by James J. Lidington

FREDERICKSBURG
Isle of Wight Academy fell, 21-7, to Fredericksburg Christian on Saturday in a matchup of two of the top teams in Virginia independent school football.

The squads, both 2-0 coming into the matchup, were nearly even in total offense (Fredericksburg Christian had 266 yards; IWA 244). Fredericksburg passed for 200 yards and IWA rushed for 197, but the Eagles’ big-play offense made the difference.

Fredericksburg was 5-for-10 on third-down conversions and made each one count. The Chargers had just tied the score at 7-7 on a nifty punt return by Colby Williams and a 32-yard run by Hunter Edwards with 9:58 left in the third quarter, and had Fredericksburg Christian pinned deep in its own territory on third-down-and-long. Eagle Quarterback Antwan Johnson then found receiver Carter Thompson for a 68-yard scoring play. The PAT made it 14-7 just 50 seconds after Edwards’ run.

IWA’s next possession, which began at their own 13-yard line, ended nine plays later with a fumble deep in Eagle territory.

Two possessions later, the Eagles converted on a third-and-1 situation and a third-and-26, the latter coming on a 32-yard catch-and-run from Antwan Thompson to Cross Conway with 4:37 left in the game.

IWA’s final possession was halted by an interception by Fredericksburg Christian’s Aaron Johnson — QB Ryan Boyce’s second of the game — with :23 to go.

Johnson rushed for 26 yards and caught seven passes for 99 yards.

He also had an acrobatic 31-yard catch in the first quarter that preserved the Eagles’ first scoring drive, which he capped with a 19-yard reception four plays later.

IWA’s Edwards rushed for a game-high 119 yards on 18 carries, including a touchdown. He had another scoring play — on a second-quarter option pitch from Boyce — negated when he was ruled down at the 1-foot line on fourth-and-goal. Boyce had a hard-earned 37 yards on 15 carries.

JAMES J. LIDINGTON is a teacher at Isle of Wight Academy. Contact him at 357-3866.