Blog LIVE Blog - Nansemond River (2-1) at Indian River (3-0)

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Greetings from Chesapeake as the Indian River Braves (3-0) play host to the Nansemond River (2-1) in a re-match of last year's Class 5, Region A semifinal matchup. These two teams split last year with Nansemond winning in the playoffs and Indian River prevailing during the regular season.

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So far Nansemond River has moved the ball 37 yards after beginning at their own 30 with 27 of those yards essentially penalties - personal fouls by Indian River. Coach Glenwood Ferebee of the Braves is none too pleased.

Nansemond River looks to go for it on 4th & 13 from the 33 of the Braves.

 

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Not a bad gamble for Warriors Head Coach Justin Conyers - who is celebrating his birthday today - as a punt may not tilt field position much at all.

 

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Indian River has a quick 3 & out, beginning with a drop pass on a screen on first down. A good tackle by Quijoun Gordon of Nansemond River on third down on the underneath pass by Dominique Brooks to Rasheen Brooks.

The worst part of all of all that for Indian River was that they took just 59 seconds off the clock. We're at the 7:08 mark and Nansemond River begins its second series at their own 32. Now the Warriors have a chance to play their ball-control, smash-mouth style with the running game potentially.

 

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Nansemond River goes nowhere with its second drive. Credit that Indian River defensive front, headed up by four-star prospect Ben Smiley and Kani Crite, for stopping the run on the initial contact. On third down, it's W. Elisha Harris and Crite making a stop behind the line of scrimmage.

So Nansemond River punts it away and Indian River has better field position than on their first drive, set up at their own 41.

 

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A nice drive by Indian River, aided by a couple of Nansemond River penalties, including a 15-yard personal foul.

The big takeaway for the Braves is that five different players touched the ball - Ricardo Ray, Dom Brooks, Rasheen Brooks, Lamareon James and then Ah'Shawn Moore for the TD. Their versatility is on display early.

 

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Nansemond River cannot get a handle on #56 in their phone booth style offense.



The Warriors are punting again.

 

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A great punt by Jonathan Combs of Nansemond River worth 58 yards that pins Indian River at its own 3. But the Braves dig out of it thank to QB Dominique Brooks, RB Carmelo Sweat and some good interior push from their o-line blocking against a respectable defensive front of Nansemond River.

Then Indian River got its 58-yard play - a completion from Dom Brooks to WR/RB LaMareon James, the Class of 2020 talent that transferred in from Norfolk Christian and is so electric. James caught it near the sideline, reversed his field and cut back towards the IR sideline, almost getting to the end zone before being dragged out of bounds.

Indian River is in business, near the end zone, at the NR 25 following an 11-yard run from Ah'Shawn Moore.

 

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A good point from our friend Super Eric Rogers...

 

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We've got a fumble as Nansemond River's Kevin Johnson coughs it up and Rasheen Brooks recovers for Indian River, at the Warriors 30-yard line with 8:30 before the half. This is danger time or Nansemond River as they commit the game's first turnover at the absolute worst team with the Braves riding momentum behind these home fans.

 

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A huge scramble by Dom Brooks on 4th & 5 from the Nansemond River 25-yard line extended the scoring drive for Indian River, now up by three touchdowns and they got the big 4-star d-lineman involved on the offense....

 

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A three and out from the Nansemond River offense as their running game is doing nothing against this Indian River defensive front, which is reading its keys and wrapping up extremely well. On 3rd & 8, it's more of the same and the Warriors get a minimal gain, then punt it away.

Indian River then begins its fifth series at their own 30, and after a couple of nice stops by Keonte Cobb and Ian Oakley of the Warriors, Indian River is setting up to punt it away on 4th & 15 - leading 21-0 - with 2:06 to go before half-time.

 

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Nansemond River is back in it with a subtle switch at quarterback and, believe it or not, they keep running instead of going to the air down 21-0. A run by Quijoun Gordon, usually a running back playing the Wildcat QB, gains 13. Then Kevin Johnson takes the sweep the other way, with the defense flowing to the right, and he makes them pay with his track speed.



PAT was no good. That could come back to bite them later if this gets tight. Last year's kicker for the Warriors, Evan Lomax (now at Hampton University), was almost automatic.

Before that drive, the Warriors had just 36 yards of offense.

 

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Indian River is content to run out the clock and end the half with a 15-point advantage. But Nansemond River has to feel somewhat encouraged that their defense held strong before the break and they take a little bit of hope into the locker room with how they got a quick strike from Kevin Johnson on the touchdown run.

 

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Some numbers at the break....

Indian River 21:
Dominique Brooks - 6-7 for 102Yds. 1-0TD/Int. ratio; 5Car. 17Yds. TD
LaMareon James - 2Rec. 61Yds; 6Car. 19Yds.
DeSean Cromwell - 2Rec. 26Yds. TD
Ah'Shawn Moore - 2Rec. 22Yds. TD
Ricardo Ray - 7Car. 17Yds.
Kani Crite - 4 Tackles, 2.5TFL

Braves - 31 plays for 177 total yards; 6-7 for 102 pass yards; 24 rushes for 75 yards; 0 turnovers; 4 penalties for 45 yards


Nansemond River 6:
Kevin Johnson - 9Car. 53Yds. TD
Quijoun Gordon - 6Car. 36Yds; 5 Tackles (4 Solo)
Derick Hardy - 5 Tackles (3 Solo)
Payton Payne - 4 Tackles, TFL

Warriors - 21 plays for 86 total yards; 0-3 passing; 18 rushes for 86 yards; 1 turnover (lost fumble); 3 penalties for 25 yards

 

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If Indian River scores to make this 28-6, it's hard to imagine Nansemond River will be able to come back in this one.

 

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Another key 3rd down conversion by QB Dom Brooks, this time with his arm on 3rd & 14 to find Tyrell Spruill, the junior receiver, over the middle for 22 yards down to the Nansemond 2-yard line.

 

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Nansemond River has struggled to put together a drive offensively and a couple of bad snaps, resulting losses force them to punt it away again.

Indian River - while we complimented their versatility earlier - seems to be a bit sluggish with their tempo offensively in this latest 3rd quarter drive and moving too many guys around. Now, when they decide to hand it off to the jumbo-sized back Ah'Shawn Moore, who generally causes havoc at linebacker and also lines up at wide receiver on offense, he is giving the Warriors fits. He runs in some ways similar to Jaason Lewis - the former Ocean Lakes star that went to Arizona State and is now at Eastern Kentucky.

Dom Brooks is having an efficient night - 11 of 13 through the air for 152 yards.

Nansemond River's defense is tackling well and not missing with Derick Hardy and Keonte Cobb - who had 6 sacks against Hickory earlier this year - generally in on the key stops.

 

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The Nansemond defense hangs tough as Indian River is unable to put this game on ice and move to 4-0 just yet...

 

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As we begin the 4th quarter, this game has taken on a lethargic feel. Nansemond River tries a pass on 1st & 10 from their own 1 and they avoid disaster. After gaining a few on second down, they try a dangerous sweep play that loses 2.

The Warriors get the punt off from their own end zone, barely, and Indian River will have great field position at the NR 32 with 9:59 to play.

These fans are getting restless and anxious for some kind of big play -- a catch, a sack, a turnover, a touchdown... something.

 

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Dom Brooks is 12 of 15 for 171 yards and both of his TD's have gone to DeSean Cromwell.

 

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On the ensuing kickoff, Desean Cromwell recovers a fumble for Nansemond River. Special teams woes hurting the Warriors much like it did in their season opener at home when they saw a 15-0 lead evaporate in a 16-15 loss to Maury when the Commodores recovered two onside kicks in the second half.

So the Braves begin at the 18 of Nansemond River with 8:34 to go.

 

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Indian River is getting a measure of revenge tonight for last year's playoff loss. The Braves haven't been threatened by Nansemond River's offense in the 2nd half. Kicker Thaddeus Blackburn has made each of his last four extra points since the first was blocked and is showing a solid leg on kickoffs, too.

 

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FINAL - Indian River 42, Nansemond River 6

Braves push their record to 4-0.

Warriors fall to 2-2.

More to come later...