Coach Joe Fowler knew his team would need an edge to defeat Gretna on its own turf at playoff time. Last year’s state champion Hawks seemed poised and ready to reclaim the title with the Bulldogs representing their first obstacle in that quest.

  When heavy rain and fog were forecast, Fowler thought he might get the tiny break he needed. “We were hoping for a downpour,” Fowler said. “We felt it would play to our advantage. The only way you can neutralize speed is with speed and we didn’t have it and we were hoping the weather might be able to slow them down a little bit.”

  For almost the entire first half, the plan worked and an obviously well prepared Bulldog team played ball control and stopped the Hawks’ vaunted attack by keeping the offense off the field. The Hawks only had two possessions in the first half, and mounted only one score late in the second quarter.

  Keeping one of the most potent offenses in the state at bay would prove much more difficult in the second half, and Gretna finally wore down the Bulldog defense, found an edge on the outside and romped to a 36-0 victory.

  “Sometimes, in high school athletics, it comes down to bigger, faster, stronger,” Fowler said. “Our kids absolutely played their heart out and gave everything they had, but they were bigger than us at most positions and faster than us at every position.”

  Hawk running back Andre Dickerson got his first of three scores shortly before the half, sweeping around right end for 30 yards, and the Hawks (10-1) took a 7-0 lead into halftime.

  Senior quarterback Jayme Barksdale connected with Dickerson for the Hawks next score, a 27-yard touchdown pass to open the second half. Barksdale converted the two-point conversion, and Goochland found itself in a 15-0 hole early in the third period.

  Despite their best efforts, the Hawks prevented the Bulldogs from playing their steady ball control game the second half, while consistently gaining the outside edge on offense. It was a deadly combination that thwarted the Bulldogs throughout the third and fourth quarters.

  “We couldn’t stop them on the outside, and we couldn’t get outside on them,” Fowler said.

  Barksdale scored on a nine yard run in the third period, and Dickerson (122 yards on five carries) added his third touchdown on a six-yard rush in the final quarter. The Hawks scored on defense also when Stephen Payne scooped up a fumble and raced 62 yards.

  “Their speed and size really overwhelmed us at the end of the game,” Fowler said.

  Despite the lopsided loss, Fowler felt it was one of his team’s best efforts as they stuck to the plan and never gave up. “I can’t say enough about these kids and the effort they gave,” he said. “All season long they’ve had integrity and a great work ethic, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.”

  Making their final appearance in the James River District has one abundantly apparent advantage— the road to the playoffs will not be going through Gretna who has knocked the Bulldogs out of post season the last two seasons.

  The Bulldogs upgrade to AA next season and that prospect sits well with the coach.

  “We’re excited about entering the Jefferson District next year and we think we’ll fare well,” Fowler said. “Even in the Jefferson District, you won’t run in to anyone much tougher than Gretna.”

  The Hawks play Clarke County next week in the Regional finals.