Let's take a trip down memory lane to the 2021 Fall season, a season in which Varina won 6 of their last 7 games in close contests. Fast forward to last night in which the Blue Devils were again in a tight battle with undefeated Hanover and guess what... they did it again.

Varina emerged the victor overcoming turnovers, miscues, penalties and a relentless Hanover Hawks team that does not know quit. The Hawks were not entirely clean themselves with penalties and missed opportunities that came back to bite them in the end. A missed field goal and two failed two-point conversions were points the Hawks could have used to close the gap near the end and perhaps changed the complexion of the ending.

The Hawks took it to Varina often, challenging the defense like few teams had this season. The Hawks defense as they have been all season were aggressive and they were opportunistic. Grady Fahed a perfect example of this with a fumble recovery in addition to his 6 tackles or the blocked punt by Peyton Seelmann.

Varina's defense to their credit made the stops when they needed to. At times the Hawks appeared to have things rolling on offense and then they would hit a wall. Marquis Vincent, Kenny Faison, Christian Payne and Malakiah Brooks-Moore were a handful of the Blue Devils that recoded multiple tackles.

A 14-6 halftime lead became a 14-12 contest in the 4th but a methodical drive that saw Myles Derricott leading the way with his legs proved to be a difference maker eating up clock, yards and an all-important touchdown to make it a 2-score game with a little over two minutes on the clock.

It was not the prettiest of wins but not every win is gonna be.

The Blue Devils got off to a banging start forcing the Hawks to a 3 & out and then putting together a 26-yard drive with a short field to work with. The first scoring of the night for the Blue was all about the run with carries from Taemon Brown, Myles Derricott and Eric Smith who was the last one to touch the ball going in from one-yard out.

Hanover would not go quietly. The Hawks responded with a 75-yard drive aided by a face mask against Varina. On two carries Peyton Seelmann chewed up 23 yards and Malachi Madden caught a 16-yard pass to keep things moving in the right direction. This drive however was soured by a false start for which the Hawks would not overcome.

The Hawks defense held Varina to their first 3 & out and that is when things really began to get interesting. On a Varina punt Peyton Seelmann flew in with the block. The Hawks back on offense with a short field made good on it with a 4-play drive that saw Cole Elrod and Peyton Seelmann the playmakers with Seelmann scoring from a yard out. A 2-point conversion failed but the Hawks were one point down to the defending Class 4 champions.

On the ensuring kick the Hawks went with the onside and it went their way, just like that the Hawks were back on offense with a chance to capitalize. On the first play, the Hawks were called for a false start. Moments later it was the Varina defense erring jumping offsides and giving the Hawks a first down on a 4th & 2 situation. On third down, defensive end Darius Wilson came up with a big hit and loss of 9 yards for the Hawks. They had no choice but to punt An opportunity to seize control of the game, missed.

7 plays and 82 yards later it was Varina taking control behind Eric Smith's second TD of the night. The Blue Devils went to the air and hit their targets moving the ball right down the field with Myles Derricott hooking up with Jordan Edwards, Smith and Kaveion Keys. Derricott hit Smith along the Hawk sideline as Smith fought and stretched for every yard he could get till he got to that end zone.

Varina's defense held the Hawks to their second 3 & out and the Blue Devils would take a 14-6 lead into the half.

The third quarter really set the stage for a big fourth quarter.

Varina with the ball first having won the coin toss and electing to defer was moving the ball. After a false start call set them back, Myles Derricott hit Jordan Edwards along the Varina sidelines but on the next play the Blue Devils would fumble with the end zone in sight! Grady Fahed of the Hawks would come away with the turnover.

Varina would not have to wait long to be back on offense as they held the Hawks to a 3 & out. Back on offense Varina again was making plays with the ball at the Hanover 35 but a false start call would stall the Varina drive. A pass to Kaveion Keys would be juggled, never secured and fall incomplete. The Blue Devils so close chose to go for it but the Hawks defense would not have it and forced a turnover on downs.

The Hawks would then put together their longest drive of the second half, a 77-yard scoring drive that would begin in the third but finish in the fourth. Right away the Hawks fed the ball to Peyton Seelmann who in 2 plays gobbled up 11 yards. The Hawks faced with a 4th & 5 hit Zachary Tyler with a much needed first down. Moments later it was none other than Peyton Seelmann powering through the defense for a first down before bring brought down by Elijah Brown.

Just before the quarter would come to a close it seemed as though linebacker Kaveion Keys had himself a takedown of Beau Sahnow but it rained yellow as the Blue Devils were called for a face mask.

Facing 3rd & 5 Beau Sahnow tucked it and ran for an 18-yard gain and the Hawks just kept coming. Beau followed that up three plays later with another first down run, this time on 3rd & 7 down to the Varina 10! Christian Payne got to Seelmann on 1st & goal but it was a different story on second and goal with Peyton on the receiving end of 15-yard TD pass and just like that, the Hawks were within two. The Hawks failed to convert the two-point conversion but the Hawks stand was as loud as it had been all night and the pendulum of momentum was certainly swinging.

How would the Blue Devils respond? With a 6-minute time methodical time consuming drive that would begin at their own 42. A drive that would see Myles Derricott lead the show with 50 yards on 4 carries! Myles could not be stopped on this drive and it was only fitting that he finish it off scoring from one yard. Vy'Sean Royster added the PAT and the Blue Devils had put all the pressure back on the Hawks with a little over two minutes to go and now down 9.

With the ball at their own 30, they would need two possessions to have any chance of pulling off the comeback at this point. A pass to Peyton Seelmann on third down bailed the Hawks out despite a flag against them. The Hawks had a fresh set of downs to work with but Beau Sahnow was hit on the next play for a loss of 6... an all very important hit for the Blue Devils as it forced the hand of the Hawks.

Time ticking away, Hanover put the ball in the air three times and not once could the Hawks extend the drive. The Hawks turning it over on downs could do nothing to stop Varina at this point.

Varina would simply watch time expire as they survived with a 21-12 win over Hanover.

Varina Blue Devils

Myles Derricott - 17 carries for 80 yards and a TD while completing 13 of 17 for 150 yards and a TD.

Eric Smith - 3 catches for 45 yards and a TD plus a TD on the ground.

Kenny Faison - 4 tackles.

Hanover Hawks

Peyton Seelmann - 16 carries for 42 yards and a TD to go with 4 catches for 33 yards and a TD. Also blocked a Varina punt.

Grady Fahed - 6 tackles and a fumble recovery.

***All stats are completely unofficial.***

12 points put on Varina by Hanover is the most by a Blue Devil opponent thus far this season.

Varina improves to 8-1 at Hanover and 16-3 overall in series.

21 points allowed by the Hawks were the fewest allowed to Varina since 2015 when the Hawks held them to 9.