Benefit Game Gives Falcons Valuable Preseason Test at Hermitage
Updated: Aug 14
HENRICO, Va. – Huguenot’s first opportunity to face outside competition this preseason delivered exactly the kind of test head coach Charles Scott Sr. wants before the games begin to count.
Playing in front of a large crowd for scrimmage standards at Chester Fritz Stadium, the Falcons built a 14-7 halftime lead, traded defensive stops throughout the second half and found themselves in a game that came down to the final play before Hermitage ultimately finished with a 17-14 advantage in Thursday night’s VHSL Benefit Game.
The result does not count toward either team’s regular-season record.
For Scott, that has never been the purpose of scrimmages anyway.
Huguenot uses preseason competition to put players in uncomfortable situations, force them to respond to adversity and identify things that need to be corrected before September. Thursday provided all of that, from momentum swings and long defensive possessions to disputed calls and a final sequence that stretched beyond what initially appeared to be the end of the game.
The Falcons now leave Hermitage with film, experience and several lessons to carry forward.
Bigelow Sets the Tone Early
Huguenot’s defense made its presence felt almost immediately.
On Hermitage’s opening possession, senior Jayce Bigelow delivered a massive hit that brought the crowd to its feet and gave the Falcons an early jolt of energy.
Bigelow said the moment began with a message from the coaching staff before the game.
“Before the game started, all my coaches were just telling me, ‘Set the tone, set the tone,’” Bigelow said. “So Coach Waddey gave me the play, and I just took advantage of it and made the kill.”
The hit helped establish the physical tone Huguenot wanted defensively and became one of the loudest moments of the night.
Scott Finds Lewis for the Opening Score
The Falcons carried that energy to the offensive side.
Quarterback Charles Scott Jr. moved Huguenot into the red zone on its opening scoring drive before connecting with senior receiver Iveon Lewis on a fade to the back corner of the end zone.
Lewis described the touchdown as Scott recognizing the matchup and giving him an opportunity to make a play.
“We was down there in like the 15-yard line,” Lewis said. “He saw something, he just threw it up, I made a play.”
Christopher Martinez converted the extra point to put Huguenot ahead 7-0.
Hermitage responded with a lengthy touchdown drive of its own, tying the game at seven and creating the first opportunity of the night for the Falcons to answer adversity.
They did.
Cain Answers Before Halftime
Huguenot responded with another red-zone scoring drive before Scott found junior receiver Jhamari Cain over the top for the Falcons’ second touchdown.
Scott placed the football over the safety, allowing Cain to make the catch as he crossed the goal line.
For Cain, the play was an extension of work already done during practice.
“Me and the quarterback got a great connection,” Cain said. “It’s simple stuff we work on at practice, so it was really nothing, for real.”
Martinez made his second extra point of the night, sending Huguenot into halftime with a 14-7 lead.
The first half showed flashes of what the Falcons believe their offense can become, with Scott connecting with two of his most experienced receiving targets for touchdowns and the offense finding answers after Hermitage created momentum of its own.
Second Half Turns Into Defensive Battle
The complexion of the game changed after halftime.
Both defenses settled in, scoring opportunities became more difficult to create and the second half developed into a possession-by-possession battle.
Hermitage eventually began finding success on the ground during the third quarter and put together another extended drive.
Huguenot appeared to have ended the possession when sophomore Jahmeer Jones made a defensive stop on fourth down. A late pass-interference flag, however, gave Hermitage another opportunity.
Members of the Huguenot coaching staff strongly questioned the call, but the Panthers retained possession and eventually finished the drive with a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14.
From there, neither defense gave much away.
Bigelow was encouraged by the way the Falcons continued competing despite being on the field for several long stretches.
“They fought the whole game,” Bigelow said. “They didn’t give up not once. Everybody was at the ball, and we were just giving max effort today.”
That effort kept the game even throughout the fourth quarter and gave Huguenot another opportunity to experience a close-game environment before the regular season begins.
Final Sequence Extends the Night
Hermitage eventually moved into field-goal range on the final possession.
With no time remaining, the Panthers lined up for what appeared to be the game-winning field goal.
The kick missed.
For a moment, the scrimmage appeared to have ended in a 14-14 tie.
After a discussion among the officials, Hermitage was granted another opportunity to kick. The Panthers converted the second attempt for the final 17-14 margin.
The Hermitage sideline celebrated heavily near Huguenot’s sideline following the kick, adding one final emotionally charged moment to a night filled with situations the Falcons can learn from.
For Bigelow, maintaining composure in those moments was one of the biggest lessons to take from the experience.
“This defense could take just staying calm at any moment,” Bigelow said. “At any moment, the game could always change. So if we just keep our cool, you know, not being so hot-headed, dumb stuff happens. You know, the game could switch for us.”
Discipline Becomes the Postgame Theme
The same message carried over to the offensive side.
Lewis pointed directly to discipline when asked what Huguenot could take from a close preseason game.
“Really, we got to be more disciplined,” Lewis said. “I know we need to be more disciplined.”
Cain echoed that message.
“Discipline. We gotta be more disciplined,” Cain said. “Stop being lazy. Stop taking plays off. It’s really the small things.”
Those comments fit directly with the purpose Scott places on preseason competition.
The Falcons are not preparing for August results. They are preparing for the moments that will matter once the regular season begins.
Thursday gave Huguenot opportunities to play with a lead, respond after surrendering momentum, defend extended drives, deal with calls that did not go its way and manage the emotions of a game decided at the very end.
Now comes the important part: correcting what the film shows.
Regular-Season Atmosphere in August
One of the most noticeable aspects of Thursday night was the environment surrounding the game.
For a preseason scrimmage, the crowd was especially large and the atmosphere inside Chester Fritz Stadium frequently felt more like a regular-season game. Outside of the absence of cheerleaders and a band, the energy surrounding the field gave both teams an opportunity to operate in front of a lively crowd.
That made the night even more valuable for a Huguenot team preparing for high-pressure environments throughout the fall.
Scott’s approach to scrimmages has remained consistent: the objective is not to chase a preseason win. It is to find out how the team reacts when circumstances become difficult.
Hermitage gave the Falcons exactly that kind of test.
A Night to Learn From
There were plenty of positives for Huguenot to take back to South Richmond.
Scott Jr. threw both Falcon touchdowns, finding Lewis and Cain in the red zone. Martinez converted both extra points. Bigelow helped establish the defensive tone from the opening drive, and the defense battled throughout a second half in which points were difficult to come by.
There were also areas the players themselves immediately identified for improvement.
Discipline. Consistency. Communication. Effort on every snap. Composure when emotions rise.
Those lessons carry significantly more weight in August than a final score that will never appear in the regular-season standings.
Hermitage left the field with the scoreboard advantage.
Huguenot left with exactly what Scott wants from a preseason scrimmage: film to study, mistakes to correct and difficult situations the Falcons will be better prepared to handle when the games begin to count.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
Huguenot — Lewis touchdown reception from Scott Jr. (Martinez kick)
Second Quarter
Hermitage — Touchdown (PAT good)
Huguenot — Cain touchdown reception from Scott Jr. (Martinez kick)
Third Quarter
Hermitage — Touchdown (PAT good)
Fourth Quarter
Hermitage — Field goal
Box score
Huguenot: 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14
Hermitage: 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17
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