Five OT’s needed to decide Tazewell – Fort Chiswell game
Fort Chiswell, VA – It seemed like the Fort Chiswell Pioneers and the Tazewell Bulldogs played two games on Friday night. And they darn near did. Four quarters wasn’t enough to establish a winner, so the two determined teams decided to play five more overtimes. “The Fort,” as they call Fort Chiswell’s field was under attack by air it seemed all night as the pass happy Bulldogs let her fly on nearly every down. They had to because Fort Chiswell rolled out to an early lead thanks to a blocked punt for a safety on Tazewell’s first drive, courtesy of LB 24 Reed Phillipi. The Pioneers added to that lead with just over two minutes left in the half on a 4-yard TD run by LB/RB 10 Ezra Varney. The point after was blocked by Bulldog DL 66 Jaime Rizo. That would prove big. Tazewell tightened the game just before half time when Freshman QB 9 Carter Creasy found 6’4, WR 10 Ethan Mills for the TD from 30-yards out with with :02 left. 
The 2 pointer failed and Fort held on to an 8-6 lead. Creasy found Mills again in the third quarter to give the Bulldogs their first lead 14-8. But the Pioneers answered on a 16-yard run by QB 5 Larson Edmonds to make it 15-14. Chiswell DB 8 Reed Dunford snared a ‘pick 6’ off Creasy to increase Fort’s lead to 22-14. But Creasy tied it up, 22-22, on a 13-yard run and the 2-pointer with 4:52 left. Rain began to fall at the start of OT and so did interceptions. Four drives were stopped due to “picks.” In the fourth OT, both teams scored, but each failed on their point after. Finally, in the fifth extra go, Creasy found Mills, again, in the back of the end zone for the 34-28 win.
First Quarter – It was perfect football weather, at least for regulation play, between Tazewell and Fort Chiswell. And the stands were full, as the green of the Bulldogs travels well to support their teams. Fort was looking for their first win on the season, but you shouldn’t be fooled. This is a much better team than their record indicates. Tazewell would find that out quickly. The Pioneers took the opening kickoff and ground it out down to the Bulldog twenty four before they turned it over on downs. Tazewell’s big 6’5, 270-lb, DL 75 Jacob Witt saw to that bringing down Fort Chiswell’s RB/LB 10 Ezra Varney after two yards on fourth down, four yards short of the stick.
Tazewell felt Fort Chiswell’s wrath early and often from their defense. Bulldog Freshman QB 9 Carter Creasy was throw for an 8-yard loss by DL 69 Shane Dunford and 54 Conner Lester, followed by an 8-yard sack by LB’s 26 Ryan Petrunyak and 34 Michael Melton.
LB 34 Michael Melton and DL 69 Shane Dunford sack Tazewell QB 9 Carter Creasy
After a short Creasy run, Tazewell stood ready to punt out of their own end zone, but LB 24 Reed Phillipi had other plans. The Senior broke through the line and blocked a low punt back out of the end zone for a safety, the games first points. Fort Chiswell led 2-0 at the 2:27 mark. That would hold up for quarter one.
Fort Chiswell LB 24 Reed Phillipi blocks Tazewell’s punt for a safety
Second Quarter – Still a 2-0 game, Tazewell’s second, 2nd quarter possession witnessed Pioneer LB 20 Tyler Crigger intercept Creasy in the middle of the field. Crigger stepped in front of a slant over the middle and returned the swipe 38-yards down to the Tazewell twenty-eight. Four plays later RB 10 Ezra Varney bulled his way into the end zone from four yards out. The Senior broke a tackle and made another miss before twisting and stretching backwards over the goal line. The extra point was blocked and Fort Chiswell led 8-0.
Fort Chiswell RB/LB 10 Ezra Varney bulls his way into the end zone
Tazewell QB 9 Carter Creasy finds WR 10 Owen Mills on a 30-yard TD pass with no time left on the clock
The contest would stay that way until late in the second. It looked like the Pioneers were poised to take an 8-0 lead into the break. Creasy and the Bulldogs had a different idea. Taking over at their own forty with only :40 seconds left, Creasy went to work. On second down he hit WR 8 Logan McDonald for 15 yards into Pioneer territory.
After suffering a sack at the hands of LB 34 Michael Melton and DL 54 Conner Lester, Creasy found 
WR 2 Cassius Harris for twenty two down to Fort’s thirty with only :09 seconds left. On the next play, Creasy launched the pigskin the thirty remaining yards down the left hashmarks to 6’4 WR 10 Ethan Mills. The Senior hauled it in even though he was well defended for the six points with :00 left on the clock. The 2 point try was stuffed and Fort Chiswell’s lead was 8-6 at the break.
Bulldog WR 10 Owen Mills celebrates a touchdown catch
Third Quarter – Tazewell took the opening second half kickoff and looked like they meant business. It took the visitors nine plays to take the lead. Again it was the Creasy to Mills combination at the 8:34 mark. The 21-yard completion and subsequent two point pass from Creasy to WR 7 Jared Mullins made it 14-8 Tazewell.
WR 7 Jared Mullins scores the two pointer of a catch and run
To Fort Chiswell’s credit, they didn’t blink and back they came. The Pioneers put together an 8-play drive of their own. QB 5 Larson Edmonds capped it off with a 16-yard run with five an a half minutes left in the third. K 26 Ryan Petrunyak completed the point after kick and the Pioneers were back on top 15-14.
Fort Chiswell QB 5 Larson Edmonds scores from 13-yards out
After trading punts on the next two possessions, it was the Fort Chiswell defense that upped the ante. DB 8 Reed Dunford jumped an out route, and ran it back 85 yards for the score. The ‘pick six’ put Fort up 22-15 with Petrunyak’s point after boot.
Fort Chiswell DB 8 Reed Dunford pulls off an 85-yard ‘pick six.’
Fourth Quarter – Tazewell, and their traveling crowd wouldn’t quit. Finishing off a 55-yard, five play drive with 4:52 left, Creasy ran it in from 13-yards out. The Freshman also kept it himself for the two point conversion and we were tied at 22-22. Tazewell had one more chance to end it in regulation. From the Pioneer twenty-one, Creasy found Mills again in the right corner of the end zone, but the receiver had pushed off to get open. The offensive pass interference pushed the game to OT as LB 26 Petrunyak, with help sacked Creasy on the game’s final play in regulation.
Carter Creasy scores in OT for Tazewell
Overtimes – If you thought these two teams were worn out, little did anyone realize we were in for a 5 overtime tete-a-tete. In Virginia high school overtimes, it is not sudden death. Each team gets an opportunity to match the others score. They start each OT at the ten yard line, each time. There is no clock, the team’s have four plays to score, and you cannot pick up a first down. Finally the after the first exchange, the team that’s on offense stays on offense first for the next round. This continues until we have a winner.
To top it all off, the beautiful football night was now visited by rain.
In round one, Fort Chiswell got the ball first and QB 5 Larson Edmonds
Fort Chiswell DB 8 Reed Dunford intercepts a pass in OT
was intercepted by LB 51 Tyler Gillespie over the middle. On their first possession, Tazewell returned the favor when Creasy was picked off by DB 8 Reed Dunford, his second of the night.
In the second OT, the Bulldog’s didn’t fare any better and on first down Creasy was picked off again. This time LB 24 Reed Phillipi turned the trick.
Fort Chiswell worked their possession down to a 22-yard FG try in what was now a healthy rain. The kick, which could have won it, was blocked by Tazewell DL 66 Jaime Rizo. By the way, Rizo was also Tazewell’s kicker, so you had the rare kicker blocker kicker play. Pioneer Coach Spider Thompson was surprised at the blocked PAT, “All we have to do is seal off and block and kick the extra point (for the win). And we haven’t had any problems all year. And they came a little harder….”
In the third OT, the Pioneers third shot saw QB 5 Edmonds picked off again. This time it was by Tazewell’s DB 10 Ethan Mills. For their third try, the Bulldog’s Creasy was stuffed on two runs for no gains then threw two incompletions to push it to a fourth. It’s noteworthy to mention Tazewell LB 1 Kaizon Taylor who really showed up in the extra play. He harassed the Pioneers on throwing downs and helped stuff the middle on any run attempts.
Finally in the fourth OT, we had some scoring. Tazewell got their first OT score on a Creasy 2-yard run on fourth down. But again his 2 point pass for the win fell incomplete. The Pioneers answered when Sophomore WR 7 Layton Kennedy followed up a five yard run on a reverse, with another five yard reverse run to the other side and a touchdown.
Fort Chiswell WR 7 Layton Kennedy scores from 5-yards out in OT
But K 26 Petrunyak’s potential game winning PAT was blocked again. Credit Tazewell’s tenacious d-line which took matters into their own hands several times to keep the Bulldog’s alive.
DL 66 Jaime Rizo blocks a Pionerr point after to extend overtime
Overtime five started with Fort Chiswell working being forced to try a 32-yard field goal after losing six yards on first down put the Pioneers in a hole. The kicked sailed wide left in the steady rain. Tazewell came back with a third down toss from Creasy to Mills in the back of the end zone. The Senior was well defended but made the catch. The Bulldog’s celebrated the hard fought win. Fort Chiswell Coach Spider Thompson was spent after the long game, “We had chances to win, didn’t capitalize, and that’s what happens.” He went on, “We didn’t quit and we got to the end of the game and had a Freshman tackle and a Sophomore guard (some youth)…get some playing time. Defensively, Sophomore “34” (Michael Melton) played his hind end off. And, in my opinion, (LB 20) Crigger is the best linebacker around.”
Tazewell has a lot of firepower, and for most of the game, the Pioneers kept them in check. Coach Thompson called out his opponent’s talent, “Their QB (9 Carter Creasy) is just a Freshman and he made some unbelievable throws tonight. “Two” (WR/DB 2 Cassius Harris) is a phenomenal player, close to breaking a state record for receptions in a season. That’s why we gave him the attention we gave him. We gave ourselves a chance to win and that’s all you can hope for.”
Scoring:
First Quarter:
• Fort Chiswell – R. Phillipi blocked punt for a safety (2:27)
Second Quarter:
• Fort Chiswell – E. Varney 4-yard TD run; PAT blocked ( :35)
• Tazewell – E. Mills 30-yard TD catch from C. Creasy; 2 pt try failed ( :02)
Third Quarter:
• Tazewell – E. Mills 21-yard TD catch from C. Creasy; J. Mullins 3-yard 2 pt catch from C. Creasy (8:34)
• Fort Chiswell – L. Edmonds 16 yard TD run; R. Petrunyak PAT (5:28)
• Fort Chiswell – R. Dunford 85-yard interception return for a touchdown; R. Petrunyak PAT
Fourth Quarter:
• Tazewell – C. Creasy 13 yard TD run; C. Creasy 2 ptr (4:52)
Fourth OT:
• Tazewell – C. Creasy 2 yard TD run; 2 ptr failed
• Fort Chiswell – L. Kennedy 3 yard TD run; PAT blocked
Fifth OT:
• Fort Chiswell – 32-yd FG missed
• Tazewell – E. MIlls 11 yard TD catch from C. Creasy
Rushing:
Tazewell – C. Creasy 28-4, 2TDs, 2ptr, J Mullins 1-3
Fort Chiswell – E. Varney 24-63, TD, L. Kennedy 5-21, TD, L. Edmonds 14-14, TD, R. Dunford 1-(-2), T. Friger 2-5, A. Shelton 1-1
Passing:
Tazewell – C. Creasy 22/38, 338, 3TDs, 4 INTs
Fort Chiswell– L. Edmonds 5/13, 73, 2 INTs, A. Shelton 1/1, 8
Receiving:
Tazewell – E. Mills 5-126, 3TDs, C. Harris 5-103, J. Mullins 6-34, 2ptr, L. McDonald 5-43, C. Noel 1-32
Fort Chiswell– R. Dunford 3-27, B. Billings 1-40, L. Edmonds 1-8, E. Varney 1-6
Punting:
Tazewell– J. Rizo 2-32 yds
Fort Chiswell – R. Petrunyak 3-28 yds
Returns:
Tazewell– C. Harris 3-10, C. Noel 1-8
Fort Chiswell – R. Dunford 1-85, TD (INT), T. Crigger 1-20, C. Alley 1-17, A. Shelton 1-8, L. Edmonds 1-14