I couldn't make it tonight. How did Strasburg look overall. Especially the Defense in the 2nd half

Right now, the King's Fork offense - dialed up by OC Casey Turner (former Great Bridge record-setting QB) - is doing a really good job formationally of putting the Nansemond River defense in a bind. Their utilization of the tight end - Khalil Key - and putting him in motion some has given them an extra blocker in the run game to overpower the Warriors.

Just as I write that and give credit, I now question the decision to use Preston Hall III here - as opposed to JaVon Ford or Bubba Anderson - on a 2nd & 7 run from the 34. It ends up resulting in a loss of 3 as Jkari Colden came through unblocked for the tackle in the backfield.

The 3rd & 10 pass falls incomplete with a receiving diving to make they play and unable to haul it in... but they're leaving the offense on the field with 10:10 to go here.

Artis-Boone actually pooch punts it and King's Fork nearly downs it at the 1 when it goes into the end zone for a touchback with 10:00 exactly to play in regulation.

Do Grant and the Warriors have some late-game magic in them?

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Although the 2-point try pass play failed, love the creativity shown by Alonzo Ricks Jr. and his coaching staff as they went with a toss one way and that back came from the other direction to then throw it... and while it was caught, problem was the target ended up out of bounds during the process. So they don't get the 2 points.

We've seen King's Fork raise its plays in a big way this half, and now the Bulldogs want to halt the shift in momentum that's going back towards the host Warriors.

Little surprised Nansemond River tries an onside kick, which King's Fork recovers at their own 48 with 11:50 to go in regulation. Probably was a tad too early to try that one, but then again, they might not be sure about their defense coming up with a solution either.

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Tyrell Grant with a dandy of a run on the mini bootleg to bring up 2nd & Goal from the 1. Looks like the Warriors will try to sneak this one in from the 1.

By the way, speaking of dandy... it makes me think back to the late great George Carlin and his bit on fine and dandy (look it up folks... but for you kids that do... be prepared for some colorful language if you do). Can't believe I just got a Carlin reference in this Blog... wow!

Hopewell offensive has been stagnant but Dinwiddie defense has been solid as a rock. Hopewell defense has played well but the offense has to make some plays, quarterback Tatum has been solid running and passing but the receivers has dropped the ball or it's been over thrown. It's 22-7 Dinwiddie .

Small miscues are starting mushroom for Nansemond River, which played so well offensively in the first half.

Melvin Brown runs for 8 and QB Tyrell Grant does a splendid job on the read-option, pulling and gaining 7 to move the chains.

But Grant then bobbles the snap and he ends up getting crunched for a loss of 7. However, to his credit, he responds from that to run for +9 and then finds Karon Madison on 3rd & 8 for a gain of precisely 8. That moves them into King's Fork territory.

A block in the back penalty pushes KF back 10 yards to the NR 44 following a completion to TaiVon Douglas. Grant then hits Calvin Holloway for a great 34-yard strike, isolated in one-on-one coverage and the Warriors are now clawing back in this one. Nansemond River has reached the KF 10 as we tick under a minute to go in this third period.

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That's how you make special teams special. It's all King's Fork here in this 3rd period - with a 22-point burst in a span of 7 minutes.

Quite a turnaround for the Bulldogs, validating their ranking of No. 3 in the state in Class 5 here in this second half.

A loss of 13 on 3rd & 6 as QB Tyrell Grant is sacked by multiple Bulldogs defenders, Khalil Key and Ernest Jones Jr. It's another 3 & out for the Nansemond River offense, which has turned back into the one we saw that was stagnant for much of the night a week ago at Oscar Smith.

Before they can even get the punt off, it's a false start penalty. This is where they have to be extra careful, booting it away from their own end zone. A block here by King's Fork can really accelerate things for them in this game.

MC opened the 3rd with a 10:12 TD drive. Missed the xpt. FD 21-13.

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King's Fork mixed in Preston Hall III for a couple of those runs and JaVon Ford took the other four, including his go-ahead TD plunge.

There's a different level of focus and attention to detail for the Bulldogs to begin this second half.

Also have to give props to that o-line for King's Fork, which included a couple really fine blocks by No. 58 Simeon Trotter (6-2, 285 pound senior).

Nansemond River starts its second possession of the half at their own 17 with 6:33 on the clock, suddenly trailing.

A punt of minus-4 as Nansemond River is unable to get it off cleanly gives King's Fork tremendous field position, at the Warriors 35, with 8:49 to go.

So crucial the Warriors defense stands tall and doesn't let King's Fork come up with a quick-strike TD to continue the momentum for the visitors.

OK, maybe a referee out there or diehard High School Football fan can explain this one to me.

Earlier in the third quarter, when Nansemond River kicked it out of bounds, King's Fork began at its own 35.

Now King's Fork kicks it out of bounds... and the Warriors start at their own 39?!?! I don't quite understand... I must've missed something, I guess.

Well, it's actually at their own 34 following a penalty. The King's Fork defense has now come out inspired as they drop QB Tyrell Grant for a loss of a yard, with Joshua Pittman and Derrion Knight in on that stop. On the very next play, it's Ernest Jones Jr. nearly coming up with a pick-six as he broke on the pass wonderfully, but is unable to complete the catch.

Grant scrambles for 6 back to their original line of scrimmage, where he is met with a 'pop' from DB Denosh Rodgers.

A King's Fork player - which happens to be Rodgers - is helped off the field with 8:57 to go before Nansemond River punts it away.

Zy’Dar’eyus Wynn is able to slip out of a couple tackles right when Nansemond River thought they had the Bulldogs bottled up on the 3rd & 5 screen play, just inside the 50. Wynn gains 6 down to the Warriors 42. That's where Bubba Anderson dashes to paydirt with 9:52 to go in the third period.

The Bulldogs then go to Denosh Rodgers on the quick screen and execute it flawlessly to make this a 3-point game.

Now the pressure shifts back to the Nansemond River offense to answer that score with one of their own.

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King's Fork starts at their own 35 as Nansemond River's second half kickoff sails out of bounds. Bubba Anderson rushes for 5 to the far sideline. Nifty footwork by WR Denosh Rodgers along the far sideline, shaking off two defenders for a gain of 7 on his pass reception from QB D'andre Artis-Boone. The Bulldogs are on the move, close to midfield.

A deep ball shot down the field to Rodgers is incomplete, largely because of outstanding coverage from Josiah Johnson. JaVon Ford gets his first carry of the second half and runs up the middle for 5. Sets up 3rd & 5 from the NR 48.

Stats at the Half:

Nansemond River 21:
Tyrell Grant - 10-14 for 96Yds. 2-0 TD/Int. ratio; 4Car. 45Yds.
Melvin Brown - 5Car. 49Yds. TD
TaiVon Douglas - 3Rec. 29Yds.
Christian Jordan - 2Rec. 25Yds. TD
Calvin Holloway - 3Rec. 23Yds.
Karon Madison - 2Rec. 19Yds.
Jeremy Lyons - 6 Tackles
Rajae Jones - 5 Tackles

Warriors - 23 plays for 190 total yards (10-14 for 96 yards passing; 9 rushes for 94 yards); 4 penalties for 34 yards; 0 turnovers


King's Fork 10:
D'andre Artis-Boone - 8-12 for 98Yds.
JaVon Ford - 8Car. 94Yds. TD
Bubba Anderson - 3Car. 12Yds.
Jahmel Mackey - 2Rec. 34Yds.
Denosh Rodgers - 2Rec. 18Yds.
Brandon Jeune - 6 Tackles
Shimyael Holt - 3 Tackles, 1. TFL

Bulldogs - 28 plays for 203 total yards (8-12 for 98 yards passing; 16 rushes for 105 yards); 6 penalties for 60 yards; 0 turnovers

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Stats to follow soon... after I take a quick potty break.

Completions by QB D'andre Artis-Boone to fellow junior Joey 'JoJo' Applewhite (Western Branch transfer) and sophomore Terrelle Godwin netting a total of 28 yards move the Bulldogs down to the 37 of Nansemond River. An incomplete gives them one last shot at the end zone with 5.7 seconds left in the second period. They go right to Denosh Rodgers, who looks to have an easy reception, but he has a butterfingers moment.

We've reached half-time and the home faithful for the Warriors are excited about this 11-point lead for sure.

Back in a bit...

At the half, FD 21 MC 7. FD scored on a long pass and a short pass in the second quarter. 2 bad snaps and an INT at the goal line doomed promising MC drives. Field is bad.

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Prior to that run, Melvin Brown was held in check to 4 rushes for minus 3 yards. Coming into the evening, he had run the football 43 times for 242 yards and 2 TD's.

That right there was by far his biggest run and touchdown of the season, giving the Warriors a double-digit lead on a King's Fork team that we have ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 5 - behind only reigning State Champ Maury and Matoaca - so you can say an upset is brewing. But is it really an upset? Not to the Warriors, who felt they should've won this matchup a year ago.

This also isn't the same Nansemond River team that got outscored 35-0 in the second half by Oscar Smith seven days ago.

King's Fork has it at their own 35 with 33.2 seconds to go in the half... and they're not taking a knee.

Nansemond River is taking what the defense is giving them in the passing game and QB Tyrell Grant is making accurate throws all over the field, hitting Calvin Holloway for a gain of 1, then TaiVon Douglas for +9 to move the chains. He goes back to Douglas for 9 more and it's there that Melvin Brown gets a confidence-boosting run to move the chains.

Karon Madison hauls in his second pass of the half for +8, but then the Warriors are unable to hit the go route down the near sideline. A time-out is called before 3rd & 2 from their own 48 with 1:39 to go in the second period.

Staunton River looks good. Definitely their best team since Grayson Overstreet. GW’s offense flows so much better this year but the QB has to make a few more plays for them to be a legit region contender. Great game so far.

GW 10 Staunton River 7 half.

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How important has Bile been to the Bulldogs in this rivalry series the past two years? Absolutely mammoth as his leg was why they prevailed a year ago in a game that went to OT.

Nansemond River has it at their own 20 with 4:10 to go till half-time. As much as they'd like to get more points out of this next drive, it's absolutely essential in my opinion they do not give it back to the Bulldogs in this quarter because King's Fork gets the ball first in the second half.