Park View players scatter around the field. Some lying on their backs, some kneeling over in disbelief as a 44-yard field goal ends their season in the first round of the Region II playoffs. Patriots head coach Andy Hill, who guided Park View to a 9-1 regular season record and the Dulles District title, stands on the sideline, gripping his play sheet and fighting back his emotions.
“We had a core group of seniors who don’t deserve to end like this,” said Hill. “It’s just tough.”
Faced with a 14-7 deficit at halftime, the Patriots came out fighting in the second half, scoring twice and not allowing Louisa County an offensive touchdown. With the score tied at 21-21 and two seconds left in the game, Louisa kicker Eric Church blasted the 44-yard field goal that inched over the bottom of the uprights. Just like that, Park View’s season ended.
Park View senior running back Deric Dudinski, the most productive running back in the history of the school, totaling 5,708 yards in his four-year career, walked over to Hill. Dudinski, covered in mud, hugged his coach and told him that he was sorry.
“Why are you sorry,” asked Hill, trying to console his star player.
The multi-faceted player had a hand in each of the Patriots’ three scores on the night. The first was an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter to get the Patriots on the board. In the second half, Dudinski, receiving a pitch from quarterback C.J. Leizear, dropped back to pass and hit wide receiver Amechi Anyaugo for a 3-yard touchdown. The final Park View touchdown was done the old fashioned way, as Dudinski scampered in for a 13-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 21-21.
“Deric has been the face of our program for four years and I don’t think that there could be a better face for our program,” said Hill.
IN THE FIRST HALF, Louisa jumped out to a 14-0 lead on the Patriots scoring on a 3-yard run from running back Todd Shelton and again minutes later on a 30-yard run by Shelton. Park View put the clamps on the Lousia offense from there on out, however, not allowing the offense a touchdown for the rest of the game. The Dudinski interception sent the Louisa Lions to the locker room with their heads down.
“Those kids were in there like we were down forty and I was too,” said Louisa head coach Mark Fischer. “They dominated us up front. They had a heck of a scheme.”
The Patriots' offense, which totaled only 49-yards of offense in the first half, came out of the locker room fired up.
“We just dug down. At halftime, we don’t need big speeches, yelling and blaming other people,” said Dudinski. “For us to come out and go out they way that we did, I am proud.”
The Patriots, who totaled 188-yards of offense in the second half, used some trick plays to jump-start their attack. Dudinski’s halfback pass, plenty of reverses, and play where Leizear came storming off of the field looking upset turned into big gains for the Patriots.
“We just had to do whatever we could to get some points on the board and move the football,” said Hill.
With the score tied late in the fourth quarter, the Patriots were driving to win the game, but a fumble gave Louisa the ball on the Patriots’ 34-yard line with under a minute left. The subsequent offensive series was not fruitful for the Lions as it appeared that they weren’t in field goal range and the game would go to overtime. But Fischer sent out Church to attempt the 44-yard kick.
“I didn’t want to look and see how far it was,” said Church. “I was really nervous. With the field conditions, I didn’t want to slip. I was just praying and praying.”
After the kick, Church ripped off his helmet, and held it in the air as he sprinted around the muddy field. Louisa players tackled the kicker as the Park View players looked on, unable to move from their positions on the field.
“There is nothing that you can do about it. It was a good kick,” said Dudinski.