W.T. Woodson football perseveres through tragedy; Robinson is content to keep it on the ground

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/wt-woodson-football-perseveres-through-tragedy-robinson-is-content-to-keep-it-on-the-ground/2015/11/02/477d051e-8173-11e5-9afb-0c971f713d0c_story.html

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The W.T. Woodson football team did not need something else to play for on Friday. Its senior night was already rife with emotion for a group of players who had endured far too much loss in their high school careers.

But as the captains walked out for the coin toss carrying the jersey of former teammate Jack Chen, who became one of six Woodson students to die since 2011 when he stepped in front of a Virginia Railway Express commuter train last year, the Cavaliers were shouldering much more.

Earlier that day, five students were rushed to the hospital and the school building was evacuated after a chemistry demonstration went awry. The incident remained at the forefront of the players’ minds several hours later when they gathered for their team meal prior to their eventual 35-28 win over West Springfield.

“The main message was that football was really small compared to what happened that day and we were playing for something greater than us,” Woodson quarterback Jojo Heisley said. “We had to try and influence the community in a positive way. That was our role as a team and it was important for us to win for them.”

That urgency came into play when the Cavaliers found themselves down 21-7 midway through the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own 20-yard line, Woodson Coach Mike Dougherty laid waste to the Cavaliers’ conservative approach up to that point and called for a long pass play. The backside throw worked, as Jack Caldwell broke loose for an 67-yard gain. Two plays later, Heisley found Caldwell again for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Cavaliers again flirted with risk soon after, when two West Springfield unsportsmanlike conduct penalties pushed Woodson’s ensuing kickoff to its own 30-yard-line.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a kickoff happen that far up the field, so I figured, ‘What the heck? We might as well try to kick it onside,” Dougherty said.

A favorable bounce sent the ball back into Woodson’s possession, setting up a Daequan Williams 12-yard touchdown that tied the game and ultimately forced overtime.

“With all of that happening in such a short span, I think that really got our momentum going and everyone hyped up,” said Heisley, who threw for 253 yards and two scores.

That momentum received a boost prior to the overtime coin toss, when Dougherty reminded his players why they do what they do at the start of every practice.

They call it the “the competition period,” when the team splits into blue and silver jerseys for an overtime simulation in which the offense has four plays to score on the defense from 10-yard line. But on Friday, there was much more on the line than just pride and 50 burpees; the Cavaliers were fighting for their playoff lives.

Upon realizing that the Spartans were in man coverage, Woodson’s offense turned to a familiar play, with Caldwell lined up in the slot. On the first play of the extra period, the senior cut toward the left side of the end zone and caught a 10-yard score from Heisley that sealed a dramatic win.

The outcome sealed Woodson’s second straight victory and, with a record of 3-6, catapulted them back into the playoff picture entering Saturday’s critical regular-season finale at T.C. Williams. But it was the resilience shown in the face of much more dire circumstances that left many Cavalier players and fans in tears following Friday’s game.

“It’s definitely been tough these last four years, but with the support from the community and our great student section, we’ve been able to fight through a lot,” said Caldwell, who caught 14 passes for 196 yards. “We kind of play with the mentality that we have nothing to lose, and with Coach Doc coming in, he’s really moved us in the right direction and taught us how to play through games when things aren’t going our way.”

Based on the numbers alone, it would seem that Alex Miller would be bored, even frustrated, by now. As the quarterback of a Robinson offense almost entirely devoted to the run, Miller has attempted fewer than 30 passes and, instead, handed the ball numerous times to the three powerful rushers lining up behind him.

Based on Robinson’s 6-3 record following Friday’s 31-20 win against then-No. 15 Broad Run, Miller is very content, proud to be the signal-caller for the playoff-bound Rams.

“As long as we’re winning, I’ve got no complaints,” said Miller, who completed his lone pass for 30 yards on Friday. “I knew when I came into the program as a freshman that Robinson was a ground and pound team, so I’ve had that in my head and gone about doing my job as best I can for our team.”

For the past two weeks, that’s meant directing and exhorting the resurgence of the offense after a 3-0 loss to No. 9 Westfield. After the Rams fell behind 14-3 in Friday’s first half, Miller was reminded that physical play is what would dig them out of that hole. And after Donnie Warter returned a Broad Run mishandled punt 20 yards for a touchdown, the Rams offense found the spark it needed.

“We knew they had a lot of kids playing both ways and their running back (Meech Hembry) had been out, so after we got that free touchdown, we really wanted to capitalize and wear them down by being physical,” Rams Coach Scott Vossler said. “All of our backs finished their runs strong and were able to get extra yards.”

The Rams reeled off the next three touchdowns, with Roman Lowery (144 yards) scoring twice and Sean Foncha (147 yards) finding the end zone once to seize control of the lead and game. Overall, Robinson outrushed Broad Run 331-70 on the night, compiling the type of effort that Miller and the Rams hope will help them secure a first-round home playoff game entering Friday’s regular season finale at Centreville.

“Since the Westfield game, we’ve learned every game is going to be a dogfight, especially in the playoffs where all the teams are good,” Miller said. “The more physical we play, the more we believe we can stick with anybody.”