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By James J. Lidington

Isle of Wight Academy

Isle of Wight Academy’s varsity football team spotted the hosts two touchdowns but ultimately defeated Norfolk Christian School 34-24 on Friday night, Oct. 15.

J.T. Taylor rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns to lead Isle of Wight against the Ambassadors. Teammate Jackson Cofer ran for 83 yards and also scored twice.

The bulk of Norfolk Christian’s 324-yard offensive output came in the first quarter. 

The Ambassadors rolled out to a 17-6 lead after a Chase Johnson 9-yard field goal with 10 minutes left before halftime.

IWA then advanced to the Ambassadors’ 26, then lost the ball on a fumble. Four plays later, the Chargers got the ball back when Norfolk Christian could not make a first down. Yet another fumble cost IWA the ball with 1:37 left in the half. But two plays later, the Chargers’ Trevor Mason intercepted a pass and returned the ball to Norfolk Christian’s 38.

Aided by a 15-yard late-hit penalty on NCS, Cofer scored on a 20-yard pass play from Trent Holland to cut the NCS lead to 17-12 with 6 seconds left before halftime.

IWA continued to build momentum in the third quarter. Holland scored on a 5-yard run, then found Jacob Chapman on a 2-point conversion pass to give IWA it’s first lead, 20-17. Cofer’s second touchdown, plus a Jude Powell PAT, made it 27-17 with 4:55 left in the period.

NCS cut the IWA lead to three, 27-24, with 11:14 remaining in the game, but a play later, Taylor would score on a 6-yard romp that, along with the Powell PAT, made the score 34-24. In a last-ditch attempt to get back in the game, the Ambassadors advanced as far as the IWA 7 with a first-and-goal situation.

First down netted a yard, second down lost them 8 yards, a holding penalty was declined and brought about fourth-and-goal from the 20 when Taylor intercepted a pass, giving IWA the ball with 3:50 left.

The Chargers ran their record to 4-3 and remained sixth in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II football poll. 

Norfolk Christian was 1-5 in Division II and unranked in the VISAA polls. Christchurch School, IWA’s homecoming game opponent Friday, Oct. 22, was 0-4. Homecoming game time is set for 7 p.m. 

Fuqua School, 1-4, is IWA’s final regular-season opponent and is ranked third in VISAA Division III.

IWA volleyball is in fifth place in Division II, running its record to 11-3 overall and 11-2 in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference where it is in second place.

The team played Banner Christian School on Tuesday, Oct. 12, in Richmond, defeating the hosts 3-0. The Chargers also defeated Amelia Academy on Thursday, Oct. 14, by a score of 3-1.

The team was set to play Tuesday, Oct. 19, at Fuqua and Thursday, Oct. 21, at Kenston Forest School.

IWA cross country runner Hannah Edwards ran Saturday, Oct. 16, in the Milestat Invitational in Mechanicsville. She completed the 5,000-meter course in 21:35, earning her 30th place.