Boo Woods threw for three touchdowns and O'Shane Valentine returned a kickoff 88 yards for a score as the Bassett Bengals secured a share of the Piedmont District championship with a 28-6 upending of the Magna Vista Warriors Friday evening at Ed Bassett Stadium.

 

Valentine also caught two touchdown passes as Woods was 11 of 17 passing for 207 yards.

 

The title is Bassett's (7-3 overall, 3-1) fifth consecutive district championship under head coach Jay Gilbert. Coach's overall record in his six years at the helm of the program improved to 52-21 with two regional titles.

 

"I'm really proud of the whole team for their determination and work ethic," Gilbert said after receiving a nice, cool Gatorade bath courtesy of several jubilant Bengal players.

 

"The kids knew we had to win out to even have a shot at being co-champions and they dug down deep and didn't hang their heads when we got beat. That says a lot about their character and toughness and I'm very, very proud of this group of seniors and the whole team."

 

Woods continued a torrid late-season resurgence that culminated in six touchdown passes and over five hundred total yards over the last two games. Clutch victories over Martinsville (4-6, 2-2) and Magna Vista (0-10, 0-4) were pivotal after a mid-season slump that included consecutive losses to McMichael and Patrick County.

 

The Cougars' 38-10 drubbing of Martinsville on Friday evening ensured Bassett a spot in the regional playoffs while ending the Bulldogs postseason hopes.

 

Bassett's seniors shined brightest when it counted the most throughout the season, providing leadership and support to underclassmen while also tormenting teams throughout the district. Captains Dameon Hairston, Michael Hodges, Andrew Miller and Woods were determined to go out of the Piedmont District in style.

 

Mission accomplished. Now bring on the playoffs.

 

By Christian Dollarhite

For BTW 21