Blog Game Blog - Oscar Smith 42, Deep Creek 16

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Greetings from Beard-DeLong-Easley Field as we have a Southeastern District showdown with the Deep Creek Hornets (6-1) at the Oscar Smith Tigers (6-1).

We'll have updates here on the Live Game Blog and via Twitter @hatfieldsports

 

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Before we get to kick-off, let's review a snipet of the preview and picks from earlier...

Deep Creek (6-1) at Oscar Smith (6-1) . . . While the Hornets are coming off their first loss of the season, 20-14 to Indian River as the Braves scored the go-ahead touchdown from 41 yards out with 21 seconds remaining a week ago, this is a very capable Deep Creek squad. Corner Ali Brooks has seven interceptions and linebacker Gabe Fuster, a Liberty commit, had a pick-six against Indian River last week. Can they slow down the Oscar Smith offense though?

The Tigers are averaging 51.5 points per game against Southeastern District opponents, rebounding nicely from that 13-6 season-opening loss to four-time defending State Champion Highland Springs at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. Sophomore QB Ethan Vasko is part of a quartet of Tigers that picked up offers from Virginia Tech in the past week. The others include RB Tyvon Norfleet, OLB/S Maurice Freeman and ATH Sherrod Covil. The best thing for Head Coach Chris Scott? All will be back for 2020, and Vasko is the top passer for the time being in the Southeastern District.

Matt Hatfield Says: Oscar Smith 24-10
VHSL-Reference.com Says: Oscar Smith 26-13
Coach Ed Young Says: Oscar Smith 28-14

 

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Deep Creek will be kicking off to Oscar Smith to get things started...

 

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Coach Chris Scott couldn't have asked for a better start. Don't be surprised to see him try to keep the momentum going with perhaps an onside or squib kick here.

 

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The Hornets actually gained 8 on their first play with QB Jayden Bailey finding Antoine Flora for 8 yards. But Richardson came through on 3rd & 3.

Oscar Smith takes over for their second series at midfield with 8:21 to go in the opening period. The field position couldn't be much better out of the gate, aided by an encroachment penalty on the Hornets to put them in Deep Creek territory.

 

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Tigers sophomore QB Ethan Vasko - who comes in with 1481 yards passing and 23 touchdowns on the season - misfires on his first three passes of the night. Two of them were intended for star wideout Romon 'Man-Man' Copeland. But Chris Scott is never shy about going for it on 4th down...



Oscar Smith was backed into their own territory after a holding penalty.

 

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Another fourth down conversion for Oscar Smith with Tyvon Norfleet moving the chains on 4th & 2 from the Deep Creek 22 with a pick up of 8. But the Tigers will commit the game's first turnover...

 

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Deep Creek begins at their own 9 following a penalty. Their second possession moves the chains at least once unlike their first series. On 2nd & 2, it's Antoine Flora getting 7 yards on a toss. Then on 3rd & 7 from their own 26 following a dropped pass, the Hornets get a big completion with QB Jayden Bailey finding Jalen Jones for 19 yards on a pass near midfield.

Flora rushes for 10 yards into Oscar Smith territory. The Hornets have ignited the offense.

 

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Deep Creek's drive stalls as they appeared to have moved inside the Oscar Smith 30 on a completion from Jayden Bailey to Braxton Williams, his go-to receiver from a week ago in their close loss to Indian River. But a face-mask penalty backs the Hornets up 16 yards to their own 25. Williams hauls in a pass worth 5 yards, and then on 3rd & 20, the pressure gets to Bailey as he's hit when releasing the pass and it's incomplete.

Standout linebacker Gabe Fuster, a Liberty commit, is being helped off the field for the Hornets following that incomplete pass. Coach Twine's Hornets really need him in there on defense, particularly against the run. He had a pick-six last week, too.

The Hornets are set to punt it away with 43 seconds left in the opening quarter.

 

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Bad punt - shanked that goes out of bounds for no yards - gives Oscar Smith the ball at the Deep Creek 45. So all three possessions for the Tigers in this opening quarter have started either at midfield or in Deep Creek territory.

 

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The Tigers have racked up 70 rushing yards already with the passing game somewhat out of sync in the early going.



A two-touchdown lead is probably fairly safe in this one.

 

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Deep Creek's third series starts at their own 23 with 9:54 to go in the second quarter. After Antoine Flora picks up 2 yards, it's a sack as Jah'Ke Hilliard - the talented junior defensive lineman for the Tigers - brings QB Jayden Bailey down for a loss of 8.

On 3rd & 16, the pass is incomplete.

Romon Copeland returns the punt by Deep Creek 14 yards to the 33-yard line of the Hornets. So yet again, for the 4th time, Oscar Smith begins at midfield or in Deep Creek territory.

 

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Maybe the stand Deep Creek needed to swing the tide a bit? They'll need to go 89 yards to pull within a touchdown. They've had small success with the ground game and pass attack until a penalty or big play - say a sack, a pass breakup - halts them.

 

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Deep Creek goes three-and-out as their 3rd & 1 run play lost a few yards. Another minimal punt means Oscar Smith begins at the 27-yard line of Deep Creek with 4:22 till intermission.

 

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Coach Scott has been very high on Norfleet and we're seeing why. He picked up an offer from Virginia Tech a week ago and he's become their go-to guy on the ground. Last week, the running game was held in check to a degree by Nansemond River, but tonight it has carried the offense with the passing game unable to find its groove yet.

 

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Deep Creek starts their 5th series at their own 27. Following consecutive incomplete passes, QB Jayden Bailey finds Jalen Jones for a 9-yard completion along the sidelines.

With a subpar night punting the ball, Andre Twine elects to leave the offense on the field and I don't blame him. An encroachment on the Tigers moves the chains for them.

Two plays later, Bailey finds Gabe Fuster for a 42-yard completion - the longest of the night - as Deep Creek has it at the Tigers 13/

 

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So there will be no shutout tonight in Chesapeake...

 

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Some of the Oscar Smith fans were a bit, let's say, displeased with the clock operator. They felt they had some extra seconds go off, giving them less time to get in scoring position before the break.

With 42 seconds to go in the second period, the Tigers march all the way from their own 30 to the Deep Creek 30 before a 13-yard holding penalty essentially buries the drive. Ethan Vasko found Romon Copeland for a 22-yard completion and Amonte Jones - who has some nifty moves in his package after the catch - gained 11 on a reception.

Though the Tigers didn't score to add to their lead before the break, they did get some things working in the passing game.

 

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Some half-time numbers here shortly...

 

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Your half-time numbers...

HALF:

Oscar Smith 21:
Ethan Vasko - 5-14 for 74Yds. 0-1 TD/Int. ratio; 5Car. 22Yds.
Tyvon Norfleet - 13Car. 87Yds. TD; 64-yard KR
Romon Copeland - 2Rec. 28Yds; 1Car. 5Yds. TD
Amonte Jones - 2Rec. 21Yds.
Keyvon King - 1Rec. 25Yds; 1Car. 2Yds.
Malcolm Britt - 6 Tackles (3 Solo), TFL
Tae'Ron Richardson - 6 Tackles (4 Solo), 1.5TFL

Tigers - 34 plays for 190 total yards (5-14 for 74 pass yards; 20 rushes for 116 yards); 1 turnover; 3 penalties for 28 yards


Deep Creek 3:
Jaydeen Bailey - 6-11 for 90Yds; 3Car. Minus 7Yds.
Antoine Flora - 10Car. 33Yds; 2Rec. 15Yds.
Gabe Fuster - 1Rec. 42Yds.
Jalen Jones - 2Rec. 28Yds.
Braxton Williams - 1Rec. 5Yds.
Josh Jack - 7 Tackles (4 Solo)
Ali Brooks - 7 Tackles (3 Solo)

Hornets - 25 plays for 113 total yards (6-11 for 90 pass yards; 14 rushes for 23 yards); 0 turnovers; 5 penalties for 40 yards

 

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About to get the 2nd half underway. Oscar Smith will be kicking off to the visiting Hornets, leading by a count of 21-3.

 

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Deep Creek is on the move, thanks to a 31-yard connection from QB Jayden Bailey to Braxton Williams, followed shortly thereafter by a 15-yard penalty on the host Tigers. Ali Brooks hauls in an 8-yard pass on 2nd & 6 and the Hornets receivers are starting to put some work in on the Smith corners.

 

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The Smith corners are giving the Deep Creek receivers - Braxton Williams and Ali Brooks - a good 5-yard cushion. On 2nd & 10 after no gain from Antoine Flora on first down, the Hornets see a pass over the middle get broken up by safety Ricky Thompson. Oscar Smith jumps in the neutral zone on 3rd & 10 to make it 3rd & 5.

Quarterback Jayden Bailey finds Flora in the flat area for a completion of 15 yards. After getting it to 1st & Goal from the Smith 4, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will back the Hornets up 15. That can be a drive killer, and it's extremely demoralizing considering that Deep Creek had a wide open receiver that hauled in the pass for a touchdown, but the refs blew it dead.

 

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An important drive to begin the 2nd half for Deep Creek, although the PAT fails due to a bad snap that the holder could not get down. We now have a ballgame here in Chesapeake.

 

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The Deep Creek defense looked to have stopped Oscar Smith twice, but a holding and a lack of discipline with a personal foul gives the Tigers a fresh set of downs at the 37 of the Hornets. Coach Andre Twine cannot be pleased with that and his defense has held Ethan Vasko to 5 of 16 completions to this point.

 

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You can't give a quality team like Oscar Smith multiple chances because they will eventually make you pay. That's what the Tigers just did.

 

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It's strange to think of Deep Creek as an up-tempo type of team, but their offense in this 3rd period threw for 109 yards on 8 of 12. Six different receivers have caught a pass. The Smith corners are now playing a big tighter at the line.

While the Hornets have yet to string together some long runs, they have a chance to inch closer here in the early stages of the 4th quarter.

 

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I'm not sure, but I might've gone for 2 there if I'm Andre Twine. You don't get it - the score is 28-15. You get it - the score is 28-17. That gives you a chance to tie with a touchdown, 2-point conversion and a field goal. Regardless, their defense will need stops to get closer.

 

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Whoa... Upset Alert in Virginia?

Kempsville is trying to snap the state's longest losing streak at 63 games. Follow @ReeseBecker for more updates of that one...


Now back to action here in Chesapeake at Beard-DeLong-Easley Field as a touchback will have Oscar Smith beginning at their own 20 with 11:05 remaining in regulation.

 

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The Tigers haven't shown much of Tyvon Norfleet, if any, in this second half. He rushed for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half.

Quarterback Ethan Vasko and WR Romon 'Man-Man' Copeland take matters into their own hands. Vasko hits Copeland for 28 yards, then he scrambles for 22 down to the Deep Creek 30 before a time-out is used by the Hornets.

Sherrod Covil rushes for 7 and then Vasko's scramble for 17 has the Tigers inside the 10. Deep Creek can't stop the bleeding.

 

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Even though he's had a less than spectacular passing game on this night, Vasko has been very impressive with his ability to extend plays on the move.

 

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Keep in mind that the Deep Creek defense had not given up more than 20 points in a game all year until tonight.

Oscar Smith is now averaging 50.1 points per game against Southeastern District foes this year.

 

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Deep Creek is stopped again and Oscar Smith continues to pile up the yards - a lot of which you could deem cosmetic through the air with a 26-point lead and less than three minutes to play. The Tigers are up 42-16 with 1:44 to play. A time-out is called and Oscar Smith has it at the Deep Creek 39, perhaps looking for one more score (and maybe go for 2 to get to 50?).

 

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