For the first seven weeks of the season the closest game Varina had was a 7-point win over Hermitage. In the five games after the Blue Devils have had close call after close call.

A one-point loss to Patrick Henry.

A one-point win over Highland Springs.

An overtime win over Powhatan by one point.

King George was close for a half before the Blue Devils pulled away in the second half.

A two-point win over Patrick Henry in the closing seconds of the game.

Varina doesn't win pretty but they win and yesterday against King's Fork, they did just that with a script similar to the preceding five games. A touchdown in the closing seconds of the game in a game that was back and forth all day long.

This game was full of intensity from start to finish.

Before the game could even begin, the two teams taunted one another with the school colors flying in the flags being waved by the opposing players. The hand gestures, the creeping to mid-field before the coaches could settle their players down and get them to the sidelines. King's Fork making their first appearance was not in any way, shape or form intimidated by the perennial contender of Varina and the Blue Devils were surely not intimidated by the Bulldogs.

King's Fork who was anything but intimidated struck first, within the first two minutes of the game after their first two plays were anything but memorable. The first pass of the day from Cameron Butler fell incomplete and the Bulldogs were called for holding on a Javon Ford run. Butler was a story and looked every bit the part of a leader in this game and this first drive gave those in attendance a glimpse of what was to come. Butler backed up 15 yards due the penalty scrambled for 9 yards and then threw a dart to Kaletri Boyd who raced up the field out of reach of the Varina defenders for the first score of the game.

Ironically enough, for just about every Bulldog score, the Blue Devils had an answer.

Within two minutes the Blue Devils were in the end zone. The Blue Devils marched down the field with a mix of Anthony Fisher, Curtis Green and Kyree Surita carrying the ball to establish the run early. Fisher was the one to punch it from 11 yards out to answer the Bulldog touchdown and tie up the game.

The Bulldogs put together a long, time consuming drive that began from their own 31. Butler continued to hit his mark in the passing game spreading it out to playmakers such as Bravion Campbell, Khailil Sharpe and even Javon Ford. The Bulldogs converted two third downs and a fourth & 2 to reach the Varina 9. It appeared the Bulldogs would score yet again which would have been detrimental to the psyche of the Blue Devils. Instead the Blue Devil defense stood tall.

First down Bravion Campbell carried to the 7 and was brought down by Curtis Green.

Second down Cameron Butler went with the keeper and was stopped at the one by Amari Baylor.

Third down Butler was stuffed at the line. On fourth down, the Bulldogs went for it rather than settle for a field goal and the Blue Devils stuffed the line again, Butler came up inches short of the score.

The Bulldog defense made their own plays forcing a three and out. The Blue Devils did themselves no favors with a bad snap on third down.

If you like offense, the second quarter was the quarter for you.

The had the ball at the Varina 37 and with a penalty against Varina for face mask, the Bulldogs had just 22 yards separating them and in the end zone and they closed that gap when Butler hit Markeese Green. Just like that, the Bulldogs were back in the lead.

Within a minute the Blue Devils answered another Bulldog score. Kenny Faison had a huge return to give the Blue Devils good field position and they were helped out too by a personal foul against the Bulldogs. Anthony Fisher carried for 8 but a bad snap cost the Blue Devils 4 yards. The Blue Devil offense kept coming and Anthony Fisher scored from one yard out for his 2nd touchdown of the day.

Tied at 14, King's Fork and Varina had scored on 3 of their first 4 possessions of the game. Could they make it 4 of 5?

King's Fork put together a 5-play, 57 yard drive that saw Butler and Markeese Green hookup yet again, this one from 40 yards out as the Bulldog offense continued to play an electric pace.

The only first down the Blue Devils could muster on their next possession would be off of a personal foul against King's Fork. Curtis Green out of the game with an injury put the bulk of the run game on the shoulders of Taemon Brown. With the Blue Devils facing a 3rd & 2 Brown was hit by Kyree Moyston for a loss of 4. The Blue Devils were forced to punt.

The defense of Varina forced their first 3 & out of the game which was huge considering how dynamic this Bulldog offense had been to this point.

With time running out in the first half Varina went to work converting a third and fourth down behind Anthony Fisher and on the very next play Fisher busted off a 14 yard run. The Blue Devils kept attacking and on 3rd & 8 Myles Derricott looked for an open receiver but then pulled off some fancy footwork dodging defenders and moving from the Varina side of the field to the middle before squeezing into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown with 29 seconds to go in the game. With a Gerard Cousins PAT, we were tied again... this time at 21.

Varina had won the coin toss before the game and deferred to the second half. It did not work to their advantage. The Blue Devils continued to shoot themselves in the foot with bad snaps.

King's Fork in two plays moved the ball 28 yards, 26 of that came from Cameron Butler hitting Khalil Sharpe. Butler also converted a third down with a quarterback keeper as the Bulldog offense continued to challenge the defense. With Amari Baylor coming up with a big stop on third down, the Bulldogs settled for a field goal attempt. Kenny Faison would have none of that flying in for the block and keeping the game tied.

The Blue Devils would put together a long drive but they could not put any points on the board either. With King's Fork driving, the first scoreless quarter of the game would come to a close setting the stage for the fourth quarter to settle this one.

Having started on their own 9 the Bulldogs moved it out to the 41 but two incomplete passes coupled with Amari Baylor's tackle of Javon Ford stalled a once promising drive.

Varina put together an 84-yard, 9 play drive that was capped off by an Anthony Fisher 30-yard run for his third score of the day. This score put Varina ahead of King's Fork for the first time but it would not last.

King's Fork would come right back with their own long drive that took nearly 5 minutes off the clock. Butler continued hitting his mark hooking up with Khalil Sharpe a couple of times to move the chains. The Bulldogs faced 3rd & 7 when Butler tucked it and ran for three. The Bulldogs were facing 4th & 4 from 14 yards out when Butler hit Bravion Campbell for the game-tying touchdown.

With 2:35 to go Varina got the ball at their own 20. Myles Derricott carved up the Bulldog defense with a mix of the run and the pass. The Blue Devils got a big break when King's Fork was called for pass interference. Tavis Higgs of King's Fork made a huge play for the defense when he got to Myles Derricott with the sack that backed up the Blue Devils another ten yards. The Blue Devils were now facing 2nd & 20 and that is when Myles aired it out and hit Anthony Fisher as he has done so many times this season. Fisher caught it in stride and nearly took it to the house but came up four yards short. Kyree Surita sprinted up the middle and with 41 seconds left in the game, the Blue Devils had reclaimed the lead.

With 41 seconds to go though, there was still plenty of time for this explosive Bulldog offense to make a play. Varina's defense would not have it.

DeAndre Crump got to Butler with a sack on first down.

Kaveion Keys got to Butler on second down with the sack.

On third down Butler's pass was broken up.

On fourth down the result was the same as a little trick play action along the King's Fork sideline nearly came to fruition but the Blue Devil defender knocked the ball down. The game was in hand...

For the first time since 1999, the Varina Blue Devils would play for a state championship.

For King's Fork...

Cameron Butler 245 yards passing, 4 touchdowns.

Bravion Campbell 54 yards of offense and a touchdown, 5 tackles on defense.

Khalil Sharpe 3 for 56 receiving.

Javon Ford 11 for 61 rushing.

Markeese Green 2 touchdowns.

For Varina...

Myles Derricott 11 of 15 for 180 passing, 1 rushing touchdown.

Anthony Fisher 10 of 57 for 3 rushing touchdowns, 4 for 111 yards receiving.

Kaveion Keys 5 for 50 receiving, 4 tackles and a sack on defense.

Kenny Faison 69 yard kickoff return, blocked field goal.

Kyree Surita 5 tackles on defense, game winning touchdown run.

King's Fork's 28 points was the most anyone scored on Varina all season.

35 points allowed by the Bulldogs was the second most given up by King's Fork this season. In both cases, the Bulldogs lost.

At 11-2, 465 point scored this season and a state semifinal appearance, this is by far the best King's Fork season ever.

This is only Varina's second state semifinal win ever at home, the first came in 1998 over Centreville.

Varina reaches the state finals for the first time since 1999!

In 5 of Varina's last 6 games, the game has been decided by a touchdown or less.

Varina will meet Broad Run next Saturday at noon for the first time ever at Liberty University.