Playoff football: Woodside 22, Bayside 19

VIRGINIA BEACH

Bayside linebacker Henry Coley could only watch in frustration as Woodside’s football team celebrated following the Wolverines’ 22-19 come-from-behind win over the Marlins in the Eastern Region Division 6 semifinals on Friday night.

Woodside (11-1) meets defending region champion Oscar Smith next week in the championship.

But Bayside has a lot to be proud of. Nobody could have predicted the young team would make the playoffs, let alone play for a chance to reach the regional final.

And if only the Marlins had converted two extra point tries or made a late field goal try, it may have been them celebrating.

Bayside (10-2) trailed 14-0 midway through the second quarter but battled right back and frustrated Woodside quarterback Aaron Evans.

Following an Evans fumble, Bayside freshman quarterback Deion Stitt found sophomore receiver Anthony Cooper for a 28-yard touchdown. The extra point made it 14-7 as the Marlins would go on to score 19 unanswered points.

With 1:14 left in the half, junior defensive back Demetrious Nicholson intercepted Evans – which was 1 of 4 interceptions by the quarterback on the night – on the Woodside 41. On the next play, Stitt threw a short pass to Coley, who broke several tackles and sprinted for a 38-yard touchdown. But the Marlins missed the extra point try and trailed 14-13 at the half.

Bayside scored again when Nicholson and Stitt hooked up on a 54-yard touchdown pass with 59.3 seconds left in the third quarter. But the extra point was blocked, keeping it 19-14.

Bayside got a chance to seal the game late following a bad Woodside punt that gave the Marlins the ball on the Woodside 25. Six plays later, Justin Wall’s 26-yard field goal try just missed, giving the Wolverines life with 6:39 left.

“If we hit a field goal, we’re really in good shape because they will need a two-point conversion and touchdown to tie us,” Bayside coach Darnell Moore said. “But it didn’t happen for us.”

Woodside running back Marquis Frazier got the Wolverines going with a 36-yard run. Four plays later Evans scored on a 23-yard run up the middle. The Wolverines made the two-point conversion and led 22-19 with 4:36 left.

The Marlins started two more desperation drives, but one ended on an interception and the other when Stitt was sacked.

Coley, who will play at Virginia in the fall, said beware of the Marlins in the future.

“They are young, but they are way beyond their years. They’re going to do their thing in years to come.”

Woodside 22, Bayside 19

Woodside 0 14 0 8 — 22

Bayside 0 13 6 0 — 19

W—Frazier 1 run (Bradley kick)

W—Solomon 3 pass from Evans (Bradley kick)

B—Cooper 28 pass from Stitt (Wall kick)

B—Coley 38 pass from Stitt (kick failed)

B—Nicholson 54 pass from Stitt (kick blocked)

W— Evans 23 run (Burton pass from Evans) Woodside; Bayside

First downs 17; 10

Rushes-yards 42-241; 23-40

Passing yards 132; 198

Passing 7-15-4; 10-18-3

Punts-average yards 1-(-12); 2-43

Fumbles-lost 1-1; 1-1

Penalties-yards 7-60; 6-60