Following their fifth loss of the season, the Atoms put the past behind them, dedicating themselves to the achievement of only one goal: the defeat of Woodson. This goal remained within sight for three and a half quarters of the Oct. 14 game, leaving the door open for the Atoms to secure their second victory of the year.
Following a Cavalier touchdown with 4:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, however, the Atoms’ hopes seemed to fade as time expired. Even with several chances on offense, the team could not overcome the score, eventually falling to the Cavaliers 7-14.
“We played well, we played hard,” Head Coach Mike Scott said. “They made two big plays and we weren’t able to get things going in the fourth quarter when we needed to.”
Senior Dylan Shuey echoed Scott’s outlook on the fourth quarter loss.
“We did very well defensively, they just had two very lucky breaks that put them in a position to score,” he said. “Our offense just couldn’t generate consistent momentum, which hurt us.”
Although the Atoms compiled 261 total yards on offense, they had trouble finishing drives and consistently moving the ball downfield. This was due mainly to their lack of a passing game, as seniors Tony Hysjulien and Adam Wattenbarger combined for only two completions in 14 attempts.
Due to their failure to move the ball through the air, the Atoms were forced to rely on their rushing game. Senior Ahmad Haj-assaad and junior Jack Johnson led the offensive attack, compiling 75 and 56 yards on the ground, respectively. Hysjulien and Wattenbarger combined for an additional 90 yards on the ground, and the Atoms’ only touchdown came on a 4-yard run from Hysjulien in the first quarter.
“We played tough the whole game,” Wattenbarger said. “We just have to stop the big plays and create some of our own.”
The Atoms’ failure to create big plays was exemplified by their offensive efforts following Woodson’s second touchdown, when they failed to score under pressure. Even though they were able to record several first downs, they ended up squandering any chance to score with two interceptions in the game’s final three minutes.
This failure to finish drives has been a common theme for the Atoms, as they have only scored more than ten points in one game this season.
“Our focus every week is to get better everywhere,” Scott said. “We need to focus on great defense, which we’ve played at times, and on finishing drives.”
Not only have the Atoms had trouble finishing drives, but they have also failed to finish many games, often tiring out before the final play is executed.
“Our team isn’t as deep as others, so there aren’t that many fresh players that can give the starters a rest,” Shuey said. “Still, most of them are almost irreplaceable anyway in regards to skill and experience.
“I feel like we all played hard, the mistakes we did make were just guys trying to make plays and get the ball down the field,” senior Wally Geiger added. “It’s hard to keep up with some of these teams with the numbers we have.”
Still, Scott believes that there is no excuse for the team’s failure to finish games, even with its small numbers and inexperience.
“We’ve got to finish drives,” he said. “We just need to work harder, be sharper.”
Despite the challenges they have faced and their lack of success thus far, the Atoms plan to maintain their focus heading into the final weeks of the season.
“Our focus hasn’t changed since day one, our goal is to always get better,” Geiger said. “Our goal is to execute what we’re coached to do to the best of our ability and make plays.”
With only three regular season games remaining, the Atoms have little time to turn their season around and improve their 0-4 conference record. For the Atoms, this begins with their Oct. 21 match-up against the T.C. Williams Titans, who rest just above AHS in the standings with one conference win.
“Our team is working very, very hard,” Scott said. “It’s a tough game, and we have a tough schedule, but that’s the way we want it.”
