R.E. Lee wallops Rockbridge to claim district

LEXINGTON — With the Southern Valley District on the line, Robert E. Lee came out of the gates running, putting up an early offensive show that Rockbridge could not respond to. The Leemen went on to defeat the Wildcats 26-6.

The Leemen’s win gave them the Southern Valley District title and an automatic berth into the Region III, Division 3 playoffs.

The Leemen started the game with a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on by Dae’ Quan Scott. The Leemen used the momentum from the score to stop the Wildcats on their first possession.

On the third play of Lee’s next drive, the Leemen suffered a devastating injury as Scott left the game with a dislocated shoulder that would keep him out for the rest of the game. The injury forced the Leemen to put in sophomore Devante White at quarterback.

“When we lost Dae’ Quan and Devante came in, the entire team gave their support to him,” Lee coach David Tibbs said. “Dae’ Quan was over on the sidelines cheering for his team. That shows how classy of a guy he is.”

The next possession for the Leemen would put them in control for the rest of the first quarter, taking more than 11 minutes off the clock on a 21-play drive that was finished off with a touchdown by Terrell Mickens. The extra point was added by Dustin Burdick to give Lee an early 14-0 lead.

White came in and gave the Leemen the spark they needed.

“Devante came in and played hard. He was calm and he played hard,” Tibbs said. “Our defense played so well. They usually don’t get the credit because the offense is so good.”

Soon after his touchdown, Mickens made another impact play as he intercepted Tyler Slaton on the first play of a Wildcat drive. Burdick made a 40-yard field goal, his longest on the year, to put Lee up 17-0.

Rockbridge was able to get some points late in the second quarter after Devante White was intercepted by Jaqwan Biggs, who took the ball 69-yards for the touchdown.

Rockbridge was only able to muster 59 yards of total offense in the first half as Lee dominated time of possession and went into the half up 20-6.

In the second half, the Leemen continued to dismantle the Wildcats’ defense as they took their first possession in for a touchdown on a 13-yard run by Mark Anderson.

Rockbridge was unable to move the ball on offense as the Lee defense stopped another Wildcat drive, frustrating the home team.

The Wildcats’ Blake Coffey was able to put together a late drive but was intercepted in the end zone by White, killing any momentum Rockbridge could get.

The Leemen spent the last five minutes running out the clock.

After the game, in the pouring rain, the Leemen gave coach Tibbs a Gatorade bath as the team celebrated its Southern Valley District championship.

“We had trust in Devante. When Dae’ Quan went down, he came in and played hard. I am proud of my boy,” Mickens said.

Rockbridge coach Jason White blamed the loss on himself.

“We got beat by a really good football team. The last two weeks we haven’t played well offensively,” White said. “I am the head football coach and I am responsible for the way we played.”

The Leemen finished the regular season 9-1, 4-0 Southern Valley.