The Greene Dragons traveled to Crozet looking to begin a win streak in their final non-district tune-up of 2019. After starting the season 0-3, Monroe dominated in their last outing before a bye week and showed no signs of slowing down as they ran through the Warriors defense. The Dragons kept Western’s offense from getting in a rhythm by controlling the clock and stout defensive performance en route to a big victory on Friday night. Here we’ll take a closer look the action from yesterday and later we will take a look at analysis and top performers from the area slate on VirginiaPreps.com. STAY TUNED…
William Monroe 22, Western Albemarle 15
How it Played Out
In a matchup that Monroe felt they needed to win and make a statement, the Greene Dragons did just that as they used their power running at the heart of the Warriors defense successfully while controlling time of possession. The ball control of the offense kept Monroe’s defense rested and the group didn’t allow the dynamic potential of the Warriors offense to ever unfold.
Running back Dupree Rucker led the way on the ground for Monroe with 32 carries on the night. The senior had over 200 yards rushing and scored a touchdown in the win. While Rucker piled up large stats, it was the teams’ offensive line that paved the way for their backfield ace. Monroe’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game.
Western took the lead to start the game when quarterback Carter Shifflett hit Austin Shifflett for a 15 yard screen pass that resulted in a touchdown. Following a trade of possessions, it was the Dragons defense that helped start the momentum shift for its' team. Brandon McDonald picked up a punt that was blocked and set Monroe’s offense up in scoring position near the midway point of the second quarter.
Rucker didn’t waste anytime striking paydirt as he helped his team take the lead with an 18 yard run for a touchdown. Monroe added to their lead with a second touchdown when Jared Knights took a quarteback sneak in for a yard score with :07 left before intermission to give his team a 13-7 advantage.
Monroe began the second half with position and added three more points to their lead following a drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock.
With their offense moving the ball directly at the Western defensive front, the Dragons defense made several big plays that kept Western’s offense from materializing anything. Defensive end Isaiah Taylor had two big sacks and Xzabia Kolpack recorded a big sack on third down of Western’s first second half possession to force a punt and put his teams’ offense back on the field.
The Warriors defense looked like they had an opportunity to swing the game’s momentum when sophomore linebacker Tujague Carson picked off a pass early in the fourth quarter but the Dragons defense shutdown the attempt quickly.
Following the turnover, Western looked to open things up with their passing game but failed to connect on their attempts. The Dragons defensive line constantly pressured Shifflett and forced him out of the pocket forcing pass attempts throw on the run. The defense forced and incompletion on fourth down and allowed their offense to take over near midfield with just over seven minutes remaining in the contest.
The Dragons continued to pound the ball with their run game and was aided by a 15 yard penalty from the Warriors defense. Knights converted with Logan Barbour for a 18 yard passing strike on fourth and 16 to create a goal-to-go scenario and keep the clock moving. Two plays later, fullback Philip Shifflett burst through the line for a touchdown giving Monroe a 15 point advantage with under two minutes to play.
Western continued to battle and managed another touchdown drawing the score closer but was unable to convert an onside kick attempt. With the recovery, the Dragons kneeled on the ball securing the victory while improving to 2-3 heading into Northwestern District play.
William Monroe Head Coach Jon Rocha Audio
William Monroe Running Back Dupree Rucker Audio
William Monroe Quarterback Jared Knights Audio
What’s Next?
William Monroe begins district play against Brentsville at home next week. Similar to Monroe, the Tigers enter the game with a 2-3 mark and will be coming off a bye week. Both teams were battle tested early in the season and the series history says this should be a solid contest.
Brentsville has won the head-to-head matchup for four consecutive seasons with the last two contests being decided by a single point. Expect a low scoring, physical matchup when the teams meet in the district opener.
The Warriors travel to Fluvanna County looking to improve on their 1-4 mark. The talented Western Albemarle squad hasn’t lived up to expectations this season but have shown grit, particularly in the last two weeks battling from behind.
Each team has a dual-threat quarterback which could make the matchup a high scoring affair. The Flucos also have weapons at the skill positions that include Malachi Hill and Justin Sullivan among others so the Warriors will need to tighten up a defense that has struggled this fall, particularly against the run.
Scoring Summary
William Monroe 0 13 3 6—22
Western Albemarle 7 0 0 8—15
First Quarter
WA--Austin Shifflett 15 yard pass from Carter Shifflett (Ellie Smartt kick), 2:24
Second Quarter
WM--Dupree Rucker 18 yard run (conversion failed), 7:39
WM--Jared Knights 1 yard run (William Auer kick), 0:07
Third Quarter
WM--William Auer 30 yard field goal, 5:21
Fourth Quarter
WM--Philip Shifflett 3 yard run (conversion failed), 1:50
WM--Carter Shifflett 5 yard run (Shifflett run), 0:08
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