Blog Game Blog - Maury 49, Lake Taylor 7

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Greetings from windy Powhatan Field in Norfolk on this wonderful 73-degree night for football and it's an Eastern District clash for bragging rights as the Maury Commodores (1-0) play host to the Lake Taylor Titans (2-0).

Lake Taylor, which reached the Class 4 State Championship last year, has won every meeting since 2010. Maury, which made the Class 5 State Semis a year ago, is confident it's their time to take over the district on their quest to getting back to the State Playoffs.

We have Lake Taylor ranked No. 1 in the state presently in Class 4 and Maury ranked No. 3 in Class 5.

We'll have updates all evening long here in the Blog and on my Twitter feed @hatfieldsports

Lake Taylor will receive the ball to start.

We're almost ready for kick-off... here we go!

 

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An errant pitch out of that twin-veer for Lake Taylor with Jeff Foster trying to get it to Malik Newton lost 10 on the first play from scrimmage, and ultimately doomed that drive from the start.

Maury takes over at their own 39 following the punt with 10:15 left in the opening period.

 

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After two incomplete passes, Maury QB Eric Gibson finds C.J. Beasley on a screen that nets 20 yards into Lake Taylor territory. However, it is wiped away due to a holding penalty. So Maury on 3rd & 20 from their own 29 goes back to the air and Gibson, rolling right, is dropped by for a sack. LaBoris Hawkins was one of the four or five defenders that brought him down, so we'll credit him for the sack for the time being.

Lake Taylor starts its second series at the 50 after a 12-yard punt return.

 

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We talked about ball security as one of the keys for Hank Sawyer's Titans in the Game Preview. They can ill afford multiple turnovers, giving Maury decent to short field position and come out of here with a victory.

After a tackle by Ikeem Wright and Malik Newton of the Lake Taylor defense on QB Eric Gibson for no gain, KeAndre Lambert breaks off a 49-yard touchdown run... that is called back due to a holding penalty on the Commodores.

 

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Thought Lake Taylor's defense had too many men in the box on that one. You have to respect the receivers, particularly on an obvious passing down there on 2nd & long and not bring the house with the exception of say two defenders.

The Lake Taylor defense stiffens on the next two plays and we're looking at 3rd & 9 from the 37.

ANOTHER Maury touchdown is called back - this one a 37-yard strike from Gibson to Khamran Laborn - on a block in the back penalty. It'll make it 3rd & 2 from the LT 30.

 

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A great run from Virginia Tech commit C.J. Beasley on 3rd & 2 when it appeared he'd be tackled not once, not twice, but probably three times. He spun away and picked up seven yards down to the Lake Taylor 23.

Two plays later, after Tyrique Tucker and Tyrique Edwards combined to drop Khamran Laborn for a loss of 3, Maury gets in the end zone... and it stands, with a personal foul penalty on Maury supposedly after the play that will be assessed on the kickoff.

 

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The Lake Taylor defense needs some kind of takeaways. Technically, I think that squib / onside pooch will go down as a fumble on the Titans because a player in red & white appeared to touch it trying to dive on the ball, but couldn't secure possession.

 

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Maury has been using the Bayside transfer Laborn - whose older brother Khalan starred at Ocean Lakes and Bishop Sullivan Catholic before going on to play in the ACC at Florida State University - creatively here in this opening stanza.

Looks like Lake Taylor is in a bit of a daze or fog right now, but the Titans better wake up quickly or they will find themselves too far behind to make a vintage comeback.

 

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Maury tries an onside kick, and after it bounces off the hands of one Lake Taylor player, another member of the Titans - think it might've been Darious Speight is able to recover. The Titans start out with decent field position at their own 38 and they need to get Malik Newton cooking here.

 

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It goes from bad to worse for Lake Taylor, and Maury can smell blood. The Commodores feel it's their night to take over the Eastern District. A couple more scores and they'll be on their way, although we've seen shoot-outs the past couple years, so you can't get too comfortable with a 14-0 lead.

 

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An illegal man downfield to start their 4th series puts Maury back a few yards with their 14-0 lead, but then they misfire three straight times in the passing game. As we mentioned in the Preview, you don't want to forget about C.J. Beasley - or even Khamran Laborn for that matter - in the running game.

Eric Gibson is just 3 of 10 for 70 yards with a touchdown right now. Commodores punt it away.

Play has been stopped with 1:50 to go in the opening quarter as a stretcher is being brought out for an injured Maury player, who went down on the punt return.

 

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Update - - Dajon 'Dae Dae' Evans of Maury is being helped off the field under his own power with no need for a stretcher. That's good to see that he's able to walk to the sideline on his own with help from coaches and the medical staff.

Apparently there was a penalty on Maury - their 6th of the opening quarter - on that punt, so the Commodores' Luca Weber will be re-kciking as they get pushed back to the Lake Taylor 45.

 

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An illegal block in the back penalty on Lake Taylor on the punt return puts them at their own 10. So Hank Sawyer's crew would've been better off having the ball where it was after the previous punt.

The Titans need to scrap the pitch game for the time being and go to their trap and dives with the running game. Using some clock and controlling Time of Possession will get them back in the game.

Quarterback Jeff Foster keeps it and runs for 9 yards, but a personal foul on a Lake Taylor lineman will bring them back to their own 11-yard after moving the chains.

 

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Maury has used a steady diet of run and pass to get the lead and capitalize on the mistakes of the Titans

The fact that Lake Taylor has attempted only 1 pass is a little bit interesting. They haven't abandoned their game-plan, and they just moved the chains to end the opening quarter with a run of three yards from QB Jeff Foster that followed a 9-run from Malik Newton.

Just 2 rushes for 0 yards for Newton, one of which wasn't his fault due to an errant pitch.

 

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That was a long first quarter I must say. To begin the second period, Lake Taylor QB Jeff Foster throws an incomplete pass with no receiver in the vicinity, so the Titans are flagged for intentional grounding.

The next two plays pick up nothing as Shaq McKesson and Temple commit Darian Varner are ready defensively; first for the Newton run and then the screen pass to Tyrique Edwards.

Maury will take over after the punt at their own 45, leading 14-0 with 10:26 before half-time.

 

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Another wrinkle shown by Maury Head Coach Dyrri McCain. Eric Gibson is their primary quarterback, although they've shown KeAndre Lambert there tonight out of shotgun. Now, they go with C.J. Beasley out of the direct snap, Wildcat formation. He gains 7 yards. Then on 2nd & 3, they put Lambert back at QB and he hands it off to Beasley for 3 yards.

Back to the direct and Beaslety weaves his way through traffic for about 8 before Malik Newton stops him.

 

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Maury is getting the big plays and kudos to Coach McCain for staying balanced, keeping Beasley involved. Their skill guys have come to play and are giving the Titans fits tonight in front of this packed house at Powhatan Field.

 

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A touchback into the end zone by Maury's Luca Weber. Lake Taylor begins at their own 20. Jeff Foster's pass intended for TE Ikeem Wright flexed out at receiver is too low and incomplete. Sort of the same result on the next down as the screen for Malik Newton was too low. Now it's 3rd and long and they probably have taken the run out of the equation.

On 3rd & 10, it's Micah Cokley making a tackle for loss on the quick screen to Pierre Royster. The Titans punt it away.

Maury begins at their own 49 with 6:31 until half-time... and folks, the Commodores aren't content with a 21-0 lead. They want to put this away, and do so now.

 

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You don't see Hank Sawyer's team get handled very often. The 2013 season comes to mind when Oscar Smith handled the Titans 42-2 in the opener on ESPNU when All-State QB Delmon Williams was lost due to injury in the opening quarter. Their 28-0 playoff loss at Dinwiddie later that year comes to mind.

Maury is putting on a clinic with their air attack, using the screen game and aggressively attacking the man-to-man coverage with no fear.

 

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The return man for Lake Taylor thought the ensuing kickoff would go in the end zone, it didn't, and by the time he got on it, Maury had a swarm of tacklers ready.

The Titans begin at their own 7, trailing 28-0 - yes, 28-0 - with 6:16 before half-time. A penalty backs them up to their own 3. Quarterback Jeff Foster darts free for a run of 26 yards, and if it wasn't for Navy commit Dashaun Peele of Maury tripping him up, he would've taken it 97 yards the distance.

That's the longest play from scrimmage tonight for the Titans. Maury calls time-out. Defensive coordinator Mike Privott of Maury has to be thrilled with how his group has played thus far. Privott, an ex-All-State linebacker at Lake Taylor, has had his guys ready for pretty much everything that has come their way.

 

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Maury uses their third and final time-out of the first half with 5:08 before half-time. Ordinarily, that would be a problem. But if you told the Comodores they would have a 28-0 lead on Lake Taylor, they might let you take away a time-out for the second half, too.

Jeff Foster breaks another long run, but at the end of the run, he is stripped by KeAndre Lambert. Fortunately for Foster, teammate Darious Speight recovers it at midfield. Malik Newton runs for 8, though he doesn't quite accelerate with the same burst we saw a year ago. Darian Varner makes the stop. Then it's Tyrique Edwards for about 5 more to the 37 of the Commodores.

 

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A 36-yard touchdown run by Tyrique Edwards of Lake Taylor is called back on a holding. For some reason, the refs made it about an 11 or 12 yard penalty. Nonetheless, we proceed. On 4th & 3, Maury is called for offsides. That 8th penalty of the half was clearly their worst, given the circumstances.

On the next play, Lake Taylor capitalizes.

 

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A long kickoff return from KeAndre Lambert is brought back due to a holding on Maury. Kelevon Whitmore deflected a pass for Lake Taylor on first down, and the on second down Lambert is dropped for a loss of 3.

Am a little surprised Titans Head Coach Hank Sawyer has not used any of his three time-outs. We'll go the break.

 

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Hold that thought as it's not half-time just yet...

Ok, now it is...

 

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Stats at the Half:

Maury 28:
Eric Gibson - 4-12 for 121Yds. 2-0 TD/Int. ratio
Cole Beasley - 8Car. 93Yds. TD
Khamran Laborn - 2Car. 50Yds. TD; 1Rec. 17Yds.
KeAndre Lambert - 2Rec. 53Yds. TD; TFL, FF, FR
Ty Granger - 1Rec. 51Yds. TD
Darian Varner - 5 Tackles (4 Solo)

Commodores - 26 plays for 266 total yards (4-12 for 121 pass yards; 14 rushes for 144 yards); 10 penalties for 74 yards; 0 turnovers


Lake Taylor 7:
Jeff Foster - 6Car. 66Yds; 2-6 for Minus 1 yard
Tyrique Edwards - 7Car. 37Yds.
Malik Newton - 5Car. 33Yds. TD; 3 Tackles
Tyrique Tucker & Tremaine Baker - 2 TFL each

Titans - 24 plays for 138 total yards (2-6 for minus 1 yard passing; 18 rushes for 139 yards, 3 lost fumbles); 7 penalties for 67 yards; 3 turnovers

 

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We're ready for 2nd half action at Powhatan Field. Maury leads Lake Taylor 28-7 and it'll be the Commodores getting the ball first to begin the 3rdQ.

Khamran Laborn's 17-yard kickoff return puts Maury at their own 34 to start. They go to the air right away with QB Eric Gibson hitting KeAndre Lambert on a quick out and he goes 32 yards into Lake Taylor territory. Then they find Dashaun Peel for 7 yards.

 

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Maury's opening drive of the 2nd half stalls and a props go to Pierre Royster for makign a tackle for loss on 2nd & 3 on Dashaun Peele. On 3rd & 12, the Commodores just misfire finding Lambert down the right sideline.

A great punt from Luca Weber inside the 5, going out of bounds. So Lake Taylor will have to go 95 yards to get in the end zone again with 9:48 left in this 3rd period. Look for the Titans to keep it mostly on the ground with the running game.

 

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Lake Taylor has found something with the running game with QB Jeff Foster up to 95 yards on 10 attempts, his last two runs combining for 18 yards. This is a 9-play drive with the Titans facing a 3rd & 4 at their own 45 and it's tiring out the Maury defense to an extent.

 

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But the 4th turnover of the night is quite the demoralizing one for the Titans as they were driving...

 

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Maury is on the move behind the stellar running of C.J. Beasley, now up to 12 rushes for 122 yards. He just had a 49-yard touchdown run called back on a holding, but he'll get 16 out of the run before the infraction occurred.

Up front, the Commodores have held serve better this evening than in the past couple years. Darian Varner, Paul Hutson III and that crew in the trenches haven't backed down from the Titans and it has been a difference in why they're in the lead + maintaining that advantage.

 

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A basic inside slant route, but run precisely by Lambert and Gibson put it on the money. The design of Maury's passing attack has been textbook tonight as they've hit them with the screen game, vertically and on inside slant/post patterns.

The Lake Taylor pass rush got there a couple of times early, but it hasn't been disruptive enough to affect the timing of Maury's aerial assault.

 

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A great run back from Lambert, who is showing why he's a Rivals 4-Star prospect with dozens of offers. He makes his college choice on October 4th, by the way.

But it won't stand.



Then a razzle dazzle play as Coach Dyrri McCain goes into his bag of tricks with an end around pass for a TD by Lambert to QB Eric Gibson, who's wide open. However, an illegal procedure brings it back.

 

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Lake Taylor - which came in leading the all-time series 32-19-1 with 10 straight victories by double-digits - is being taken to the woodshed tonight. There will be better days ahead for the Titans, who are still contenders for the Region 4A crown and Class 4 state title, but this is not a night they want to remember.

Maury fans are here in full force ready to celebrate what will be a landmark win for this program in year three under Dyrri McCain.

 

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Lake Taylor goes 3 & out. Dashaun Peele had coverage on the 3rd & long play. So much for Maury's secondary taking a dip without Sheridan Jones (now at Clemson). The Lake Taylor passing game has just 4 completions for 9 yards thus far.

Pierre Royster punts it and Maury takes over at the 47 of the Titans with 7:10 remaining.

The Commodores believe they are a genuine threat to reigning four-time State Champ Highland Springs. While they suffered a 71-28 running clock loss to the Springers in the State Semis last December, they may get their wish later this year with a re-match.

Others in Class 5, such as perennial contender Stone Bridge, and even some other squads around the '757' area code like Woodside, Indian River, Salem and Nansemond River may have something to say about it, too.

 

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Thorough domination here in Norfolk, and usually Lake Taylor is at the other end of a beating like this ... Maury has announced itself as a genuine threat to capture the Class 5 crown for sure.

 

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Final Stats:

Maury Commodores 49: (2-0 Overall)
Eric Gibson - 9-18 for 210Yds. 4-0 TD/Int. ratio
C.J. Beasley - 14Car. 124Yds. TD
KeAndre Lambert - 5Rec. 144Yds. 3TD's; 3Car. 7Yds. TD; TFL, FF, FR
Ty Granger - 1Rec. 51Yds. TD
Khamran Laborn - 2Car. 50Yds. TD; 1Rec. 17Yds.
Darian Varner - 6 Tackles (5 Solo)
Jalen Brown - 5 Tackles (4 Solo)
Kaezahn 'Kae Kae' Johnson - 5 Tackles (4 Solo)
Demetrius Johnson - 5 Tackles (4 Solo)
Cameron Lee - 5 Tackles (2 Solo), 2TFL

Commodores - 42 plays for 409 total yards (9-18 for 210 pass yards, 0 intercepts; 24 rushes for 199 yards); 16 penalties for 116 yards; 0 turnovers


Lake Taylor Titans 7: (2-1 Overall)
Jeff Foster - 4-10 for 4Yds; 12Car. 94Yds. 2 lost fumbles
Tyrique Edwards - 10Car. 49Yds.
Malik Newton - 6Car. 38Yds. TD (5Car. 33Yds. TD in 1st Half); 4 Tackles (3 Solo)
Eric Floyd - 5Car. 17Yds.
Pierre Royster - 2Rec. 2Yds.
Dallas Spruill - 4 Tackles (3 Solo)
Ikeem Wright - 4 Tackles (2 Solo), 0.5 TFL

Titans - 43 plays for 205 total yards (4-10 for 4 pass yards, 0 intercepts; 33 rushes for 201 yards, 4 lost fumbles); 11 penalties for 110 yards