Blog Game Blog - Churchland 20, Norcom 0

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Greetings from William J. (Billy) Strickland Stadium in Portsmouth, VA and we have an intriguing Eastern District rivalry matchup as the Churchland Truckers (6-2) play host to the Norcom Greyhounds (5-2). This certainly brings playoff implications to the table.

Churchland still has hopes for the No. 1 seed in Region 4A, where the likes of Warhill and Lake Taylor are also in the hunt for that top billing. Norcom, on the other hand, won't get the No. 1 seed in Region 3A, but they know winning out will put them at home in the first round. However, the Greyhounds play unbeaten Maury coming up on November 1st, and a loss either here today or next week means they'll likely be opening up on the road in the opening round - whether it's at York, Phoebus or Lafayette.

It's Senior Day here at Churchland and it's a terrific class of more than 20 here getting a warm reception in pregame. They've helped turn the Truckers around and achieve their best start to a season since the 1970's. One of the sidebar storylines is Churchland Head Coach Dontrell Leonard faces his former boss - Norcom Head Coach Robert Jackson. Leonard was offensive coordinator for Jackson when he was the Head Coach at Salem and the two were part of some deep playoff runs in Virginia Beach.

Before things got underway, emotions and tensions were running high as Churchland came out - even crossed the 50 to my surprise - and fortunately the coaches on both sides kept things from escalating and getting out of hand with both squads fired up for this one. These two teams want to get it going before our scheduled 1 PM kick-off!

We'll have updates here and on Twiter @hatfieldsports

 

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Great field position for Churchland to start, and the Truckers will also get it to begin the 2nd half since Norcom couldn't corral that opening kickoff.

 

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Coach Dontrell Leonard's Truckers didn't get fancy. They run 5 plays with three different backs - Bunch, George Wise and Kenny Gallop - and it results in a touchdown along with a successful PAT. Norcom had an encroachment penalty during that series.

 

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Norcom starts at their own 35 with 8:56 to go in the opening period. Two runs by QB Jacoby Smith and RB Willie Northern set up 3rd & 5, where Churchland is called for encroachment.

Following a 3-yard run from Northern, who goes out and a sub comes in, the Truckers are hit with a pass interference as Norcom takes a shot down the field, intended for WR Shyhiem Cannon, the transfer from Wilson (the other Portsmouth school, not in action today by the way). That puts Norcom in Churchland territory.

 

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Norcom has been content to run the ball and not test the Truckers much with the passing game. We'll see if that changes facing a 3rd & 9.

 

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Churchland gets called for their 5th penalty - a pass interference - that is 14 yard instead of 15 (go figure) and it's at the 19-yard line.

On 4th & 4 from the 14, QB Jacoby Smith scrambles and is stopped for no gain. Credit Deonte Simon as one of the Truckers in on the stop.

 

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Churchland goes 3 & out. Norcom's defensive line hangs tough against the run on 2nd & 2 and 3rd & 1, with the ladder stop coming by d-lineman Keondre Hodges. The Truckers punt it away on their second offensive possession.

Norcom takes over at midfield with 1:49 left in the opening quarter. Churchland remains in the lead 7-0.

 

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That's his first INT of the year and the 7th of the season on defense for the Truckers. Norcom is losing the turnover battle, and it could result in dropping to 5-3 unless their offense can finish off a drive. They've been in Churchland territory twice and come up empty both times. That can be a game-changer.

Additionally coming into today - Churchland has turned it over just 10 times all year (6 on INT's and 4 on lost fumbles).

 

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Norcom has it at the Churchland 49 to begin the 2nd period following a pass interference penalty.

 

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See something new every game. The officials did not - perhaps forgot - to switch the direction the offense was going at the beginning of the second quarter. They notice it after one play. There was a penalty on Churchland at the end of the play. That advances Norcom to the Truckers 35. But then the refs figure it out and put more time back on the clock and we run the next play with 12 minutes left in the 2nd quarter!!

Unreal!

 

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The miscues continue for the Norcom offense after their third drive into enemy territory. Churchland's defense has been one of the more opportunistic units I've seen this year. Simon - a senior free safety - had 102-yard pick-six earlier in the season and entered the day with 25 total tackles (5th on the team).

Truckers begin at their own 21 with 10:04 till half-time.

 

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Norcom not helping itself at all and they shoot themselves in the foot with two encroachment penalties on fourth down to extend the series for Churchland.

A couple of solid runs from George Wise and Marcus Cutler behind a sturdy o-line for Churchland, headed up by William & Mary commit Charles Grant, has the Truckers inside the 30 of Norcom.

 

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The Norcom run defense - headed by the aforementioned Keondre Hodges and Nasir Cross - comes up with a stop on 3rd & 5. Churchland goes to the quick-kick punt on 4th & 5 from the Norcom 26 and it's a real shrewd move by Dontrell Leonard. Howard commit Kenny Gallop downs the punt inside the 5 at the 4-yard line.

So Norcom needs to go 96 yards in 2:08 to pull within a touchdown of the rival Truckers.

 

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The wind is not helping the Norcom passing game as Jacoby Smith is 5 of 12 for 53 yards. His latest two completions netted just 9 and 4 yards respectively - to Cam Jones and Maurice Outten.

Looking at 4th & 6 from their own 30, Head Coach Robert Jackson decides to punt it away.

This is tremendous job defensively for Churchland to hold an offense putting up 46.6 points per game out of the end zone for 24 minutes of action. The Truckers came in allowing just 14.5 points per game, though did get hit hard by Maury (42-0 Commodores win) and Lake Taylor (37-24 Titans victory just last week).

 

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Some numbers to come here shortly...

 

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It's half-time and Churchland leads Norcom 14-0. Here are some stats...

HALF:

Churchland 14:
D'Nardo Harrison - 1-2 for 13Yds.
George Wise - 10Car. 32Yds.
Marcus Carter - 5Car. 19Yds; 1Rec. 13Yds.
Na'Shawn Bunch - 1Car. 4Yds. TD
Ian McLaurain - 5 Tackles (3 Solo), 0.5TFL
Taajh Waters - 80-yard INT TD return

Truckers - 20 plays for 68 total yards (1-2 for 13 pass yards; 18 rushes for 55 yards); 0 turnovers; 8 penalties for 87 yards


Norcom 0:
Jacoby Smith - 5-12 for 53Yds. 0-2 TD/Int. ratio; 4Car. 0Yds.
Demonte Dunlap - 3Car. 20Yds.
Karon Prunty - 2Rec. 20Yds; 2 Solo Tackles
Shyhiem Cannon - 1Rec. 20Yds.
Keondre Hodges - 4 Tackles (3 Solo)

Greyhounds - 24 plays for 84 total yards (5-12 for 53 pass yards, 2 intercepts; 12 rushes for 31 yards, 1 lost fumble); 3 turnovers; 4 penalties for 30 yards

 

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Churchland begins the 2nd half at their own 20 following a touchback in the end zone.

The Truckers go 3 & out as the running game gains nothing, then loses a yard with 0-technique Keondre Hodges making a tackle for loss for the Norcom defense. On 3rd & 11, the pass by QB D'Nardo Harrison is too low for his intended target.

Norcom takes over at the 50 following the punt.

 

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That's the 4th time Norcom has crossed into Churchland territory and failed to get any points.

 

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Looking at 3rd & 12 from their own 19, QB D'Nardo Harrison keeps it and scoots to the Norcom sideline with a 26-yard run. That's the longest play from scrimmage the entire day for the Truckers. Harrison follows that with another run of 25 yards into Norcom territory.

Following a penalty, Churchland has consecutive 4-yard runs from Kenny Gallop to bring a critical 3rd & 7 from the Norcom 27. Harrison gets no gain. Churchland appears to be going for it on 4th & 7 from the 27 as we tick near just 2 minutes left in this 3rd period. If nothing else, they flipped field position and burned a lot of clock on this possession.

 

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A holding penalty on the 4th down run by Kenny Gallop forces Churchland to replay the down, thus punting it away. Another nice directional punt by the Truckers, not allowing the dynamic Karon Prutny or anyone else to run it back.

The 27-yard punt by Churchland means Norcom starts their second series of the half at their own 10 with 1:44 remaining in the third period.

Surprisingly the Greyhounds go with a draw on 1st down and lose yards. The next two plays gain very little. Norcom punts it away.

So Churchland has it back now with 42 seconds remaining in the third period and with excellent field position - at the Norcom 43.

 

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Check that - refs re-spotted and it was a 7-yard run, so it's at the 36.

 

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Only the second PAT missed this year for the Truckers (the other was blocked) and it comes after a great job of blocking up front to give Gallop a crease and he was gone.

There might not be a more under appreciated two-way performer in the Eastern District, dare say the area, than Gallop. He excels on the field and in the classroom. His younger younger brother - Kaleb - is a talented player as well.

It's almost panic time for Norcom, but they still have a chance to get it going ... but it's going to take some quick strikes through the air and beginning ASAP.

 

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Another outstanding stop by the Churchland defense, forcing Norcom to go 3 & out. Aaron Thomas had the big play on the series with a sack. Quarterback Jacoby Smith has not been given much time to throw.

After the punt, the Truckers run three plays and burn the clock some, all the way down to 7:37. That's how much time Norcom has left to mount a comeback, starting at their own 20 following a punt into the end zone.

 

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Undoubtedly the best defensive performance of the year for Churchland, and one could argue this is the signature moment / win for Dontrell Leonard in his third year at the helm of the Portsmouth program (barring any wild comeback here).

 

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A 38-yard punt return by Cam Jones sets Norcom up at their own 40 with 4:04 to play, trailing Churchland 20-0. If Churchland gets a stop here, they should be able to pull off their first shutout of the Greyhounds in 11 years.

It has been a collective effort with six different defenders making a tackle for loss for Coach Dontrell Leonard and DC Jelani Fair's crew.

 

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McLaurin and his brother - junior Aiden McLaurin - have been pleasant additions to this Churchland team. They came from Great Bridge right before the season.

 

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More to come later...