4A State Championship Game LIVE Blog - Lake Taylor (14-0) vs. Salem (13-0)

[matthew328826]

Kick-off is less than 10 minutes away in the 4A State Championship game at Lynchburg's Liberty University as it's a re-match from last year between the Lake Taylor Titans and Salem Spartans. Two undefeated teams collide, but only one will leave with an unblemished record.

ICYMI - 4A State Championship Preview: Lake Taylor vs. Salem

We have more Salem fans here at Arthur L. Williams Stadium to no surprise for the second year in a row. Lake Taylor comes in riding a 29-game winning streak and trying to capture its third state title in four year.

Salem has won six state titles, all from 1996-2005. They'll try to keep the Titans from becoming the first Hampton Roads team not named Hampton or Phoebus to repeat since 1945-46.

Fans - feel free to post thoughts on this thread during the game and chime in with any questions.

Coin toss and kick-off coming up ... stay tuned!

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor won the toss and deferred.

It'll be Salem ball first here at Liberty. A beautiful evening for football and we're off and running...

 

[matthew328826]

Donte Clayborne gains 7 and then Alex Ramsey picks up less than a yard. That brings up a critical 3rd & 3 for Salem at their own 40-yard line.

Quarterback Noah Beckley gets enough time to find Joseph Quinn - one of seven sophomores starting for this Spartans team - and he gains four yards to move the chains.

A solid start for Salem on this opening series.

 

[matthew328826]

Good coverage by Lake Taylor corner J.T. Wahee - who has seven interceptions on the year to tie for the team lead with Ohio State commit Wayne Davis - and Salem is staring at a 3rd & 5 from their own 49-yard line.

Salem drops back to pass and a flag is called. The Spartans' players are clapping as the Titans are called for a holding penalty, allowing Salem to move the chains for the second time on third down.

Too many miscues - be it penalties, turnovers or a combination of both - could keep Lake Taylor from pushing that win streak to 30.

 

[matthew328826]

After Tairaceo White, junior d-lineman for Lake Taylor, pushes Salem back three yards, it's QB Noah Beckley scrambling for a gain of 14 yards down to the Titan 30-yard line. Plays like that by Beckley, buying time and using his legs, can make a big difference today.

A tremendous play made down the field by Titans junior linebacker Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey - who has over 100 tackles on the year - to break up a pass that would've been a touchdown for Salem.

 

[matthew328826]

Salem strikes first - it's tailback Donte Clayborne making one cut and taking it the distance for a 30-yard touchdown run. That capped a 9-play, 68-yard drive in 3:49. The extra point was good by Nate Craft, who has missed only two extra points all year.

8:11 left 1stQ - Salem 7, Lake Taylor 0

A great start for Salem. Now it's up to Lake Taylor to answer as they get ready for their first possession of the game.

 

[aw19752]

Typical Lake Taylor lately. Slow start.

 

[Snookasuperstar]

Well I my score may be way off, slow start may not be good for Titans

 

[aw19752]

Well I my score may be way off, slow start may not be good for Titans

Been doing it since second round. Time will tell if it bites them this time.

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor is on the move to begin the game. A couple of carries for Daz Palmer - who rushed for over 2000 yards this season - and a 38-yard burst by Deon Smith have the Titans into Salem territory.

Wayne Davis loses nine yards surprisingly on a quick screen by the Lake Taylor as he tried to reverse his field. The Salem defense then gets a huge stand on third down as Luke Owen read the screen wonderfully, sending Keyvone Bruton (Temple commit) back a yard.

Salem forces the Titans to punt. The Spartans take over at their own 20-yard line after the touchback.

It's Salem on top of Lake Taylor 7-0 with 4:27 in the opening period.

 

[matthew328826]

On Salem's second possession, the Spartans get just four yards on two run plays to bring up 3rd & 6 from their own 24. They go back to the air and Noah Beckley's pass intended for sophomore Viante Tucker is incomplete near Wayne Davis, who was in coverage. A flag on Salem was declined.

The Spartans are now punting back to the Titans with just under three minutes left in the opening period. Lake Taylor begins at the Salem 49-yard line, so favorable field position for Hank Sawyer's crew.

 

[Reason is Lost]

Is there a better way to refresh the page?

 

[matthew328826]

Known for his ball skills at defensive back with six of the team's 16 interceptions, senior DB Daniel Ponton makes a great tackle on Daz Palmer, who loses three yards. That forces the Titans to go to the air on 2nd & 13 and QB Tyrek Hughey hits Wayne Davis for a pick up of 11.

Now a crucial 3rd & 2 for the Titans at the Salem 41-yard line. They go with three wide receivers, Hughey hands off to Palmer and he gets only a yard. So 4th & 1 upcoming and Lake Taylor appears to be lining up to punt surprisingly.

 

[matthew328826]

Salem begins its third series at their own 21-yard line with just a little more than a minute to play in the opening quarter. The Spartans lead Lake Taylor 7-0 and have to feel good about holding an offensive juggernaut that averages 47.1 points per game to nothing through two possessions.

 

[VaPrepsRod]

Is there a better way to refresh the page?

depends on browser you're using. I've got Chrome and using back button on mouse and refresh icon at top of page

 

[matthew328826]

End 1stQ in the 4A State Championship at Liberty:
Salem 7, Lake Taylor 0

When the second quarter commences, it'll be 3rd & 5 from their own 26-yard line for the Spartans, whose fans are on their feet at the moment roaring with approval.

 

[aw19752]

F5 Function key also works

 

[aw19752]

The one thing I notice is Salem is always in 3rd down situations. 3rd down conversions maybe very crucial today for Salem.

 

[matthew328826]

QB Noah Beckley's pass on 3rd & 5 is incomplete to start the second quarter for Salem, which leads Lake Taylor 7-0. The Spartans, but wisely keep it away from Wayne Davis, near the Salem sideline.

Lake Taylor will start its third possession at the Salem 48-yard line. Again, golden opportunity with good field position and the Titans need to cash in here to thwart some of the confidence growing for the Spartans.

 

[Reason is Lost]

depends on browser you're using. I've got Chrome and using back button on mouse and refresh icon at top of page

Using iPad

 

[matthew328826]

The one thing I notice is Salem is always in 3rd down situations. 3rd down conversions maybe very crucial today for Salem.

Totally agree - Salem has to chew up some clock and convert enough of those to wear down the Titans if possible.

 

[matthew328826]

Big play from the Salem defense as Daniel Ponton comes up with his 7th interception of the year.

Tyrek Hughey took a chance down the field and it was a jump ball. It looked like from my angle that Rashard Russell deflected it in the air and Ponton came away with it...

So Salem starts at their own 16-yard line with a 7-0 lead on the defending State Champs early in the second period.

 

[matthew328826]

A penalty-free first quarter for Salem, who is trying to build on a 7-0 lead, but backed up inside their own 20 until Noah Beckley finds Nick Wade for an 11-yard completion on second down.

The Lake Taylor defense has bent some this postseason in giving up around 27 points per game. Fortunately for them, they have 12 defensive TD's on the year and don't break. They generally rise to the occasion. Right on cue, Daz Palmer limits Donte Clayborne's run and that brings up another interesting 3rd down for the Spartans, needing 12 yards from their own 27 to keep the drive alive.

 

[VaPrepsRod]

Using iPad

Don't know anything about you richy rich Apple people :-(

 

[aw19752]

Totally agree - Salem has to chew up some clock and convert enough of those to wear down the Titans if possible.

To beat champs you have to take advantage of turnovers. We will see if Salem does with this int.

 

[matthew328826]

The Salem drive ends with Raeshawn Griffin sacking QB Noah Beckley The Spartans are forced to punt.

Lake Taylor's field position won't be quite as good this series, beginning at their own 38-yard line. Tyrek Hughey has yet to get on track for Lake Taylor and the Titans really need to get him going with their running game having yet to dominate.

A 3rd & 7 rom their own 41-yard line forthcoming for the guys from Norfolk. Salem's defense has played very spirited and with great intensity to this point.

 

[matthew328826]

Lake Taylor not helping themselves as a penalty backs them up to 3rd & 12 at their own 36-yard line. The Titans are playing it conservatively with a zone read to Daz Palmer, who doesn't gain much at all, gang tackled by a host of Spartans.

So Tyrek Hughey will punt it away. Salem catches it on the hop and the Spartans will have better field position than they have the previous couple possessions, starting at their own 45-yard line.

The Spartans lead this surprisingly low-scoring affair 7-0 with 5:49 before half-time.

 

[matthew328826]

An encroachment penalty on Lake Taylor puts the ball at midfield. QB Noah Beckley with a stupendous scamper - 38 yards before Raeshawn Griffin drags him down at the 10-yard line.

Lake Taylor may be getting a tad nervous here and the Titans do not want to go down 14-0 to this Salem team before half-time. A very important red zone sequence coming up here.

 

[matthew328826]

After two rushes get Salem eight yards, it's 3rd & Goal at the 2 of Lake Taylor. The matchup in the trenches will tell a lot here.

 

[aw19752]

The more LT is down the more pressure. SalemPride I know you are loving this, but a nervous wreck the same time lol.

 

[matthew328826]

Running to the right side with a hole that they could drive a truck through - it's Riley Fox scoring on a 2-yard run to push the Salem lead to double-figures. The PAT is good.

3:11 to go 2ndQ - Salem 14, Lake Taylor 0

Salem fans couldn't have asked for a better start against a team that beat them 41-16 in this same game just one year ago.

 

[matthew328826]

You get the sense that the timing is off today for the Lake Taylor passing game. Sophomore Tyrek Hughey has not gotten in a rhythm and CB Daniel Ponton has performed like one of the best players on the field for Salem, being asked to cover Wayne Davis - the Gatorade Virginia State Football Player of the Year.

A gain of 6 by Daz Palmer brings up 3rd & 4 at their own 26 for the Titans. Hughey completes it to J.T. Wahee, who makes a tough catch over the middle as he's hit by Nick Wade down to the Salem 35. The clock continues to tick, nearing two minutes left in this second quarter. Lake Taylor will need to pick up the pace.

 

[aw19752]

Seems like LT pass coverage is great the issue is the one person that's not accounted for is the QB. If this is unexpected by LT it may be too late to incorporate a qb spy scheme.

 

[matthew328826]

Temple commit Keyvone Bruton makes a snag for 11 yards from QB Tyrek Hughey. Lake Taylor is getting close to midfield, but Hughey is sacked by De'Angelo Ramsey (he came in with 13.5 sacks on the year).

Lake Taylor burns their first time-out with 1:34 left in the first half. Salem leads 14-0 over the Titans, who will face 2nd & 13 from their own 43 out of this break in the action.

The yardage is fairly close thus far (123-84 in favor of Salem), but the Spartans have made the timely plays.

Some near misses for the Titans, including one a moment ago as Hughey was flushed out of the pocket and missed Bruton for what would've been a 57-yard touchdown.

 

[Snookasuperstar]

Wow looks like I may be eating a lot of crow on this one. Long way to go but Salem does not blow leads this big.

 

[matthew328826]

On 3rd & 13 - Tyrek Hughey throws it intended for Wayne Davis with Nick Wade in coverage. The officials call pass interference (debatable from my spot here in the box) and now Lake Taylor has a chance to capitalize. They move down to the 33-yard line of Salem with a minute left after Keyvone Bruton's nine-yard reception.

 

[matthew328826]

Oddly enough, the Salem Spartans called consecutive time-outs, leading Lake Taylor 14-0 with 41 seconds left in the first half. The Titans face a key 3rd & 1 from the Salem 33-yard line.

Coach Stephen Magenbauer and the Spartans know a stop here before the half would do wonders for their chances of winning and avenging last year's title game loss.

 

[aw19752]

Wow looks like I may be eating a lot of crow on this one. Long way to go but Salem does not blow leads this big.

Funny thing is for weeks we have posted crazily about this games and others and it always come down to football players and coaches not us posters lol.

 

[matthew328826]

Tyrek Hughey gains four yards on 3rd & 1 for Lake Taylor to extend the drive. Another time-out, this time by Lake Taylor, as they get set for 1st & 10 from the Salem 29-yard line with less than 40 seconds to go before the half.

Hughey throws it in the end zone and Wayne Davis is unable to hang on with Daniel Ponton and Nick Wade covering. Davis usually makes that catch. Perhaps a break for the Salem D'.

Lake Taylor goes 4-wide and it's Davis redeeming himself with a grab of 17 yards to the Salem 13. The Titans then burn their final time-out of the half with 14 seconds remaining. This is where the small details of time and score are so imperative.

 

[matthew328826]

The Lake Taylor pass sails out of the end zone on 2nd & 10. Nick Wade makes the INT on 3rd & 10 of Tyrek Hughey but the other official comes in and says incomplete; that the pass hit the ground. Couldn't tell from my seat if that hit the ground or not.

With 2 seconds left in the half, it's 4th & 10 from the Salem 13-yard line. Gotta think knowing how seldom Lake Taylor has used its kicking game they will go for it here.