For the third week in a row, Goochland took a big lead into the locker room at halftime. But unlike their previous two contests, the Bulldogs protected that lead in the second half to record a 54-14 win over neighboring Fluvanna before a sellout Homecoming crowd.

  “We finally put together two decent halves, which is very refreshing after the past couple of weeks,” said Goochland coach Joe Fowler. “We were able to come out in the second half and move the ball and get some stops.”

  Goochland relied on its dependable running game to mount a first half lead that proved too large for the Flucos to overcome. David McKenna rushed for 121 yards and Dustin Plummer added 97. Ryan Coles and a host of other running backs filled in the gaps.

  In the second half, Fowler opened up the offense and quarterback Ryan Crouch was 4-4 with a touchdown. Backup quarterback Cody Johnson also had a 25-yard completion to Jake Martin late in the game.

  “We put the ball in the air a little bit in the second half which is good and gives us a little experience,” Fowler said. “We’ll need that down the road hopefully at playoff time.”

  Crouch led the Bulldogs on their opening drive relying on McKenna and Plummer for key runs, and going the final yard on his own to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.

  On Goochland’s next possession, Johnson set the Bulldogs up in Fluco territory with a dazzling kick return. McKenna finished that drive with a 15-yard run for the score and Goochland was up 12-0 after a failed two-point conversion.

  Still in the first period, McKenna again broke free for a 51-yard scoring run and a 20-0 Bulldog lead.

  After a 40-yard run by Dustin Plummer landed Goochland on the Fluco one-yard line, the Bulldogs scored again and took a 27-7 lead at intermission. Plummer finished off that drive with a one yard run.

  “We’re a cautionary tale at halftime for almost everybody in Central Virginia right now,” Fowler said regarding the second half collapses and one point losses in the past couple of weeks.

  Fluvanna coach Jason Barnett was more concerned with his team’s lack of intensity than the possibility of a Bulldog collapse.

  “We have a lot of things we have to fix,” Barnett said. “We talked about not being that team who packs it up and quits at halftime. The way we came out in the second half was important for this program.”

  It looked as if the Flucos had read the press reports as running back TJ Dudley scored on a 21-yard run that drew the visitors close at 27-14, but the Bulldogs answered quickly with an 83-yard kickoff return by Coles.

  Goochland’s climb to the playoffs doesn’t get any easier as they travel to league leading Louisa this week. Fowler knows it won’t be an easy assignment.

  “We’re staring at Louisa (this) week and Coach Fisher has a great undefeated team over there. We’ve got to go over there and play and everyone knows that’s not a friendly environment for the visitor.”

Fluvanna…............................... 0   7 0   7—14
Goochland….......................... 20 14 7 13—54
G—Crouch 1 run (kick failed)
G—McKenna 15 run (run failed)
G—McKenna 51 run (McKenna run)
G—Plummer 1 run (Cooke kick)
F—Dudley 21 run (Franco kick)
G—Coles 83 kickoff return (Cooke kick)
G—Alvis 17 pass from Crouch (Cooke kick)
F—Dudley 2 run (Franco kick)
G—Martin 5 run (Cooke kick)
G—Jenkins 6 run (kick blocked)

RUSHING: GHS: Ryan Coles 4 carries for 15 yards; Gabriel Jenkins 5-18; Plummer 7-97; Cody Johnson 2-16; Ryan Crouch 4-12; Jake Martin 2-12; Mason Engel 1-9; David McKenna 10-121.

PASSING: GHS: Crouch 4 completions on 4 attempts; Johnson 1-2.

RECEIVING: GHS: Martin 4 catches for 58 yards; McKenna 1-25; Cody Davis 1-17; Brent Alvis 1-17.