Takeaway-happy Albia denies Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG — Albia's ball-hawking secondary struck again.

The seventh-rated Blue Demons forced eight turnovers — including five interceptions to add to their state-leading total — and edged No. 3 Williamsburg, 9-7, in a Class 2A football playoff quarterfinal Friday night at D.F. Miller Field.

'Our guys are aggressive, they're in really good condition, we two-platoon, and they get in the weight room so they're strong in the fourth quarter,' said Albia Coach Jerry Staton, who celebrated his 73rd birthday with a repeat trip to the UNI-Dome.

The Blue Demons (11-1) will play in a semifinal next Saturday.

'This is great,' Staton said. 'I'm 73 on the outside, but tonight, inside, I feel about 40.'

Williamsburg retired at 11-1.

'This group had two returning starters, and had everything going against it,' said Williamsburg Coach Curt Ritchie. 'But we had great leadership. I've never had a group play as close to its potential as this group.'

But it ended in sour fashion. The Raiders simply couldn't hang onto the ball long enough to sustain anything.

'They just have a bunch of one-way guys that do a great job playing defense,' Ritchie said.

Albia has intercepted 31 passes — the most of any team in any class — and has forced 45 turnovers in 12 games.

Despite its offensive foibles, the Raiders briefly held a fourth-quarter lead.

Derek Greiner recovered a fumble (the Blue Demons committed four turnovers themselves) at the Albia 20 with 11:04 left. It took Mitchell Stahl two rushes to get to the end zone, and Josh Koeppel's PAT gave the Raiders a 7-6 lead at the 10:51 mark.

Albia answered on its next drive, though, marching 65 yards in nine plays, with Justin Bossard's 25-yard field goal putting the Blue Demons in front with 7:18 to play.

Williamsburg's final three possessions ended in a punt and two interceptions.

Albia's Carter Isley and Williamsburg's Stahl entered the game as the top two rushers in 2A. Isley ran for 163 yards, sending his season total to 2,245, but it took 39 carries to get there.

'Our defense carried us all year,' Ritchie said.

Isley's 1-yard run capped the Blue Demons' best drive of the night, a 17-play, 80-yard journey that gave Albia a 6-0 lead with 2:05 left in the third quarter.

Stahl finished with 98 yards on 20 carries. He finished the season with 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com