That Huguenot team brought a swagger with them that they have packed every week no matter who the foe was on the other side of the field. No where was that swagger more seen than at Dutchman Field against LC Bird until Friday night when the Falcons arrived to the 'Dawk'. With their own music pumping the Falcons looked to intimidate the Blue Devils, first by walking out to midfield as a team and standing on the Blue Devils logo to displaying that swagger and attitude if you will as they made their way onto the field jawing with the Blue Devils. The intensity level was intensifying... the Blue Devils defense versus the Falcons offense, that was the show everyone wanted to see.

They didn't get a back-and-forth fight, they didn't get a knockout fight from jump but what those on hand did get was relentless blows, one of after the other that took a toll on the Falcons over four quarters.

Impressive? Yes. Shocking? That's the best word to describe the shutout put on by Varina against a Huguenot Falcons team that arrived to James Dawkins Stadium averaging 49.5 points per game.

Everyone coming into this one knew Varina had a good defense but shutting out a prolific offense such as the Falcons was a tall order. Yet they did just that in impressive fashion albeit some credit must be given to a Falcons team that seemed out of sync playing their worst game of the season.

Be it Linwood Johnson or Charles Scott, Jr., the two and their receivers seemed amiss much of the game failing to connect on passes that in previous weeks we did not see. There were misses off finger trips, just a bit too high or a bit too far this or that way. I counted 14 incompletions between Scott and Johnson which is rare to say the least.

Just as rare were the amount of penalties Huguenot was called for, 11 in the first half alone although Varina had their share with 8. By nights end the two teams had combined for 23 penalties.

What was clear from the start, however, was that the Blue Devils defense came to play. They had heard the noise surrounding the Falcons offense and they wanted to silence everyone.

I said in the preview that Trammel Carter, Jaysean Richardson & Jervell Barksdale would need to play big... well they did. Carter had two sacks, Richardson had 6 tackles and Barksdale had a fumble recovery.

Those dynamic receivers were menaced by the defense of Varina all night with 5 broken passes and Myles Anderson almost had an almost interception. The defense was every bit as advertised on this night and Huguenot experienced it first hand as their season came crashing down.

Huguenot was plagued by four penalties on their first series of the night. The Falcons were able to eventually convert for a first down but with the Falcons on the Varina 32, they went for it and Kaleb Wyche came through with a pass disruption.

A rough start for the Blue Devils with a false start and then the snap got past Kaleb Wyche and the Blue Devils lost nearly 15 yards from jump. On this same series, Tyshawn Moore who had 4 takeaways against Powhatan earlier this season broke up two Wyche passes but it was not enough to prevent Wyche's first completion of the night, a 13-yard pass to DaMari Carter with a little over 4 minutes to go in the quarter.

Varina would add to their 7-0 lead after the defense forced a 3 & out of the Falcons. Varina covered 54 yards in 6 plays with Myles Anderson covering the final 16 with 32 seconds to go in the first quarter. Blue Devils went for two but was unable to convert.

Charles Scott, Jr. entered the game with the Falcons 3rd possession of the game and got a first down quickly but it went south quick with two incompletions and Kaleb Wyche breaking up a pass intended for Iveon Lewis.

A trio of 3 & outs highlighted the second quarter with Varina blocking a punt but unable to do anything with it themselves.

The two teams would put some decent drives together in the closing of the second time but nothing of note Varina would go into the half with a 13-0 lead.

Midway thru the third quarter neither team had been able to convert for a first down, that is until Varina's Devin Henderson and Kaleb Wyche got it going in the ground game covering 29 yards in 4 plays setting up a Devin Henderson 4-yard punch in the end zone.

As soon as the Blue Devils went up 19-0, Varina supervisor Tyrone Nelson made his way over to the Huguenot side to present Mayor Levar Stoney with a Varina jersey after a social media wager the two agreed to.

A controversial moment when it appeared that Charles Scott, Jr. had lost the ball and Varina recovered. The men in stripes, however, felt it was an incomplete pass much to the chagrin of the home crowd and eyebrow raising along the sideline from media members. Two plays later a big swing when the punt was blocked and Jayden Walker scooped and scored to give the Blue Devils a 26-0 lead with 4:21 to go in the third.

Things did not get any better for Huguenot after falling behind 26-0. Falcons converted a first down but Shaun Banks broke up a Linwood Johnson pass and then they turned the ball over on a fumble with Jervell Barksdale recovering for the Blue Devils.

A missed opportunity in the fourth when Varina's Myles Anderson had an interception but could not complete the process. Tramel Carter got to Charles Scott, Jr. and after the Falcons were able to convert on third down, Myles Anderson broke up another pass.

Huguenot had a decent little drive going late in the fourth quarter when on 4th & 15 Linwood Johnson was stripped of the ball. Varina got the ball and would run the clock out.

Varina Blue Devils

Myles Anderson had himself a solid game with a touchdown on offense plus a pass disruption, almost intercepted a pass and had 4 tackles on the night.

Kaleb Wyche continues to make plays on both sides of the ball himself with 53 yards on 6 carries, 4 of 10 passing for 40 yards plus a touchdown. On defense Wyche broke up 2 passes and recorded 6 tackles against the Falcons.

Huguenot Falcons

When you are shutout on offense it is tough to find a silver lining on offense but John Washington III had the best night of anyone on the Falcons offense with roughly 45 yards rushing on 10 carries.

On the defensive side of the ball Jayce Bigelow was about as good as any Falcon defensive player with 6 tackles and a pass disruption to his credit.

This would be Huguenot's first shutout since Oct. 27th, 2022 versus Manchester.

This was Huguenot's first shutout in the playoffs since Eastern View blanked them 42-0 in 2019.

26 points allowed by the Huguenot defense was the most for the Falcons since giving up 27 to Cosby in October of 2023.

In Coach Scott's first two years at Huguenot, the Falcons are 19-4 with 2 of those losses to Varina.

Varina is now 5-1 all-time versus Huguenot with this the first shutout in the series.

This was the second shutout in 3 games for the Blue Devils but the fewest points scored since 18 against Hermitage in September.

This was the third straight season the Blue Devil defense has posted a shutout in the playoffs.

Varina reaches the region title game for a 4th time in 6 seasons.

Coach Marcus Lewis improves to 27-6 at home as head coach of his alma mater.