Football: Tuscarora Rallies Past Warren County for First Ever Playoff Win

Special to VivaLoudoun
By Carl Lukat, Loudoun Times-Mirror Sports Editor

Leesburg (Nov. 13, 2011) - Senior Cameron Molina rushed for touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter to help the Tuscarora Huskies overcome a seven-point deficit and defeat the Warren County Wildcats, 28-21, in the Region II Division 3 quarterfinals Nov. 11 in Leesburg.

The postseason victory was the first for Tuscarora and a defining moment for a second-year program that has been together for just 18 months. The fourth-seeded Huskies (9-2) will play at top seed Kettle Run (11-0) in the region semifinals Nov. 18.


“It’s amazing. We came from a bunch of different places,” Molina said of himself and his teammates. “In the past year and a half, we’ve grown really close to each other. It’s a family.”

Tuscarora coach Mike Burnett concurred, “I think tonight was really the first time that I felt we really came together as a team. I think that that’s what’s exciting about the program is that we’ve gotten to a point where we’ve gotten that feeling.”

The turning point in Friday’s win surfaced late in the third quarter. After the Huskies were unable to capitalize on a pair of Wildcats’ turnovers earlier in the quarter, Tuscarora junior Adrien Stinger downed a Huskies’ punt at the Warren County 1-yard line.

Tuscarora forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and took over after a Wildcat punt at the Warren County 30. Two plays later, Molina reached the end zone from 6-yards out for his first of three fourth-quarter touchdown runs.

“That was just great effort,” Burnett said of Stinger’s hustle play. “That really turned the tide because our kids felt from that point on that we could do anything offensively.”

Another hustle play - this time by junior lineman Ryan Abbate - paid dividends on the Huskies’ next scoring drive.

Facing third-and-20 from the Wildcat 40, Molina caught a screen pass from sophomore quarterback Chad Carerra and raced 35 yards down the Huskies’ sideline where he was stripped of the ball from behind. Abbate tracked the play and recovered the fumble at the 3. Molina scored on the next play to put Tuscarora on top, 20-14.

“That’s the kind of kids we have always liked,” Burnett said. “The kids that play hard and hustle behind every play through the whistle.”

An interception by senior John Johnson set up the Huskies’ final score. Tuscarora took over at Warren County’s 30 following Johnson’s pick and needed just five plays to score what turned out to be the decisive touchdown. Molina carried the ball three times on the drive, capping it off with a 6-yard touchdown run.

Molina - the Division 3 Offensive Player of the Year in the Dulles District - finished with 130 yards and three touchdowns on 31 bruising carries.

“I think adrenaline just kicked in in the fourth quarter,” Burnett said of his workhorse back. “He wanted the ball. I kept trying to take him off the field to give him a rest and he kept running back on. That’s a real testament to what kind of kid he is.”

Warren County pulled within seven on Tyler Post’s 2-yard touchdown run, and regained possession with 1:32 left. But the Wildcats’ comeback hopes were dashed when Johnson intercepted another pass off a deflection and the Huskies took a knee three times to close out the 28-21 victory.

Tuscarora 28, Warren County 21

-First Quarter
T: Carerra 1 run (Prendergast kick) 5:01
WC: Steele 59 run (Wheeler kick) 4:06

-Second Quarter
WC: Budwash 3 run (Wheeler kick) 1:42

-Fourth Quarter
T: Molina 6 run (Prendergast kick) 10:15
T: Molina 3 run (kick blocked) 6:54
T: Molina 6 run (Todd pass to Dietrich) 3:35
WC: Post 2 run (Wheeler kick) 1:57


Offensive Stats

-Rushing
WC: Steele 17-130, Post 8-12, Budwash 5-7, Green 2-5, Robinson 2-(-3). Total 34-151.
T: Molina 31-130, Stinger 7-48, Holoman 2-22, Reimers 1-13, Mends 3-11, Carerra 2-(-5). Total 46-219.

-Passing
WC: Post 10-21-3 134 yards.
T: Carerra 4-7-1 40 yards.

-Receiving
WC: Wright 4-52, Nicholson 2-46, Larsen 2-28, Grudzinski 2-8.
T: Molina 1-35, Holoman 1-4, Mends 1-1, Carpenter 1-0.

Read more of Carl Lukat's sports coverage of Loudoun on LoudounTimes.com