Greetings from Salem High School in Virginia Beach, where the Sun Devils (4-0) host Green Run (5-0) in a crucial Beach District clash.
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Before we start, let's review the Preview for all of you out there from this game we put up earlier on the Tidewater Predictions + on our V.I.P. Board Dynamic Dozen Picks...
Green Run (5-0) at Salem-VB (4-0) . . . This one isn’t lacking for storylines or subplots. Salem is coached by Mark Hall, a former All-Tidewater standout in both football and basketball at Green Run that went on to play College Football at UVA. Hall was an assistant at Green Run on its first regional title winning team 2021, which really was in many ways the beginning of their mastery of Beach District teams. Currently, the Stallions are riding a 38-game Beach District regular season winning streak. That streak is at 43 over Beach District foes when you factor in the playoffs and a forfeit victory over Princess Anne earlier this year.
Salem is no newbie or stranger to success, though. They’re the last Beach District member school to defeat Green Run, doing so by a count of 28-27 on March 12, 2021 during the abbreviated, pandemic-impacted season. On the field, the 2024 version of the Stallions have outscored opponents 161-7, and if not for a defensive touchdown in the fourth quarter last week vs. Kempsville, they were about to register their fourth straight on-field shutout for the first time since 1988. That Green Run defense features three FBS commits in corner Knahlij Harrell (12Rec. 207Yds. 2 TD’s), OLB Manny Taylor (44 tackles, 9 TFL) and DE/OLB Zeke Chinwike. Harrell and Chinwike are headed to Virginia Tech, while Taylor is a Pitt pledge.
The Green Run offense features the Hampton Roads area’s leading passer in K’Saan Farrar, a UConn commit who has connected on 50 of 72 passes for 998 yards and a 12-1 TD/Int. ratio. His go-to target in the passing game is Hokies commit Jayden Anderson, who comes in with 21 receptions for 456 yards and 8 TD’s. Anderson will surely draw the attention of multiple Salem defenders throughout the night, but if they focus too much on him, it’ll open the door for RB Charles Jackson (58Car. 591Yds. 10 TD’s), a threat both running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield.
As for this 2024 edition of the Sun Devils, they’ve only been tested by Kempsville, rallying from an early deficit to double up the Chiefs 28-14, thanks in large part to Isaiah Lovgren’s pick-six that started the fourth quarter. Certainly the matchup people should keep an eye closely is when four-star offensive tackle Jaylen Gilchrist is blocking either Chinwike or Taylor. Gilchrist anchors the o-line and gives QB Jason ‘Scooter’ Williams (40 of 69 for 695 yards, 6 TD’s passing) time to throw.
A Navy commit, Williams has a quality cast of receivers with Howard commit Fabien Wells and sophomore Kasir Patterson (13Rec. 252Yds. 3 TD’s), who at 6-foot-3 can go up and get the jump-balls with the best of them. What ultimately will determine whether or not Salem can halt Green Run’s streak of excellence against Beach District competition in my opinion is what they do on the ground game. Teams that have success against the Stallions are able to run effectively and chew clock. So far this year, Grassfield transfer Willie Moore (66Att. 736Yds. 11 TD’s) is tops among Tidewater rushers and really provided a new dimension to the Salem offense.
It’s a small sample size, but believe it or not, Salem is actually putting up a tad more in terms of scoring than Green Run with 43.3 points per game to the 40.3 PPG by the Stallions. That can be skewed just a tad, given it’s early and the varying levels of opponents. However, it does illustrate what Moore has brought to the table to balance out their attack. Two of Green Run’s more formidable opponents to date – Kempsville and Cox – were held in check on the ground with just 60 carries for 74 yards.
For years, the Salem defense has been the hallmark of their program and they’re giving up just 7 PPG this year. The Sun Devils also showed improvement from the regular season last year, when they were walloped by the Stallions 54-7, to the 2023 playoffs, only falling by a count of 18-10 in the regional semifinals. Another step forward would give them a chance in this ballgame. To do that, all three levels have to be in sync; from the d-line with Talon ‘Bam Bam’ Evans clogging the middle, to the linebacker unit headed up by Markus McCoy (6 sacks) making plays and the secondary – with Wells and Dewon Hayes getting challenging assignments – not getting beat over the top.
Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 35-19
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 26-21
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