Draft on the cusp

STUARTS DRAFT- Ryan Moore's interception couldn't have come at a better time for Stuarts Draft on Friday night.

On 2nd and 5 from the 33-yard-line, Turner Ashby's Tanner Croy tossed a lateral to Kyle Linn who then went deep to Jamie Pellers. If Pellers were to catch it, the Knights would still have a chance to tie the Cougars at 28.

Moore ended that quest when he jumped up and leaned in for the game-saving interception giving the Cougars the 28-21 over Turner Ashby.

"It felt great. Coach [Rod Bowers] told me all week to watch for the double pass, and I did," an excited Moore said. "I tried to take the best angle I could. I didn't want to get called for the pass interference."

With the win, the Cougars are just one win away from having a their winning season since 1998. They can clinch that next Friday when the Cougars host Robert E. Lee.

"Ryan is a tremendous athlete, but he is an even better person. He's very intelligent," Bowers said. "I told him in practice, when they motion for a cross, watch for the double take and he did. He's just a pure football player."

Things got a little interesting with 5:49 left to go in the game when senior running back Isaiah Miller broke free from the 42-yard line and scampered all the way to the end zone for the 58-yard touchdown run. Draft went up 28-14.

"That was awesome. You could definitely hear the crowd going," Moore said.

Turner Ashby would try to counter the Cougar attack, but TA's Croy was unlucky, throwing four straight incomplete passes to give the ball back to Stuarts Draft.

Just as the Cougars were about to take their first down on the 20-yard-line, Stuarts Draft fumbled the ball with 3:16 left to go.

On 2nd and 7, Croy threw a high floater to the right-hand corner where he found Linn for the 16-yard pass to cut the Draft lead to seven.

"Well, at halftime we kinda just challenged them," said Turner Ashby coach Charlie Newman. "'Is this how you want it to end- You gotta believe. 'Let's not stop fighting,' I told them."

Turner Ashby's final attempt came to an end with Moore's interception.

"I was happy the kids responded," Bowers said.

In the first half, Stuarts Draft set the tone early when Miller drove in the 11-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.

Eleven minutes later, Moore sped to the left to squeeze in the 4-yard score for the 14-point lead.