Goochland left it all in the field in Charlottesville last Friday night, but came up on the short end of a 20-17 decision against Monticello in the opening round of the Group AA Region II playoffs.

  The Mustangs advance in the playoffs to face Handy this week in Winchester.
  After Goochland jumped out to a 17-7 first half lead, the Mustangs played catch-up, but it was the Bulldogs who almost came up with the last minute heroics.

  Mustang quarterback Jahlil Mosley connected with Deno Robinson for a 40-yard touchdown pass that drew Monticello within three points and took the lead when Robinson ran a reverse for 39 yards. The conversion failed and the Mustangs held a three point lead early in the fourth.

  The ensuing kickoff bounced around until Goochland running back Dustin Plummer picked up on his own two-yard line.

  After converting a key fourth and less-than-one on their own 10-yard line, Goochland put together a text book drive that consumed most of the fourth quarter, covering 95 yards on 18-plays. But the Bulldogs came up short when running back David McKenna lost the ball at the three-yard line.

  McKenna rushed for nearly 1,300 yards this season, and Goochland coach Joe Fowler said the fumble was the result of an extraordinary effort by his senior. “It was just a case of him trying to give that extra effort and giving it 100 percent trying to make a play,” Fowler said.

  The Mustangs couldn’t run out the clock and Goochland got its final chance with a little over a minute remaining and the ball on the Monticello 25-yard line.

  Colby Cooke attempted a 45-yard field goal that would have tied the game but Monticello’s Denzel Terry got a piece of the ball and ended the Bulldog threat and season.

  Mustang coach Brud Bicknell displayed a sense of happy relief seasoned with a healthy dose of respect for the efforts of his players. “They’ve proved week in and week out that they are battlers and warriors, and I’m very proud of them and it’s a great win for us,” he said.

  Bicknell said he had his concerns entering the Region II quarterfinal, especially after the last minute victory at Goochland earlier in the season. “I thought they would have the psychological edge,” Bicknell said. “They are a really good football team that executes well, but we had a plan and we were able to execute it to get us over the hump.”

  Goochland quarterback Ryan Crouch found Cody Davis with a 13-yard scoring strike in the first half. That drive followed a score by Mckenna on a one-yard run to open the scoring for the Bulldogs. Cooke added a 31-yard field goal to give Goochland a 17-7 halftime lead.

  “We did some things well in the first half, and had some things go wrong in the second half, but these kids gave it everything they had tonight,” Fowler said.

  It was obvious this group had left an indelible mark on the head coach as he hugged his players. “It’s a sweet, sweet group of young men who will go out and accomplish a whole lot more than just winning football games.”

Goochland…................ 7 10 0 0—17
Monticello…................ 7 0 13 0 – 20

M—Moneymaker 26 pass from Mosley (Kalinsky kick)
G—McKenna 1 run (Cooke kick)
G—FG Cooke 31
G—Davis 13 pass from Crouch (Cooke kick)
M—Robinson 40 pass from Mosley (Kalinsky kick)
M—Robinson 39 run (kick failed)