Mellor seals Woodgrove win over Tuscarora

PURCELLVILLE, Va. -- Woodgrove High star freshman Dylan Mellor has helped propel the Wolverines to multiple victories by carrying the football all season but Monday against Tuscarora, the script was switched.

In a 22-16 win, Mellor's defensive effort was the difference as his late-game interception sealed the victory.

On offense, Mellor poured on 111 yards rushing with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. He also added two catches for 11 yards, nine tackles, two pass break-ups, and that game-clinching interception with 53 seconds left to play.

In the second half, Mellor's key 14- and 16-yard runs on two third-and-long plays that sustained key Woodgrove drives.

The Wolverines now head into their final game of the season against rival Loudoun Valley at 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 1.

Different game, same Mellor

Dylan Mellor continued his torrid pace through the Woodgrove High School freshman football season with another standout performance.

Mellor, the 5-foot-11, 160-pound tailback/safety, torched the Skyline High defense with 176 yards rushing on just seven carries and four touchdowns. He also added one touchdown catch of 21 yards and one punt return for 22 yards in the win.

Defensively, Mellor racked up four tackles despite not playing on that side of the ball in second half.

Next up for the Wolverines is a home game against Heritage on Oct. 17 at 5:45 p.m.

Mellor shines in victory, breaks touchdown mark

Dylan Mellor scores three more touchdowns to grab the Woodgrove High School single-season touchdown mark

BRAMBLETON, Va. – Twenty-four hours after the scheduled game time, the Woodgrove High School Wolverines headed into hostile territory against an even more hostile opponent, Briar Woods High School.

The Wolverines came out victorious on the other side against arguably their toughest opponent to date.

Heading into Tuesday evening's game, the Falcons had not allowed a touchdown all season long. Briar Woods had also not allowed a touchdown to any Woodgrove offense in the program’s two-year existence.

To make matters even worse, the game – originally scheduled for Monday evening – was postponed to Tuesday night due to abundant showers in Northern Virginia, creating soggy conditions not conducive to scoring.

During the first quarter, it seemed as if the offensive struggles would continue for Woodgrove. Despite grabbing a line-drive kick that bounced off a Falcon defender and starting the game with the ball, Briar Woods held the Woodgrove offense to a loss of five yards on their first two possessions, while grabbing an 8-0 lead themselves.

The Wolverine offense bucked that trend however during their first possession of the second quarter as they scored the first touchdown on the Briar Woods defense all season.

Running back/safety Dylan Mellor took a direct handoff up the middle, bounced the ball to the outside and rumbled down the sideline, outrunning several defenders en route to a 70-yard touchdown rush. That score would not only be the first Wolverine touchdown against BWHS, but also set the Woodgrove High School single-season touchdown record at 13 in the process.

After trading scores, the teams went to the break deadlocked at 14.

Mellor, however, wasn’t done.

The third quarter opened with a bang on Woodgrove’s first possession as quarterback Billy Sheehan hit Mellor on a fly route down the field for a 52-yard pass-and-catch touchdown.

Woodgrove would not look back after taking the lead as they continually stopped the Briar Woods offense and held the ball for the majority of the fourth quarter.

Mellor would score nearing the end of the fourth quarter on a one-yard punch up the middle. Adding a two-point conversion via a Sheehan-to-Mellor pass, Woodgrove would increase their lead to 28-14. One more defensive stand and the Wolverines would win by that mark, giving the program their first victory over Briar Woods.

Mellor would finish the game with 108 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. His lone catch on the evening went for 52 yards and a score. Adding 40 more kick return yards, Mellor accounted for 200 total yards of offense, three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

Defensively, Mellor accumulated 10 tackles and had a pass break up late in the game. He now has 70 tackles on the season with three PBU’s and two interceptions. Offensively, Mellor has 605 yards on the ground with nine rushing touchdowns and 160 yards through the air and four more scores on the season.

Mellor has 15 touchdowns on the year, good enough for the Woodgrove High School single-season scoring record. He still has four more games remaining on the season.

Woodgrove High School takes on Skyline High School this Monday evening at 6:00 p.m.