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

Headed to OT between Salem and Lake Taylor here in the 4A State Championship at Liberty. Coin toss taking place right now at midfield.

Salem will get the ball first to begin OT. The Spartans scored all 14 of their points in the first half. Lake Taylor scored on the final play of the second period and on their first series of the third quarter to cap a 14-play, 68-yard drive that took 7:14 off the clock.
 
Salem 1st & Goal at the 10 - Donte Clayborne loses 4, credit the stop to Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey

2nd & 14 - Noah Beckley's pass intended for Viante Tucker is incomplete, Wayne Davis with the deflection (one-handed I might add).

3rd & 14 - Spartans fumble on the reverse, recovered by Raeshawn Griffin.

Lake Taylor ball and a chance to win a second straight title with a score.
 
Lake Taylor's turn now in OT - Daz Palmer gets 3.

2nd & 7 - Deon Smith out of the option doesn't pick up much, just 1.

3rd & 6 - Daz Palmer gets just 1.

4th & 5 - Lake Taylor will try a field goal and they've not made one this year according to the stats I have. Drama coming...
 
Salem 1st & Goal at the 10 - Donte Clayborne loses 4, credit the stop to Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey

2nd & 14 - Noah Beckley's pass intended for Viante Tucker is incomplete, Wayne Davis with the deflection (one-handed I might add).

3rd & 14 - Spartans fumble on the reverse, recovered by Raeshawn Griffin.

Lake Taylor ball and a chance to win a second straight title with a score.
That's unfortunate to end on a fumble :(
 
Keep in mind - Lake Taylor did not make a field goal all season. My colleague Jason Stamm sitting next to me up here thought it went through and so too did the Lake Taylor sideline. Very hard to tell from this view, but all that matters is what the referees say and they say it was no good. Coach Hank Sawyer was arguing it went through as well Salem has another chance in a 2nd OT session to win this wild game.
 
Lake Taylor will now get the ball in this 2nd OT session first.

1st & Goal at the 10 - Hughey runs out of bounds for 1 yard. Looked like he may have had Daz Palmer open.

2nd & Goal at the 9 - Salem run defense is very stingy, holding Palmer to 2yards. Stop by Nick Hood. Flag is down. Call is illegal motion on Lake Taylor. Penalty is declined

3rd & Goal at the 7 - Alex Ramsey bats down the Hughey pass at the line of scrimmage.

4th & Goal at the 7 - Titans will call for time. Out of the time-out, lob to J.T. Wahee in the end zone is incomplete.
 
Lake Taylor will now get the ball in this 2nd OT session first.

1st & Goal at the 10 - Hughey runs out of bounds for 1 yard. Looked like he may have had Daz Palmer open.

2nd & Goal at the 9 - Salem run defense is very stingy, holding Palmer to 2yards. Stop by Nick Hood. Flag is down. Call is illegal motion on Lake Taylor. Penalty is declined

3rd & Goal at the 7 - Alex Ramsey bats down the Hughey pass at the line of scrimmage.

4th & Goal at the 7 - Titans will call for time.
It hasn't ben said yet, but THANK YOU for keeping me informed... Wonderful job!
 
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FINAL in 2OT's - Salem 17, Lake Taylor 14

Nate Craft makes a 27-yard field goal on 1st & 10 in the 2nd OT session for the Spartans.

Salem wins their 7th state title and ends the 29-game winning streak of Lake Taylor, avenging last year's title game loss.

What a ballgame.
 
Final in 2OT's - Salem 17, Lake Taylor 14

Without a doubt, an all-time classic.

Some final numbers and we'll have more coming from Jason Stamm (Recap) and Will Garlick (Photos)...

Final Stats:

Salem Spartans 17: (14-0 Overall)
Noah Beckley - - 4-13 for 45Yds. 0-0TD/Int. ratio
Donte Clayborne - - 17Car. 65Yds. TD
Joseph Quinn - - 2Rec. 26Yds.
Nick Wade - - 1Rec. 11Yds.
De'Angelo Ramsey - - 10 Tackles (6 Solo), Sack
Tyson Close - - 9 Tackles (4 Solo)
Nick Hood - - 8 Tackles (2 Solo)
Riley Fox - - 7 Tackles (4 Solo)
Daniel Ponton - - 6 Tackles, INT


Spartans - - 176 total yards on 45 plays (32Car. 131Yds.), 4-10 on 3rd down, 0-1 on 4th down, 3 penalties for 24 yards, 1 turnover (fumble lost)

Lake Taylor Titans 14: (14-1 Overall)
Tyrek Hughey - - 19-34 for 151Yds. 1-1TD/Int. ratio; 7Car. 18Yds. TD
Dazmine Palmer - - 21Car. 65Yds.
Deon Smith - - 6Car. 51Yds.
Wayne Davis - - 10Rec. 80Yds; 2PBU
Keyvone Bruton - - 6Rec. 44Yds.
J.T. Wahee - - 2Rec. 21Yds. TD; 5 Tackles (all solo)
Quadennis Perkins - - 8 Tackles (4 Solo)
Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey - - 6 Tackles (4 Solo), TFL
Raeshawn Griffin - - 5 Tackles (4 Solo), 1.5FL, Sack

Titans - - 285 total yards on 68 plays (34Car. 134Yds.), 5-15 on 3rd down, 3-5 on 4th down, 8 penalties for 48 yards, 1 turnover (INT)

Salem was held to 53 total yards in the second half and OT.

** Postgame Audio with Salem's Nate Craft **
 
I was one that didn't see this coming. But the statement "that's why you play the game" is so true. Congrats to Salem and now it is no more talk of East domination in 3A and 4A football. Congrats all Salem fans especially SalemPride in which I gave a hard time some this week lol. Phantom guy I'm still not sure about you...lol joking with your "arse" dude.
 
FG Gives Salem State Title In 2OT
By Jason Stamm

LYNCHBURG, Va. – In the second overtime of the VHSL Class 4A state championship game, Salem didn’t need to wait to try to win the game.

On first down, sophomore kicker Nate Craft nailed a 27-yard field goal for a dramatic 17-14 win over defending champion Lake Taylor. The loss ended the Titans’ 29-game winning streak and sent the Spartans’ sideline into a delirious celebration.

"We definitely knew right then, we could've run it three times and who knows?" Salem coach Steve Magenbauer said. "We knew our kicker could make that kick fairly easily. At that point in the game, it's just finish it right now. So that's what he did."

Lake Taylor had a chance to win itself in the first overtime. After they forced a fumble on defense, Titans quarterback Tyrek Hughey missed a 22-yard attempt that went low and wide left.

"Somebody did get their hand on it and pushed the ball up a little bit,"Hughey said. "It made it look good, but they said it was no good."

Salem won despite just 176 yards of total offense, only 53 yards in the second half.

"A lot of times, when two good teams play that still believe in defense, then sometimes that happens," Magenbauer said. The first half, we got a few things going and obviously, they're pretty good on defense. For us to settle in and still move the ball in the second half even though we didn't score, sometimes that's all you need to do."

For the Spartans, the win avenged their 41-16 loss to the Titans last year. And there was a reminder every day since, as they posted a sign with the score above the water fountain in the team's weight room.

"We knew we had to take it one week at a time," senior offensive lineman Braxton Wall said. "Get every single game done, win every single game and play our best and just get better every week. That was definitely something always on our mind, pushing us to get here. It feels great to win.":

Salem received the ball first and quickly got its offense cooking. A methodical, nine-play, 68-yard drive included a 14-yard run by junior quarterback Noah Beckley. It ended two plays later when senior running back Donte Clayborne took a hand-off up the middle, stepped to his right and burst through the line 30 yards, untouched, for a 30-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Lake Taylor got moving on its ensuing drive, as sophomore running back Deon Smith gained 38 yards down the left sidelined. But the drive stalled when senior Wayne Davis caught a screen pass, tried to reverse field and lost nine yards, to force a punt. The teams traded punts again.

The Spartans would punt again, but followed with a big defensive play. Already with a tackle for loss, senior cornerback Daniel Ponton took advantage of double coverage by Salem. Lake Taylor junior receiver Rashard Russell tipped the ball in the air as the three players converged and the ball landed in the arms of Ponton at his own 16 yard-line with 11:36 to play in the second quarter.

Both teams traded punts once more, before the Spartans finally got their offense in gear. On the second play of the drive, Beckley took off to the left and raced down the left sideline for a 37-yard gain to the Titans’ 11 yard-line. Only a shoestring tackle prevented a touchdown. Three plays later, with 3:11 on the second quarter clock, junior Riley Fox, the younger brother of Coleman Fox, bounced to his right and nudged his way into the end zone on a two-yard run. With the score, Salem was well in control at 14-0.

Following a touchback, Lake Taylor’s offense woke up a bit. The Titans picked up a pair of first downs then drew a big pass interference call on the Spartans to get to their 42 yard-line. Davis redeemed himself after a dropped touchdown pass, with a 17-yard grab to get to the 12 yard-line.

Salem nearly had an interception, by sophomore Nick Wade, but the ball hit the ground. And on the final play of the half, on fourth and 10, Hughey found JT Wahee on the right flat. He then beat four defenders to the pylon for a 12-yard touchdown run to pull Lake Taylor within 14-7.

At the half, the teams were just three yards apart in total yardage. Lake Taylor held a slight edge with 126 yards. And the Titans added to it to start the second half.

Lake Taylor methodically pushed the ball 14 plays for 68 yards in an opening drive that took 7:14. The biggest gain went from Hughey to Davis for 18 yards to the Spartans’ 31 yard-line. Davis was key again on a fourth down conversion, a 10-yard pass from Hughey to the 15 yard-line. Five plays later, Hughey faked the entire defense on a zone read, in which he scampered into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown.

Looking to respond, Salem drove the ball 43 yards in nine plays to the Titans’ 26 yard-line. But on fourth and four, Beckley threw incomplete, as the Spartans drew a holding call as well, to turn the ball over.

"At halftime, they adjusted to our run game well and we didn't put any points on the board in the second half," Beckley said. "It was just us running the clock out, that can be as good as scoring sometimes, too, just a back and forth battle."

But while Lake Taylor drove the ball to the Salem 26 yard-line in 13 plays and 48 yards, it couldn’t cash in. Facing fourth and six, Hughey looked for a fade to the left corner of the end zone to Davis. But the ball fell out of bounds and incomplete to turn the ball over.

The Spartans got a pair of first downs and took the ball 27 yards in eight plays. But the drive stalled after a delay of game and they were forced to punt. Davis fielded the punt at his own two and took a couple of steps back into his own end zone. Reversing field to his left, he got behind a team of blockers and strolled into the end zone. The play was brought back on a pair of penalties and the Titans couldn’t do much on offense, to get to overtime.

In the extra session, Salem did itself in, after getting possession first. After a three-yard loss on a run by Clayborne, Beckley threw incomplete in the end zone, before Clayborne fumbled a reverse hand-off. The ball was recovered by junior Rae’Shawn Griffin to turn the ball over.

Lake Taylor drove the ball to the five, but were stood up. On fourth down, from the left hash, Hughey missed a 22-yard field goal, a low, wobbly kick wide left. The Titans have not converted a field goal all season.

In the second overtime, Lake Taylor rushed twice for minimal gain, before Hughey threw a pair of incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs.

The Titans finish the season 14-1, while Salem improved to 14-0.
 
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