just before the half, however, Broad Run got it together on offense behind a Brett Griffis-Isaiah Lemmond connection for 37 yards.

Varina went into the half with a 14-7 lead.

Out of the second half the Blue Devils took control of this game with third quarter touchdowns. Kaveion Keys and Myles Derricott hooked up with a huge 63-yard pass to stun the Broad Run defense a minute into the second half.

Five minutes later Jasiah Minor was punching it in from a yard as it looked as if Varina would run away with one up 28-7 entering the fourth quarter.

Shades of 1999 began to develop in the fourth quarter of this one as Broad Run stormed back behind not just a Brett Griffis pass but also a Griffis run.

The Broad Run defense stepped up and held the Blue Devils from a score in the fourth quarter, a first for the Spartans all day.

Broad Run had the ball and was charging with under a minute to go in the game but Anthony Fisher... the Benedictine transfer who had come home to play for Varina, with his friends he grew up with intercepted Griffis with seconds to go in the game to seal the fate of both teams.

The Blue Devils would walk away champions, their first in three attempts and Broad Run who had won twice in 2008 and 2009 would suffer the bitter taste of their first state title loss.

You can read my live blog of detail by detail moment of the game here, Class 4 State Final: Varina 28, Broad Run 21

Without a doubt there was no one better on this day than Anthony Fisher. This young man for Varina had 136 yards rushing and a TD, threw a touchdown pass for 20 yards and had the interception to ice the game.

Myles Derricott put together a sneaky good game completing 5 of 8 for 87 yards, throwing a TD and found himself on the receiving end of Fisher's TD pass.

Kenny Faison and Carlo Thompson each had 8 tackles, Faison had a tackle for a loss.

Kaveion Keys had 5.5 tackles, 2 for a loss plus a sack.

Brett Griffis put up 238 yards of offense with 188 yards in the air completing 18 of 27 for 2 TDs. He had 50 yards on the ground and and a touchdown.

Kyle Love came up big hooking up with Griffis 8 times for 89 yards.

Isaiah Lemmond was on the receiving end of both Griffis TD's on his way to 68 yards on 4 catches.

Devin Ellison and Nick Levy combined for 15 tackles.

Today Varina added that final piece and now like the great programs of the Richmond Region... rival Highland Springs, Hopewell, LC Bird, Dinwiddie and Thomas Dale... Varina has their state title and for the team, community and alumni... it's meaning is immeasurable.