Blog LIVE Blog - Monacan (3-0) at Manchester (2-0)

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Ready to roll with some Wednesday night High School Football and it's a heavyweight showdown we'll get in before Hurricane Florence begins to affect the Commonwealth as the Monacan Chiefs (3-0) visits the Manchester Lancers (2-0), ranked #3 in the state in Class 6.

After seven straight wins in the series by Manchester, the Chiefs from Monacan have won two of the past three encounters, including 42-35 last year.

Jim Henderson's Chiefs will be missing three key starters in RB/SS Teon Powell (164 yards, 100 yards rushing), RT/DL B.J. Worsham and LB/RB Tanner Addams due to injury. Leading them will be QB Stone Snyder, a strong runner who's also a physical presence on defense at linebacker.

Manchester is led by five FBS commits - QB Brendon Clark (Notre Dame), WR Alston Robinson (ODU), OL Will Pritchard (Virginia Tech), DE Hakeem Beamon (Penn State) and DB Kei'Trel Clark (Charlotte). While Monacan beat the likes of Hanover, Glen Allen and Clover Hill by double-digits, Tom Hall's Lancers rolled past Cosby 49-6 and blanked Riverbend 75-0.

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Monacan recovers a fumble from Manchester on the game's opening kickoff.

The Chiefs start at the 42-yard line of Manchester. A great start for Jim Henderson's visiting group.

 

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Monacan QB Stone Snyder gains four yards and then he hits sophomore wideout Kyjuan Pettus for a gain of 20 into the Manchester red zone.

Another nice catch, this time by senior Juan Branch, nets about nine. Monaca is facing a key 3rd & 6 from the Manchester 9. A great stop by Hakeem Beamon and that Manchester defense out of their '50' front. Beamon has transitioned fairly well, coming over from L.C. Bird in the off-season.

The Chiefs look to be going for it on 4th & 6 at the 9 after a time-out with 9:20 to go in the opening period.

 

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Manchester's defense - headed up in the secondary by the aforementioned Charlotte commit Kei'Trel Clark - comes up with a stop as the pass from Monacan QB Stone Snyder is overthrown for his intended receiver.

So the host Lancers take over at their own 9 with 9:13 left in the first quarter.

 

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On Manchester's opening possession, QB Brendon Clark is in a nice rhythm with tempo as he finds WR Zachary Bowman on 3rd & 7 for a gain of 12 yards. Then on 3rd & 10, he hits Bowman again with excellent timing, though it's a pick up of 9.

For the second time today, Monacan calls a time-out on 4th & 1, though this time it's on defense. Tristan Mann, their 6'6, 240 pound DE, had a big hit sandwiched in between those catches by Bowman from Clark. Manchester looks to be going for it on 4th down from their own 36. Clark will keep it and we have a measurement coming.

 

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Brendon Clark moves the chains by a hair on 4th & 1, to the Manchester 37, as the Chiefs. Monacan's defense appears to get a stop on an incomplete on 1st & 10, but a personal foul puts the Lancers past the 50.

 

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Manchester QB Brendon Clark delivers a 48-yard TD strike and it didn't look that it had a chance to go for points, let alone a completion.

Just an incredible TD catch by Kevin Henderson, who's able to snag it away from Arturo Mendoza and pin it to his helmet. That one was a a Top Ten Play of the Year candidate and would love to post video of it - if anyone got it - later.

Manchester 7, Monacan 0 - under 6 minutes left in the opening stanza.

Photo from our pal Bob Lanum of the play is above...

 

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A great answer on the return by Branch, but the Chiefs have run 6 plays inside the 10 of Manchester and have just a field goal to show for it.... you can't pass up too many of those opportunities and expect to win.

 

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Usually you think of the run setting up the pass, but when you have a quarterback the caliber of Brendon Clark, a defense will be cautious of his arm and abilities throwing. Thus, the Monacan defense is playing the pass and the Lancers are countering by running the ball against the Cover 2 look and using Isaiah Todd for chunks until the Chiefs adjust.

Manchester is on the move, at the Monacan 30-yard line.

 

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A great diving catch by Alston Robinson of Manchester following some runs from Isaiah Todd and then it's Brendon Clark out of their spread formation running with power to move the sticks on 3rd & 5 from the 12.

Isaiah Todd with his 5th TD run of the year - this one coming from 6 yards out.

A great mixture of run and pass for Manchester, which has seen Brendon Clark start 5 of 8 for 94 yards through the air, while their ground game has produced 11 carries for 44 yards.

Manchester now leads Monacan 14-3 late in the opening quarter.

 

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As we tick under a minute in the first quarter, Monacan is looking at 2nd & 3 following a keeper from QB/LB Stone Snyder.

 

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A delay of game penalty backed the visiting Chiefs up. Manchester had a 138-42 advantage in total yards, yet Monacan was inside the 10-yard line of the Lancers twice in that opening period. The big difference is the 94-29 advantage in aerial yardage for the Lancers.

 

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Beamon is causing issues getting after the QB, as well as with his length, using that 6-4, 255-pound frame to bat a ball down earlier. Saw him do that back in the preseason scrimmage against Ocean Lakes with effectiveness, and blocking him will be a chore tonight for Monacan, especially without a key lineman in Worsham.

 

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Big punt return from Kei'Trel Clark, the Charlotte commit for Manchester, and the Lancers are inside the 10 following a run from Shamar Figueroa (good for 11).

Clark's punt return was good for 43 yards.

Brendon Clark - no relation - punches it in from a yard out on the QB sneak TD.

Early 2ndQ - Manchester 21, Monacan 3.

 

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For their fourth series of the night, Monacan begins at its own 20 following the touchback from Manchester.

Stone Snyder's quick 8-yard completion puts Monacan with 2nd & 2, but Alex Murphy loses a yard. On 3rd & 3, Snyder runs ahead to move the chains and there's a face-mask penalty for 15 yards that will move the Chiefs near midfield at their own 47.

 

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Outside linebacker K.J. McNeil comes up with a solid pass breakup to bring up 3rd & 10 for Monacan. Stone Snyder is scrambling away from the pressure being applied by McNeil, Beamon and others. Ticking under 8 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, Manchester will be getting the fumble again as the Chiefs are lining up to punt it away.

Check that, Monacan decides to go for it on 4th & 10 from their own 46 and the pass intended for Taylor Green is incomplete with Manchester well covering that play.

 

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Manchester QB Brendon Clark misses his intended target in WR Miles Moore on a home run shot by just a pinch. On 2nd & 10, wasting no time, it's a straight ahead hand-off to Isaiah Todd and he runs hard with a low center of gravity for about 6 yards. Then it's Brendon Clark keeping it to move the chains for a gain of 5.

Manchester keeps the up-tempo as they face 2nd & 6 from the 31.

 

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It's a skinny post on 2nd & 6 from the 31-yard line of Monacan and Manchester QB Brendon Clark finds Brandon Majette for an easy pitch-and-catch touchdown.

Manchester extends its lead to 28-3 over Monacan midway through the 2nd quarter.

That was a quick 5-play, 46-yard drive that took all of 1:20 to complete.

 

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On back-to-back plays, it's QB Stone Snyder finding Elijah McLeod, but those two catches combined for a loss of 1.

On 3rd & 11 from their own 19 - Snyder takes off and shows his toughness for a gain of 16.

 

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Monacan has raised the intensity and aggressiveness meter a bit and QB Stone Snyder connects with sophomore Kyjuan Pettus for the longest Chiefs completion of the day - 36 yards down to the 29 of Manchester. Snyder then dumps it off to McLeod for a gain of 4 more as the Chiefs are close to their third trip inside the Manchester red zone of the first half. Problem is they trail it 28-3 and cannot settle for a field goal, they need a touchdown on this one.

 

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Tremendous tackle for loss shooting the gap by Alston Robinson, the ODU commit, on second down as the Monacan offense is looking at 3rd & 8 from the 28-yard line of Manchester.

Synder runs with authority for a gain of 16 down to the 11 of the Chiefs.

 

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Stone Synder runs for 2 on 1st & 10 from the Manchester 11, but somehow Monacan took a long time before getting off the snap... too long in fact as they were called for a delay of game. That backs them up 5. That may seem like a small deal, but it's a fairly big deal because that probably puts them in a passing situation as opposed to running, and an incomplete creates third-and-long. Manchester's defense now has the advantage.

 

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Well, the Manchester defense did have the advantage until the holding gave Monacan the ball on second down from the 6-yard line. It has been a pretty crisp half for the most part until the last couple of plays.

A Stone Snyder is batted down at the line of scrimmage. Manchester's defensive line and linebackers are consistently looking to get their hands on the football in the pass game, more than most teams and that can attributed as to part of why they are so successful on that side of the ball.

Monacan is facing 3rd & 6 at the 7-yard line of Manchester, which will see LB Demetrius Tyler come off the field and be looked at for an injury.

 

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Monacan will go for it on 4th & 6 from the 7 of Manchester and why not? They trail the host Lancers 28-3 late in the second quarter, 1:18 to be exact until intermission.

Consecutive time-outs, one from each team...

 

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Manchester 28, Monacan 9 with 1:05 till the break. Stone Snyder runs for a 7-yard TD on 4th & 6 as Monacan gets a touchdown before the break to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive in 5:52. The 2-point conversion try is incomplete, batted away by Manchester.

 

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Manchester is looking at a 2nd & 30 from their own 20 following an intentional grounding. Not the best play for QB Brendon Clark, but the Notre Dame commit will more than likely make up for it before this one is done.

A handoff right up the middle for Isaiah Todd, who makes it 3rd and about 16. Todd gains about 14 and time runs out for the first half.

A great showing from Manchester offensively in the first half, while a couple of missed opportunities by Monacan have kept this from being tighter as the Chiefs have made plays, just not the drive finishers as consistently.

 

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Some unofficial numbers at the break...

Manchester 28:
Brendon Clark - 6-11 for 125Yds. 2-0TD/Int. ratio; 6Car. 16Yds. TD
Isaiah Todd - 10Car. 67Yds.
Brandon Majette - 2Rec. 40Yds. TD
Kevin Henderson - 1Rec. 48Yds. TD
Zachary Bowman - 2Rec. 24Yds.

Lancers - 29 plays for 216 total yards; 6-11 for 125 pass yards; 18 rushes for 91 yards; 1 turnover (lost fumble); 3 penalties for 35 yards

Monacan 9:
Stone Snyder - 6-13 for 72Yds; 11Car. 50Yds. TD
Kyjuan Pettus - 2Rec. 56Yds.
Juan Branch - 1Rec. 9Yds.
Elijah McLeod - 3Rec. 3Yds.

Chiefs - 27 plays for 117 total yards; 6-13 for 72 pass yards; 14 rushes for 45 yards; 0 turnovers; 4 penalties for 30 yards.

 

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Monacan gets the ball to begin the second half as they try to build on the momentum to end the second period with that 80-yard touchdown drive.

Stone Snyder finds Juan Branch for a swing pass of 10 yards to move the chains and Monacan has an extra pep in their step.

 

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Consecutive holding penalties - with Monacan trying to keep Hakeem Beamon from continuing to cause havoc off the edge - backs the Chiefs up. Beamon is really creating problems for the Chiefs from a protection standpoint as QB Stone Snyder is running for his life in this one.

Monacan is facing 2nd & 41 from their own 9. A loss of 2 makes it 3rd & 43 from their own 7, so instead of trying to get a score to cut into this lead, the Chiefs are probably just thinking about getting some punting room so it's not blocked or a safety occurs.

 

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With Beamon breathing down his neck, it's Stone Snyder hitting Taylor Green on a crossing route good for 32 yards to make it 4th & 11. Who would've imagined that after 3rd & 43 from inside their own 10?

Now Coach Jim Henderson has a decision on whether to go for it or do a quick-kick. He might be tempted, believe it or not.

 

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A holding on 4th & 11 is declined by Manchester, meaning the host Lancers take over at the Monacan 39-yard line. Manchester leads it 28-9 and they will be thinking about touchdown.

An offsides penalty gives Monacan 9 penalties on the night - and about 5 or so this half - for 79 yards.

 

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Following the offsides, a 34-yard TD pass from Brendon Clark - his 3rd TD strike of the night - to Tre Clark.

Manchester leads it 35-9 after the PAT.

Boy, Brendon can throw the deep ball, as well if not better than anyone else in the state.

 

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Facing 2nd & 7 from their own 44-yard line following a couple of runs that netted 10 yards, it's Monacan QB Stone Snyder connecting with Juan Branch for a gain of 41 yards, plus a roughing the passer penalty on Manchester.

Branch is proving to be a real deep threat, using his speed to find creases in the defense. He's now got 4 grabs for 68 yards this evening.

As long as Monacan doesn't shoot itself in the foot with penalties, they can cut into this lead. The question will be can their defense come up with a solution for a balanced Manchester attack?

 

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Facing 2nd & Goal from the 8, Monacan's Kyjuan Pettus - who has 2 catches for 56 yards tonight - is being looked at for an injury. Brief stoppage on the field.

Monacan wants to avoid 4th down - where they are just 1 for 5 on the night. On the other side of things, Manchester is 4 of 6 on 3rd down and 1-for-1 on 4th down.

 

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As play resumes, it's Ash Matchingtouch of Manchester making. With so much concentration of blocking Hakeem Beamon, others are now starting to 'eat' from the table for the Lancers on defense, bringing up 3rd & Goal from the 33-yard line.

A pass is incomplete, so with 5:06 left in the third quarter, Monacan will probably go for it since they are down by 26 points. The Chiefs call a time-out and will talk it over on what to do.

 

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The 4th & Goal pass from the 33 is rather wobbly and intercepted by Brandon Majette.

 

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Manchester is over 300 total yards on the night. Brendon Clark runs for 13 yards, and a defensive substitution penalty puts the Lancer in Monacan territory, facing 1st & 5 from the 48-yard line.

That's where the running game can be used and they go to Isaiah Todd, plus then with another defender sucked down in the box, they go to Miles Moore for 17 yards. Clark is in total command, and a pair of 15-yard penalties - one on each side - now gives us a total of 18 flags on the night. With it being a Wednesday night, that's not a total shock, but something both staffs will want to clean up moving forward.

An injured player for Monacan - Elijah McLeod - is being looked as we get set for a 2nd & 10 from the 23. That's also a key option on offense for QB Stone Snyder.

 

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A tunnel screen for a TD to Isaiah Todd is called back on a downfield illegal block penalty on Manchester. But the Lancers don't fret it at all as QB Brendon Clark stays sharp, hitting Tre Clark for a 17-yard hookup on 3rd & 8, down to the Monacan 4.

 

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That caps an 11-play, 70-yard drive.

 

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Monacan's latest possession results in a quick 3 and out, one where they had the football for all of 45 seconds.

The Manchester defense doesn't get enough love, largely because of their high-flying offense and the number of weapons they have on that side of the ball, but they have an experienced defense. Besides Beamon up front, they've been getting steady play from LB's K.J. McNeil and Alston Robinson as well as safeties Sincere Adams and Tre Clark.

Manchester takes over at the Monacan 42 with 1:31 left in the third period. It might be time for Tom Hall to look at bringing in a backup QB and resting his golden arm star who'll be headed to South Bend next year.