CHESTER, Va. β In one of the most improbable and dramatic endings the Central Region has ever seen, Thomas Dale got a walk-off pick 6 from Vincente Chavarria Jr. on the game's final play to beat Manchester 27-21 in the Region 6A semifinals.
After the Lancers (9-2) had battled back behind senior QB Landen Abernethy (3 total TDs) from a 21-6 deficit to tie the game, they had one final possession at the end of regulation. From the Dale 40-yard line, Abernethy heaved a Hail Mary toward the end zone, which Chavarria intercepted. Rather than go down and force overtime, the former running back took off, faster than his coach thought he could run.
Chavarria weaved his way through the Lancer offense 99 yards for the score, which sends the Knights on to next week's regional title game. A clip of the play had already made it to "SportsCenter" two hours after it happened.
"I went up, got the ball and then looked for a hole," Chavarria told the Times-Dispatch after the game. "I had to score. That's the best play I've ever had or ever will have!"
"What a win!" said Knights head coach Kevin Tucker.
Thomas Dale (10-1) had dropped five straight playoff games to Manchester prior to last night and fell behind 6-0 early. But they built a 15-point second-half lead behind 100 yards rushing from NJ Hines and a pair of touchdown passes from QB Wyatt Jessup.
Knights receiver Micha Flowers had 7 catches for 99 yards and was on the receiving end of those two scores. Mykel Bryant had an interception return for a score of his own.
With the win, Dale moves on and will travel to face top-seeded Oscar Smith in next week's Region 6A title game.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
Don't miss Central Virginia's most honored local high school football show Fridays at 11:15 p.m. on CBS 6 and on the CBS 6 Streaming App.
