KJ Dameron helped power the Trojan offense early and in key downs on the night.
TAPPAHANNOCK- It was a filled to capacity crowd as Essex had its homecoming versus one of the challengers for the Northern Neck title. What would happen in 12 minutes of football would eliminate any talk of the Indians spoiling homecoming as everything that could go wrong did. Northumberland had a horrendous beginning of the game that they could not recover from.
The game started off like it would be a battle as the Indians had the ball first but wasn’t able to move it versus the athletic Trojans. When Essex got the ball they would see a promising drive die at the hands of Devin Palmer. Palmer would return the interception to their own 46 yard line for a 17 yard return. Unfortunately, the Northumberland offense could not get into gear.
Ashton Ashlock prepares to hand off Tim Johnson to get to the edge.
Ashton Ashlock would make the best out of the next drive hitting Terrell Hundley across the middle for a big gain. Hundley had other plans as he saw KJ Dameron nearby and lateraled to him and Dameron would race up the middle of the field for the touchdown. Essex was up 6-0 with 8:16 to play in the 1st.
Northumberland would then catch the Tampa Bay special teams flu as they couldn’t handle a punt snap and Essex got the ball at the Indian 6-yard line. The next play Dameron would stroll in for the score and Takeyo Day would get the conversion. Essex led 14-0 with 7:00 to plan in the 1st quarter.
Palmer would have an exciting kick-off return to the Essex 45 yard line but again disaster would continue to plague the Indians. After a few plays for losses, Northumberland would fumble at their own 20-yard line. Essex would march down the field as Ricardo Henson would go in from 5 yards out to make it 20-0 Trojans with 2:22 left in the 1st.
Ricardo Henson ate up the opportunities to score and make big plays on defense all night.
The Indians would start deep in Trojan territory, as the return wouldn’t be promising. The drive would die and Northumberland would mishandle another punt but this time Cordairo Washington would scoop it up and walk in to make it 26-0 with 12 seconds until the 2nd quarter.
Everything clicked for the Trojans early as their defense has been solid all season.
Essex would add a touchdown late in the 2nd quarter from Henson and Delontae Norman would make a touchdown grab in the 4th.
Northumberland did play much better in the second half as Palmer found the endzone twice. Jerquist Morris would also make a td grab given Dionte Kelly 2 touchdown passes on the night. Kelly appeared to be the best option at quarterback for the Indians. If they had figured that out earlier that disaster of a beginning just may have been limited.
Northumberland was happy to have Palmer back and he kept the crowd nervous at times.
#3 Essex (5-1) will now travel to Colonial Beach (3-2). Northumberland (4-2) will now face undefeated Washington & Lee (6-0) in Montross.
NORTHUMBERLAND 0 0 7 14 - 21
ESSEX 26 7 0 7 - 40
E- Dameron 45-yard lateral from Hundley off a 21 yd pass from Ashlock (run failed)
E- Dameron 6-yard run (Day run)
E- Henson 5-yard run (run failed)
E- Washington fumble return (run failed)
E- Henson 4-yard run (Guadalupe Villeda kick)
N- Palmer 7-yard run (Lee kick)
E- Norman 8-yard pass from Ashlock (Villeda kick)
N- Morris 35-yard pass from Kelly (Lee kick)
N- Palmer 61-yard pass from Kelly (Lee kick)
Shawn Corbin and Lakata Shelton pose after being named 2017 homecoming king & queen.
OTHER REGION A SCORES
Brunswick 44 Franklin 42
Colonial Beach 46 Rappahannock 18
King William 46 Charles City 21
Nandua 49 Snow Hill (MD) 26
Southampton 37 Greensville Co. 14
Surry County 40 Windsor 0
Sussex Central 32 Park View 8
Washington & Lee 29 Lancaster 14
West Point 56 Middlesex 23 (Thur)
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