GW edges Halifax in homecoming slugfest

Dale Trent lunged to corral a high snap on an extra point attempt and was buried by George Washington defenders in the waning minutes as GW prevailed in a 35-34 slugfest against archrival Halifax County in a chilly homecoming game Friday night at J.T. Christopher Stadium in Danville.

Trent, who completed 14 of 30 pass attempts for 165 yards and four touchdowns, lay motionless on the turf as GW players celebrated wildly after staving off the Blue Comets for their second consecutive Western Valley District victory.

DeVaughn Benion ran wild for 246 and two touchdowns on 18 carries and Terrance Jackson churned out 179 yards and three scores on 26 carries as both attained career-high rushing totals.

GW (5-3, 2-0) coughed up an early 14-point lead after Domonic Henderson scored on a 60-yard run and Trent tossed a 7-yard score to Kendall Adams following a muffed punt by the Eagles. The teams entered halftime knotted at 14-14 and both scored on their first two possessions of the second half. Halifax (1-6, 0-1) blocked the extra point on GW’s second score after intermission and took a 28-27 advantage, its first lead of the game, on Trent’s 10-yard strike to Davon Greene with 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Trent tossed his second interception of the game on the Comets’ following drive and Jackson put GW back in front with a 72-yard gallop. Benion caught the 2-point conversion on a roll out by Kevin Shuler as the Eagles jumped ahead 35-28 with 9½ minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

Halifax turned the ball over on downs at the GW 16-yard line on its ensuing drive and after holding GW to a three-and-out, scored in a single play as Trent hit Andre Ervin from 38 yards away with less than 2 minutes remaining. A bad snap on the extra point allowed the Eagles to escape with the victory and head into the bye week on a two-game winning streak.

Jackson also scored on a pair of 1-yard rushes and Benion broke off scoring jaunts of 58 and 43 yards.

Markee Brooks snagged Trent’s third touchdown pass from 29 yards out.

GW 35, Halifax County 34
Halifax 7 7 14 6 -  34
GW 14 0 13 8 -  35
First quarter
G – Jackson 1 run (Campbell kick), 6:13
G – Benion 58 run (Campbell kick), 3:50
H – Henderson 60 run (Keck kick), 2:51
Second quarter
H – K. Adams 7 pass from Trent (Keck kick), 5:43
Third quarter
G – Jackson 1 run (Campbell kick), 9:31
H – Brooks 29 pass from Trent (Keck kick), 7:13
G – Benion 43 run (kick blocked), 4:29
H – Greene 10 pass from Trent (Keck kick), 3:02
Fourth quarter
G – Jackson 72 run (Benion pass from Shuler), 9:22
H – Ervin 38 pass from Trent (bad snap/run failed), 1:59

TEAM STATISTICS
Halifax GW
First downs 7 11
Rushes-Yards 18-103 50-420
Yards passing 165 20
Passing 14-30-2 3-8-1
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-1
Penalties-Yards 6-52 7-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Halifax-Henderson 5-68, Logan 12-36, Trent 1-(-1). GW-Benion 18-246, Jackson 26-179, Shuler 5-(-3), Team 1-(-2).
RECEIVING: Halifax- Ervin 2-51, L. Adams 3-30, K. Adams 2-30, Brooks 2-30, Logan 4-14, Greene 1-10. GW-Jackson 1-10, Benion 1-7, Smith 1-3.
PASSING: Halifax-Trent 14-30-2-165. GW-Shuler 3-8-1-20.
RECORDS: Halifax 1-6, 0-1; GW 5-3, 2-0