Class 4 State Championship: 14-0 Phoebus Vs 13-1 Salem
- Thread starter Phoebus Fan
- Start date
Congratulations to Phoebus. Very good football team. Would have loved to have seen overtime but Phoebus qb and number 2 made a spectacular play.
Salem played their game. They do what they do. They do not change for any team. This time, they came up just short. We'll be back.
Salem played their game. They do what they do. They do not change for any team. This time, they came up just short. We'll be back.
If we were at our 20 after the kick off and get a -6 sack on 1st down and run another play for a touchdown isn't 86 yards?
We tried to say that prior to the game. At least I believe that. Like Mulder, I want to believe.
Congrats to Phoebus. Hard fought game by both teams. I was ecstatic when Salem scored and tied it up with about a min left. I was getting ready for overtime when Phoebus Qb and receiver made a great play. Needless to say Salem fans went from being ecstatic to heartbroken on that play.
Great final. Game was a lot closer than I thought it would be. All 4 of these regions were a lot closer than has been stated on this forum all year (no surprise). The gap between A/B and C/D is about a touchdown..
Yes. It is normal for the match ups between the regions to be competitive. All regions have produced great teams. While there have been extreme blow outs in semifinal and finals in the past, I believe those outcomes are the outlier. Today's Phoebus/Salem game was not mistake free and some of the mistakes really need to be addressed in a serious manner by the leadership of both teams. I will not be the one to detail the worse offenses but the game was great! I am wasted.
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Bro, these kids got after it. Several underclassman contributors. I'm calling it- 4A will be a rematch next December!
The clock management on Salem's last drive was an interesting aspect of this game. After they hit the deep pass to Chris Cole down to the Phoebus 5-yard-line they were in a position where they had to score and get the two-point conversion or the game was over. The only thing to consider was if they were able to do this, not leaving Phoebus time for their next drive. Salem, which still had two timeouts, snapped the ball with over 20 seconds on the clock the next play and then had a bunch of time left on the TD as well. Again, offensively time was no factor for Salem as they still had two TOs left.
Then, it looked like this would not end up mattering much when they got the sack on Phoebus on 1st down. The Phantoms then drained the full clock (not wanting to potentially give it back to Salem) and looked like they were playing for overtime before going for the deep shot. Salem was in a pretty aggressive alignment Cover-3 (not Cover-4 and safeties were only 8-yards deep) and one corner stressed was with two vertical routes and was just a step away from making the play. What I don't understand about this was IF Salem was wanting to play aggressively to get the ball back, I would have thought they would call a TO after the sack and then I would have understood playing a less save defense. It was odd that they didn't do that, were seemingly content to play for OT but then didn't play a safer defense on the big play. By not calling the TO they were in no position to get the ball back again anyways as Phoebus ran down the clock.
Still an amazing game but overtime would have just been fantastic to watch between these teams.
Then, it looked like this would not end up mattering much when they got the sack on Phoebus on 1st down. The Phantoms then drained the full clock (not wanting to potentially give it back to Salem) and looked like they were playing for overtime before going for the deep shot. Salem was in a pretty aggressive alignment Cover-3 (not Cover-4 and safeties were only 8-yards deep) and one corner stressed was with two vertical routes and was just a step away from making the play. What I don't understand about this was IF Salem was wanting to play aggressively to get the ball back, I would have thought they would call a TO after the sack and then I would have understood playing a less save defense. It was odd that they didn't do that, were seemingly content to play for OT but then didn't play a safer defense on the big play. By not calling the TO they were in no position to get the ball back again anyways as Phoebus ran down the clock.
Still an amazing game but overtime would have just been fantastic to watch between these teams.
I can appreciate anyone who brings an X-Files reference to a Salem and Phoebus state championship thread.
+1
I just want to keep it 100. Salem did nothing wrong that final drive on defense. Phoebus just made a play. Just happens sometimes in football.
I believe it was something like 78 yards. 144 total. Phoebus had like 170 ish until the TD pass.
That is extremely low percentage... I don't think Salem has recovered an onside kick ever in the history of the program. Leaving the other team time in the event you do tie it is the far more dangerous thing.
Let's put it this way, no NFL or college football team would ever play it that way and they actually have a better chance of recovering an onside kick as they spend in far more time on it. They all would have run down the clock.
Let's put it this way, no NFL or college football team would ever play it that way and they actually have a better chance of recovering an onside kick as they spend in far more time on it. They all would have run down the clock.
I’m more concerned of why the defense was called to be in man coverage at that particular time. With 15 sec left Phoebus on their own 20 some yd line, isn’t the name of the game in that situation, zone?? Don’t let the receivers behind you?? I mean im sorry, but this is not the first time the wrong defense has been called for situations. 2021 vs Broad Run comes to mind. Systems work and I get that, but you still have to play situational football, and that was the wrong defense called for that situation. Not taking away from Phoebus qb. It was a perfect pass, a dime!! And to be a freshman!! Wow!! Would have loved to watch some more in OT. Great game all in all. All the state games this year were great. No blow outs!!!
I am saying they wanted to score quickly verses only scoring with two seconds left bc if they don’t get the 2pt conversion the game is over. They only left 20 or so seconds anyways. Couldn’t have executed much better and against that Phoebus defense you take a score whenever you can get it! It was just a great play by Phoebus at the end. I thought Salems coaches did a good job in that game and the last play was unfortunate ending obviously for Salem. I hear everyone on the TD pass def should have had more people back with only ONE rule… NO ONE gets behind you in coverage. I feel like Salem strategized there way to being in that game with an opportunity to win it. Was an awesome game and old school football. I never had the luxury of winning a state title as a player or fan. For Phoebus to win it like that against another Goliath program like Salem. That bus ride back to 757 must have been euphoric.
They left just under a minute actually. Then on Phoebus first offensive play, Salem got a sack and Phoebus ran the clock down before snapping it with just over 10 seconds left in the game.
They definitely were not in man, they were in Cover-3, possibly Cover-4 but the biggest problem was the alignment. The safeties and corners were aligned as if this was a normal 2nd down play, not one of the final plays of the game. If the safeties and corners are aligned 12-15 yards off the LOS instead of 8 yards, this play never happens.
The thing that I wonder is why with not one but TWO athletes with the size, speed and coverage ability of Lewis and Cole would you not have both of those guys along with Persinger and one other play deep quarters? With those guys back(20/30 yards) and their speed they likely are able to prevent or erase any busts.
I felt we should have called timeout after the sack just to set our defense .
I saw Keonte #2 running free early in the game multiple times. I feel like this play was gonna happen sooner or later. Salem had been playing with fire. A couple a times when Banks targeted other receivers #2 was in scoring position.
I think you are right. However, I think everybody lost their focus with the sack just assuming that Phoebus would kneel rather than flirt again with the disaster of avoiding a strip/sack after the last play.
I think a lot of people are talking in hindsight with what Salem did defensively. Phoebus showed absolutely no signs of throwing that deep ball. They fooled us all as it seemed like we were content with OT. It’s so easy to say what we would’ve done after seeing how the play played out. I just believe we witnessed an all time great play that was executed to perfection by Banks and Gray. The Salem player was in position but the ball was placed perfectly to allow Gray to run under it and keep going.
Let’s remember same defensive alignment the play before got a sack!
Let’s remember same defensive alignment the play before got a sack!
Yeah there was a wheel route that broke wide open (like 30 yards open) on the offensive left side in the 4th quarter but pressure came and the QB had to scramble.
The biggest issue I had was that it wasn't a consistent mindset. If Salem called a TO right after the sack and were planning on playing aggressive to force a punt, I would understand this. If they still got beat playing it aggressively and trying to get the ball back I would understand that.
It's just odd to not call the TO and essentially play it conservatively in one regard but then not play a conservative coverage behind it if you are playing for OT.
The corners were inside of 5yds and the safeties were inside of 8. That’s about as close to man as you can get!! They were in cover 2 like they always are, it just didn’t look like it since the safeties were so far up. Lewis wasn’t on the field at that time, so one of the safeties had to come up in coverage I suppose.
Coaches make mistakes, I’m fine with that, but I’m not fine with them not learning from it. You gotta call that time out and get it right. You have to play situational football.
I’m more disappointed in some of the offensive play calling.
Here is some solace. Let's put things in perspective for Salem. While the 86 yard touchdown was the most dramatic play in Phoebus history, it is short of being the Phantom's longest play to win a state championship for Phoebus. That distinction remains with Colby Goodwin returning the 2nd half starting kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown that gave Phoebus a 15-3 lead over Stone Bridge in the 2009 state championship. The final score was 15-10. So there's that. It's just familiar territory for Phoebus. Then we can compare it to the 21 point burst in the 4th quarter against the DinwiddieProud Generals 😃 for a 21-13 semifinal road victory in 2010. Personally, I'm taking the 86 yarder. I mean even freshman Ronald Curry didn't do that.
The freshman announced his arrival with a bang and no doubt over the next 3 years will have opportunity to add to his legacy. However, Ron Curry's body of work speaks for itself and while the freshman play was spectacular yesterday I am not sure you want to burden the future expectations for him by invoking a comparison to Curry just yet.
They weren't in Cover 2. The player that just missed knocking the pass away, Josiah Moyer, was the corner with deep third coverage and two routes threatening his zone.
I agree on the shallow alignment though... that was the biggest issue.
What a game, what a game! Both teams left it all on the field. Tip my hat to both squads. Had to watch it again today! Here y’all go….
I just pulled up that last play. We were in cover two. Persinger was pressing, 6 in the box, #23 and #6 Salem players covering 4yds opposite side of Persinger and 2 safeties deep, Logan and MartinThat’s cover 2 zone man, they brought in #23 in place of Lewis which there isn’t a problem with, but like we both agree, the alignment is all wrong. Maybe they were supposed to be in cover 3 but the alignment says cover 2?? You can’t be 4yds off the line of scrimmage and be one of the cover3 guys!!!
