Blog LIVE Blog of Region 5A Semis: Salem-VB 21, Woodside 19 - FINAL

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Greetings from the Virginia Beach Sportsplex as it's the Region 5A Semifinals with the fifth-seeded Woodside Wolverines (10-1) taking on the undefeated Salem Sun Devils (11-0), the top seed.

Before we get to the game and our updates, which you can find on Twitter @hatfieldsports, let's get to a couple of quick injury notes.

Salem WR/DB Desmond Green is not in action tonight, while for Woodside their starting center Tony Harrington - a two-time 2nd Team All-Peninsula District pick - is out with a hand injury.

 

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Our snapshot preview from earlier on VaPreps...

Region 5A - #5 Woodside (10-1) vs. #1 Salem-VB (11-0) at Sportsplex . . . Historically, these two defense are two of the best from a statistical standpoint that we’ve seen in Hampton Roads in quite a while. Certainly, the mantle may belong to a 2008 Phoebus defense that scored more touchdown than it allowed and sent every starter on to the college level. But when you consider these two teams come in with 15 shutouts combined – 8 by Salem and 7 from Woodside – it could very well turn out to be a case where the first team that scores wins . . . and that ends up being the only team that scores.

For the entire season, the Sun Devils under the direction of Head Coach Shawn Wilson and coordinator Jeff McGowan have given up just 22 points. The most they allowed in a game was 12 to Princess Anne, which was ousted 7-0 in the opening round of the playoffs a week ago by Woodside. As for Woodside, the high mark they allowed was 21 to Phoebus in their lone loss, though it is worth noting that the only score until the third period came on a pick-six by the Phantoms in that contest. Woodside has given up just 45 points the entire year.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find two better linebackers around Tidewater than Seth Naotala of Woodside and Anwar Sparrow from Salem. Sparrow has inflicted pain more than a few times this year with monster hits, while Naotala’s motor never stops, playing relentlessly and even serving as a presence in the special teams department trying to block punts.

As great as those two guys are, the best player on the field might very well be Salem running back Kaelon Black, who recently picked up an offer from James Madison University and figures to be the Beach District Offensive Player of the Year. Black has rushed for 1574 yards and 23 touchdowns. If he touched the ball as much as other backs in the area, he’d probably be right around 2000 yards and 30 touchdowns, though the Sun Devils have had some sizable leads and also split carries up with another capable ball carrier in Lex Henry. Woodside will need strong games from Kahleef Jimmison and Tyler Thompson on offense along with WR Ricky Key Jr. to be in scoring position.

Matt Says: Salem 10-6
VHSL-Reference.com Says: Salem 16-8
Coach Young Says: Salem 28-12

 

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Ok, we're underway and it'll be Salem ball to start. They return the opening kickoff to their own 45. The Sun Devils fumble on their first play from scrimmage, but star RB Kaelon Black hops on the loose pigskin. The next two runs get nothing and Salem is forced to punt.

Woodside begins at their own 28 with 9:21 to go in the opening stanza. Coach Danny Dodson goes to a couple of sweeps with Bryce Phipps to move the chains. A pretty good start for the underdog Wolverines.

 

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Just a tremendous catch and run to set up Jimmison's TD keeper by Ricky Key Jr.

This is the largest deficit of the year for Salem. Previously, it was 3-0 in the regular season finale against Cox.

 

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Salem's second offensive series, beginning at the 6:20 mark of the opening period, gets off to a promising start. They run twice with Lex Henry, picking up a total of 11 yards, with a 6-yard run from Kaelon Black sandwiched in between. That moved the chains. However, a holding penalty - along with an injury to lineman Nathan Jedlick - thwarts the drive for Shawn Wilson's Sun Devils.

Quarterback Saquan Miles runs for 8 yards on 3rd & 24. That leads to a Salem punt. But maybe what could turn the tide for the Sun Devils is a penalty on the punt return. Woodside's second possession will begin with 1:47 to go in the opening quarter, from their own 14. Ball security is of the highest importance on this series for Woodside. A 3 & out isn't the worst thing in the world.

 

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Zyeron Rogers inside on the d-line for Salem was an enforcer that last series as the Sun Devils forced a 3 & out.

Bad news for Woodside is one of their standout defensive players - Koa Noatala - went down with an injury. We'll see if he returns.

 

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Salem will have good field position, at the Woodside 40, for their third series with 11:48 to go in the second period after the Wolverines punt.

 

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Salem's series really took a spin for the worse when Kaelon Black was dropped for a loss of 8. In the trenches, the Sun Devils are just getting blown off the ball by the Woodside defensive front. Surprised by the move of Shawn Wilson to go for it there and it be a QB keeper instead of punting and trying to pin Woodside inside their own 15 in this expected defensive grudge-match.

 

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An illegal man down field on Woodside is declined because the pass completion from Kahleef Jimmison to Ricky Key gained only 7 yards on 3rd & 17. Woodside punts it away on 4th & 10 from their own 22.

With 6:48 to go until half-time, Salem has it at the Woodside 46. Anwar Sparrow and Amorie Morrison - the ODU commit - have really started to heat up defensively with impact hits.

Tyreece White and Xavier Rios combine to limit Kaelon Black to a gain of 1 on 2nd & 6. On 3rd & 5, the Sun Devils go with a jet sweep and Jamarei Ashby-Phan gains 3. That brings up 4th down.

 

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The fourth down is converted with QB Saquan Miles pushing ahead for 8 yards. Ironically, Miles has 52 yards on 8 attempts. Kaelon Black has been held in check, gaining only 1 yards on 8 attempts. He entered with Beach District highs of 1575 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns on the season.

On 3rd & 1, the Sun Devils hand it to their other quality back in Lex Henry and he gains 3. The Woodside defense isn't giving up a ton and Seth Naotala has been making key play after key tackle.

 

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Can't emphasize how HUGE of a loss that might be for Woodside if Seth isn't able to return. His brother - Koa - went off the field a couple possessions ago after losing 3 yards on a run play.

Salem facing 1st & Goal from the 5 with 38 seconds till the half after a 6-yard run from QB Saquan Miles.

 

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An important scoring drive before the break for Salem, which one could certainly say was outplayed for a good chunk of this first half until that touchdown. Now, the Sun Devils have to feel great about their chances, even though Woodside will get the ball first to begin the second half.

Salem has been laying the wood all year and game long on defense. They can put Woodside in some third down and long situations. If you wipe away the 46-yard catch by Ricky Key, the Wolverines haven't done much at all offensively.

This one in many ways has gone about as expected.

 

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Crazy play with under a minute to go before the half as Woodside QB Kahleef Jimmison tries to run around the left side with 24 seconds to go until half-time and fumbles the football. Salem junior LB Zemarion Harrell - who is a coveted D-1 prospect - scoops up the fumble and returns it to the 1 of Woodside. However, the Sun Devils don't get that golden scoring opportunity before the half due to multiple penalty infractions, backing them up to their own 48.

Salem runs two plays with Kaelon Black - gaining a total of 16 yards. Prior to those runs, he was held to just 3 yards on 9 attempts. That'll bring up to intermission.

 

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Some numbers at the break...

HALF:

Woodside 7:
Kahleef Jimmison - 4-4 for 69Yds; 4Car. Minus 6Yds. TD; lost fumble
Bryce Phipps - 5Car. 6Yds.
Ricky Key Jr. - 4Rec. 69Yds.
Seth Naotala - 7 Tackles (2 Solo)
Tyreece White - 6 Tackles, 2TFL

Wolverines - 14 plays for 66 total yards (10 rushes for minus 3 yards, 1 lost fumble; 4-4 for 69 pass yards); 1 turnover; 1 penalty for 11 yards; 7:46 Time of Possession


Salem 7:
Saquan Miles - 2-2 for 5Yds; 10Car. 63Yds. TD
Kaelon Black - 11Car. 18Yds.
Lex Henry - 3Car. 6Yds.
Amorie Morrison - 5 Tackles, 2.5TFL, 0.5 Sack
Anwar Sparrow - 5 Tackles, 1.5TFL, 0.5 Sack

Sun Devils - 27 plays for 95 total yards (25 rushes for 90 yards; 2-2 for 5 pass yards); 0 turnovers; 5 penalty for 45 yards; 16:13 Time of Possession

 

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Woodside gets the football to begin the 2nd half. Once again, the Wolverines not with great starting field position, at their own 25. The Wolverines best starting spot was at their own 28 in the first half.

Kahleef Jimmison's first pass of the night is incomplete, low for his intended target Tyler Thompson, a speedster that has played the QB spot before.

 

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Second takeaway of the night for the aggressive, hard-hitting Salem defense and now they have a chance to go up after trailing early in this one.

 

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Lex Henry (5 rushes, 36 yards, TD) and Kaelon Black (now up to 14 rushes for 42 yards) are starting to really find their rhythm and the ground game for Salem is looking like its normal self.

 

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Sparrow with a monster hit on special teams. Woodside starts at their own 25 and they can't get much going offensively, even trying to attack deep with QB Kahleef Jimmison and their passing game. The Wolverines go to the air on 2nd down and DE Isaiah Henderson, another coveted next-level prospect, bats down a pass. On 3rd & 15 after a penalty, Jimmison's pass intended for Tyler Thompson is dropped right at the marker. So Woodside is back to punt again.

 

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Salem starts their second series of the 3rd period at the 9:08 mark from the Woodside 49 following a 19-yard punt by the Wolverines and 10-yard penalty on the Sun Devils. They continue to run the rock with Kaelon Black and Lex Henry. Seth Naotala has returned for Woodside and makes a crucial tackle on 3rd down.



Decision time for Shawn Wilson... until movement from his offensive line pushes them back 5 yards. Coach Wilson trots the punting team on and that looks like a wise move.

 

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A terrific 46-yard punt by Salem will pin Woodside at their own 3 with 6:51 to go in the 3rd period. But the Woverines say no problem, we'll get on the board against that vaunted Salem defense in the blink of an eye.

 

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Danny Dodson is much smarter than me and knows way more football. But I was a bit perplexed on the decision to go for 2 there after scoring the touchdown. Maybe he's thinking keep the momentum going. But I haven't seen any signs from the kicker that he would struggle on the PAT. And instead, it backfires in a sense and they lose the momentum after an enormous play - the longest gain all year on a very tenacious Salem defense.

 

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Unfortunately for Salem, a bad snap on first down results in a loss of 12. Kaelon Black, the intended guy to take the direct snap, hops on the ball. Black gains 1 and then 9. The 38-yard field goal by Evan Novotny is not even close with 3:12 to play. So the score remains -- Salem 14, Woodside 13.

Woodside takes over at their own 20 for their fourth possession of the half.

 

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Woodside is nearing midfield after Kahleef Jimmison completes passes to Avery Scott and Ricky Key, his sure-handed target with 5 grabs for 76 yards tonight. But on 3rd & 5 from their own 44, Jimmison can't find running room or an open receiver and Salem LB Anwar Sparrow brings him down on a sack.



Woodside will be punting 4th & 8 from their own 41.

 

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Salem is in the midst of a lengthy 12 play drive, now facing a 3rd & 11 from the Woodside 37 after a tackle for loss by Andrew Chamblee. The Sun Devils have milked so much clock running the ball with Lex Henry, Kaelon Black and QB Saquan Miles. But the Sun Devils have a disastrous moment on 3rd down...

 

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Woodside on 3rd & 5 sees QB Kahleef Jimmison complete a 10-yard pass along the sideline Tyler Thompson (how clutch has he been in the 2nd half?). That moves the chains to the Salem 25. Then it's Ricky Key with nifty moves after the catch down to the Salem 13 as we tick under 3 minutes to play.

 

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Bryce Phipps loses 5 as the Salem defense swarms him in the backfield. Facing 2nd & 15 from the Salem 18, the Wolverines run a sweep and Tyler Thompson can't get to the edge as Anwar Sparrow gets to him this time. Maybe a loss of 1 or no gain.



I know I would (play for the field goal)... try to center it as it's on the right has right now...

 

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A potentially deadly penalty - just the 3rd of the night for Woodside - will back them up 5 yards to the 23, actually 24 of Salem (guess it was a 6-yard penalty). Time-out on the field with Salem up 14-13 with 1:12 remaining.

 

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Woodside lining up to go for 2 here with 1:03 left ... and can't say how great Key has been after the catch tonight.

 

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That unsportsmanlike penalty can be costly as Woodside will have to kick off from the 25 instead of the 40. We just saw Kaelon Black earlier in this half take a kickoff back about 65 yards. Danny Dodson has to be livid about that, even though his team has a chance to get a wonderful comeback win at the end.

 

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Salem begins at their own 33. QB Saquan Miles gets about 5, maybe 6 yards. Only 50 seconds remaining. The Sun Devils need to go 62 yards to win, trailing Woodside 19-14.

 

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Unbelievable... and as Henry caught it on the edge it looked like the red sea had parted and no one was within 15 yards of him. Not sure what in the world Woodside was doing defensively there. There was not a soul there to get him in the flats.

To make matters worse, standout safety Andrew Chamblee (11 total tackles tonight, 8 solo stops) is limping off the field.

Salem scores with 36 seconds to go in this wild fourth quarter.

 

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An offsides penalty on Salem will mean they kick off 5 yards back further... but Woodside may need a miracle to score - whether it's on a TD or to get in field goal range. Just the range of emotions crazy here.

 

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Pooch kick by Salem is returned by Woodside to their own 36, where the return man is driven out of bounds. The Wolverines have 31 seconds left to get in field goal range or score a touchdown.



Pressure off the edge applied by Henderson again and Jimmison's pass on 2nd & 13 is incomplete. Just 16 seconds left before 3rd & 13 for the Wolverines, needing a miraculous answer following the screen pass that left them stunned. Ricky Key should be the guy they try to find down the field.

 

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Woodside runs a hook and lateral on 3rd & 13. It gains only about 5 yards.



Only about 1 to 3 seconds left for Salem... although we're waiting to see if the refs say the game is over. And it is.

 

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More to come later...

 

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Here's a look at the final numbers...

Final Stats:

Salem Sun Devils 21: (12-0 Overall)
Saquan Miles - 3-3 for 67Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 17Car. 71Yds. TD
Lex Henry - 11Car. 56Yds. TD; 3Rec. 67Yds. TD
Kaelon Black - 20Car. 44Yds. (9Car. 26Yds. in 2nd Half)
Anwar Sparrow - 8 Tackles (4 Solo), 2.5TFL, 2 Sacks
Amorie Morrison - 5 Tackles, 2.5TFL, 0.5 Sack
Keontay Tyson - Defensive INT

Sun Devils - 52 plays for 241 total yards (3-3 for 67 pass yards; 49 rushes for 174 yards, 1 fumble lost); 1 turnover; 9 penalties for 85 yards


Woodside Wolverines 19: (10-2 Overall)
Kahleef Jimmison - 10-18 for 130Yds. 1-1 TD/Int. ratio; 8Car. 3Yds. TD
Tyler Thompson - 2Car. 98Yds. TD; 1Rec. 10Yds.
Ricky Key Jr. - 8Rec. 117Yds. TD
Andrew Chamblee - 11 Tackles (8 Solo), TFL
Seth Naotala - 11 Tackles (3 Solo)
Tyreece White - 9 Tackles (3 Solo), 2TFL, Fumble Recovery

Wolverines - 37 plays for 230 total yards (10-18 for 130 pass yards, 1 intercept; 19 rushes for 100 yards, 1 fumble lost); 2 turnovers; 5 penalties for 41 yards