CLAYMONT, De. -- The Woodbridge Blue Raider Football team's impressive turnaround season came to an end earlier today, as they fell 56-28 to the Archmere Auks in the DIAA Class 2 State Semifinals.
Although a disappointing end for Woodbridge, the Blue Raiders were still one of the best stories in Delaware football this season. After going just 2-8 in their 2022 campaign, Woodbridge had a complete turnaround; flipping their record to 8-2.
A big part of this year's turnaround has been star Senior running back Traci Johnson, who has churned in a phenomenal year in the backfield for the Blue Raiders.
That greatness continued early in today's semifinal match, as Johnson took Woodbridge's first two plays from scrimmage to the house for scores; the first of which being a 70-yard score to put the Blue Raiders up 6-0 and the second being a 65-yard scramble to put Woodbridge up 14-7.
However, for as explosive as the Blue Raiders' offense was early, so to was the Auks' offense, as they quickly answered on both of Woodbridge's early scores to knot it up at 14-14 less than five minutes in.
After the rest of the quarter went scoreless, the Blue Raiders struck midway through the second, as Quarterback Logan Moran linked up with Ji'Kare Banks for a 42-yard pitch and catch touchdown to make it a 22-14 game.
Yet again, Archmere responded, as Senior Quarterback Miles Kempski scrambled in for a score on their ensuing possession to tie it up at 22-22, which would be the halftime score.
The second half was where this game really swung, as Archmere scored on their opening possession to go up 28-22, then forced a fumble on Woodbridge's opening possession and scored again to go up 36-22.
The game never got within one score.
Kempski was phenomenal today, accumulating five total scores (three rushing, two passing).
Archmere now moves on to their third state final in four seasons. They will now look for their second state title in four seasons against Caravel Academy next Saturday at the University of Delaware.
This will be a rematch of last year's state semifinals, which Caravel won 30-6.
