POQUOSON — Poquoson took a huge step toward a first Bay Rivers District football championship since 2010 with a 10-7 overtime win over defending champion and preseason favorite Lafayette on Friday at Poquoson Middle School.
Aydin Herak gave the Islanders (5-0 overall and district) the victory by splitting the uprights on a 22-yard field goal in the overtime. The Rams (4-1) failed to score in the extra session, running only one play as Islanders linebacker Cody Little recovered a fumble by quarterback Baum Hogge.
“I was very nervous,” said Herak, who got a nice snap from Howard Wainwright and nice placement and hold from Keegan Webb on the kick. “I was like, ‘I just have to make this field goal,’ so I was trying to make myself feel calm and do the right thing.
“When it went through, it was like a whole pound of pressure just dropped. It was amazing and feels insane because we haven’t beaten them in 14 years.”
Then again, Lafayette might not have turned the ball over five times total in its 13 consecutive wins in the series. The Rams turned the ball over four times in the second half (three on interceptions and another on a fumble) prior to Little’s key fumble recovery in OT.
As expected, the defenses were physical and effective throughout. Hogge and inside linebacking partner Jamir Nesbeth spearheaded a Lafayette defense that limited the Islanders to 79 yards in the first half, forcing punts on all four possessions.
The Rams got speedy running back Josh Simpson back in the lineup after he missed three games with an ankle sprain. Simpson (seven carries, 79 yards) delivered with a 31-yard touchdown run that gave the Rams a 7-0 halftime lead.
But with Islanders linebackers Kaiden Stowers and Austin Conley shining in the middle, along with linemen Brayden Agnese and Carter Jones up front, the Poquoson defense was stellar in the second half. Defensive back Braylon Montgomery notched an interception and fumble recovery.
Surprisingly, the unheralded Poquoson passing game was better than Lafayette’s on the night. While the Rams completed just two passes (for 44 yards), Webb was 7 of 9 for 72 yards — his 11-yard touchdown pass to Stowers tying the game at 7 with 11:55 left in the fourth quarter.
Both defenses held firm in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for overtime, Herak’s kick and a victory that could help the Islanders come November.
“Aydin has been more consistent in practice, he hasn’t missed many, so I was confident in him,” Poquoson coach Elliott Duty said. “It was a huge win, and if we can carry this thing out and keep getting power points, I like playing at home (in the Class 2 Region A playoffs).
“We’ll get big power points from this.”
And, barring an upset in the final five regular-season games, a first Bay Rivers District title in 15 years.
