Valwood ends Hornet 3-peat quest

With two out of four touchdown passes coming on fourth-down calls, Valwood School has kept the Westfield Hornets from the rare feat of winning three GISA football championships in a row. Jacob Parker and Chris Retterbush connected three times Friday at Marvin Arrington Stadium, including the game-winning 36-yarder on a 4th-and-11 heave with 6:09 left to play.

It was the only time Valwood – a team that won by wide margin over the Hornets down in Lowndes County in late August – was ahead in the rematch, but it was the only time that mattered. The 27-26 semifinal win sends the Valiants to Mercer University this Saturday to play Deerfield-Windsor for the AAA title.

Parker, appearing to struggle with his throwing motion, was 15-for-24 through the air for 260 yards.

Josh Jenkins staked Westfield to an early 12-0 lead with two rushing touchdowns. The Hornets also led by 12 as late as 3:15 of the third quarter, 26-14.

Senior quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick courageously finished out the game despite an ankle injury while gang tackled on a big 15-yard run late in that third period. His carry took Westfield to the Valwood 35-yard-line and first down, but as Fitzpatrick took treatment on the bench the Hornets could not move and punted to the 12.

The game was in the final quarter at that play, and it was still the home team’s advantage on the scoreboard 26-21.

Running back Sam Martin was as much a clutch receiver as Retterbush for Valwood, and he caught a 3rd-and-6 throw on the 26. He and Jack Helms proceed to run the ball six times to the Hornet 36, but Martin slipped on 3rd-and-10 at that 36.

Parker didn’t just look for a first down, for he had the time to set and throw into the end zone, where Retterbush made an over-the-shoulder catch.

Valwood did not make the two-point conversion, so the Hornets were looking for field-goal range. Fitzpatrick showed no signs of a bad foot, completing a first-down pass to Giles Amos on his 34 and dumping off a ball on 4th-and-5 that Austin Burnette carried to the Valwood 49.

But the Valiant defense forced intentional grounding with a minute remaining, which ultimately led to the Hornets not seeing possession again.

Valwood elected to take the football first, but a John Walker Moore sack on Parker ended that series with a rolling punt to the Hornet 16.

Westfield’s offense clicked in the running game with 16 yards from Fitzpatrick near midfield and Burnette hitting a hole for 51 yards to the 3. In the power I, Jenkins scored with 6:34 on the clock. However, a bad snap took the PAT away, so it stayed 6-0.

With Gavin Edmondson spearheading a three-and-out, the Hornets took over on their 32. In 11 plays, Jenkins was back in the end zone, but not before Edmondson – in punt formation – pulled off 11 yards on 4th-and-2. Burnette went around right end for 15 to the Valwood 34, and on misdirection he converted 3rd-and-7 to the 17.

Reagan Waller gained 11, then it was Jenkins plowing ahead for the final six at 1:04.

The pass for two points failed.

Parker had a string of six straight incompletions, but it was his running game that piled up four first downs in one drive into the second period. They were on the 13-yard-line, tried to pass from there, but settled for a 30-yard field goal … that missed at 8:40.

But from its 25, Valwood’s running game – plus one catch by Terry Carter – earned four more first downs up to the 24. Moore knocked down a pass, and Matthew Moore and Jenkins contained Helms for 4th-and-6.

Martin did a post route and caught the touchdown pass with 1:20on the clock. Their PAT put the halftime score at 12-7 Hornets.

Much the way the previous week’s playoff game ended, the second half was a trade of touchdown drives, beginning with Westfield. Fitzpatrick did not complete a first-half pass, but Amos hauled in a deep ball 45 yards in double coverage at the Valiant 35.

Waller went left on a toss to the 10, and three plays later Fitzpatrick snuck over the line from 1 out. Griffin Elmore made the PAT for 19-7 at 9:18 of the third.

Valwood lost a touchdown return due to illegal blocking, having to settle for a spot on its 25. Parker went 4-for-4 for 28 yards and he ran for eight up to the Hornet 28. Helms carried two times for 10, and then Retterbush caught an out pattern on the 20. He went up the sideline for the touchdown at 4:35 (19-14).

Westfield’s response was a three-play drive of 72 yards, 56 on Edmondson’s deep catch plus balancing act to walk into the end zone at 3:15. Elmore kicked his club back to a 12-point lead 26-14.

For Valwood, it was two plays and 66 yards in less than a game minute. Retterbush waited a long time for the ball to get to him outside, but he sprinted 63 yards by his sideline again bringing the score to 26-21 Hornets.

Fitzpatrick had 32 in two carries on the next series before the injury.

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