CCHS football team reaches tipping point

Culpeper head Coach Greg Martz knows that the Blue Devils came awfully close to pulling off an upset last week against C.D. Hylton.

The consensus is that the team played well, but for Martz, playing well still left some mixed emotions.

Didn't he feel good about how the team played in its tight loss to Hylton, 15-12-

"Yes and no," he said. "Some people thought that they would blow us out. I thought we could take them down. I knew that we were more than capable."

Had they succeeded, the win would have easily represented the biggest in Martz's three seasons at the helm and arguably the school's most unexpected win since its dramatic upset of Hampton in the 1999 state semifinal.

"I definitely agree with that," said Martz.

In the loss to Hylton, watching the seconds tick off the scoreboard at Broman Field was like listening to the theme tune and words from the show "Days of our Lives."

"Like sands through the hourglass…" and seconds on a scoreboard, they both strike a melancholy chord.

Martz smiled in agreement.

"I admit that it was one of the sweetest pains I've ever felt. I felt like we kind of gave it to them. After the game, (Hylton head Coach) Lou (Sorrentino) congratulated me and said that they were lucky to win it. I could smile at him and say, 'the old man got me.'"

The Blue Devils missed two field goals and gave up two big third and long situations for first downs, which in the end spelled their demise.

"I don't know why we missed the field goals," said Martz, "but you're right on the money with giving up those first downs when we had them third and long. We have to make plays when we have to make them."

While being close is usually not considered close enough, their performance against one of the most respected programs in all of Virginia solidifies their claim that the Blue Devils are a legitimate team destined to become a contender once they put it all together.

"You're right," said Martz, "but the W does so much more for us than just knowing that we're playing well. We're looking for the W."

Right now is an excellent time to collect W's. The season is officially at the midway point. With five games in the books, there are exactly five remaining in the regular season. And for the Blue Devils, all five remaining games are against Cedar Run District opponents beginning with tonight's adversary, Osbourn Park.

Their records are similar The Blue Devils are 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the district with losses to Osbourn and Fauquier.

The Yellow Jackets are 1-4 and 1-1.

If the Blue Devils win tonight and continue to improve, just how muddy would the district waters become should the Blue Devils win all five remaining games-

"Quite muddy," said Martz. "Muddy would be a very good thing if it comes down to that. We have to take care of one game at a time. I don't want to look ahead. But taking care of each game is something that we can control. If we do that and get some help from some other teams along the way, the waters could get muddy and that would only help us."

As for tonight's opponent, Martz is a little baffled as to why the Yellow Jackets are only 1-4.

"They are very well coached and they have played well," he said. "They are a little more senior heavy than we are. Battlefield did a good job of mixing things up on offense against them.

The outcome of tonight's game gives both teams a great opportunity."

As the season continues, Martz knows that the odds can turn in his team's favor.

"At some point," he said, "we're going to catch some breaks. The bumps don't stay on the same side of the road."

Tonight's kickoff at Osbourn Park is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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