Mustangs slog past Pats

By Bart Isley

Published: September 5, 2008

It was anything but easy, but somehow Monticello overcame devastating penalties, a frustrating first half and the Central Virginia rains to nab a 19-12 victory over Albemarle.

“We didn’t play very sharp, but it’s a credit to our kids to come back in the second half and get the win,” said Monticello head coach Brud Bicknell. “They made some plays and we made some plays and fortunately we made one more than they did.”

Jacob Pelton made that final play, giving the Mustangs the edge they needed with a fourth quarter interception with less than three minutes to play. With the Patriots threatening, Pelton jumped on a pass across the middle by Albemarle’s electric quarterback Jeremy Robinson and hauled it in at the Mustangs’ 20.

“He is the man,” said Monticello quarterback Michael Graham. “First down on a fake punt [in the first half], big-time interception, touchdown, so many catches — I just can’t say enough.”

Monticello’s offense did the rest after Pelton’s pick, running out the clock to preserve the win behind reserve senior running back Roosevelt Thomas and Graham. Thomas broke off two critical runs on the drive, one for an initial first down and another that set up an Albemarle offsides penalty with under a minute to play that allowed the Mustangs to run out the clock.

Graham gave the Mustangs the lead with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Pelton with 9:56 to play in the game, finding his new go-to wideout just minutes after the rain started to pour. Graham found Pelton throughout the night on big plays, and the senior wideout pulled down 113 yards on five catches.

Graham finished with 182 yards on 8 of 18 passing and displayed a lot of mental toughness in his first contest without graduated playmakers Takeem Hedgeman and Daniel Lieb. Graham seemed to find his way in the second half as the Mustangs cut down on penalties and the senior quarterback began picking up yards on the ground and threw the air.

“He’s really mature this year,” Pelton said. “He was really able to settle everyone down and hang on to the football.”

The game was deadlocked at 6-6 at the half after a 9-yard touchdown on a reverse by Albemarle’s Zach Vrhovac and a 35-yard touchdown catch by Monticello’s Khiry Washington. Both teams then traded scores in the third quarter on a 13-yard Vrhovac reception and a 4-yard run by Graham, leaving the game tied 12-12 going into the final frame.

Monticello’s ground game after the break was much improved, with Thomas running for 40 yards on seven carries in the second half. The Mustangs’ offensive line seemed to play better as the game wore on, opening bigger holes after the break.

“They got a little running game going [in the second half],” said Albemarle coach Rick Vrhovac. “I felt like we shut the passing game down pretty good.”

Albemarle was in it until the final offsides penalty wrapped up the game for Monticello. The Patriots got a gritty effort from both Robinson and Zach Vrhovac. Vrhovac played through intense leg cramps, slipping back in late in the second half to make a critical deflection on a deep Monticello pass, saving a touchdown and keeping Albemarle in the contest.

Robinson put together a strong effort in his first contest back behind center after a wrist injury in 2007. The senior completed over 50 percent of his passes and threw for 139 yards while picking up 63 yards on 11 carries.