Blog LIVE Game Blog - Churchland (2-2) at Booker T. Washington (3-2)

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Greetings from Cal Davidson Field in Norfolk, home of the Booker T. Washington Bookers (3-2), who play host to the Churchland Truckers (2-2) from Portsmouth tonight in an Eastern District matchup that figures to have playoff implications for both teams.

Booker T. is trying to reach the postseason in Region 3A, while Churchland is looking to get a berth in Region 4A and possibly grab the program's first ever playoff victory.

We'll have updates later tonight here on the Blog, plus on Twitter @ hatfieldsports

Back in a bit after taking some pregame photos...

 

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We're almost set for kick-off. Here's our Preview from the Tidewater Predictions on this game...


Churchland (2-2) at Booker T. Washington (3-2) . . . Three of the past four meetings have been won by Booker T. Washington, which rolled past Churchland 47-13 last year. Quarterback Kisheed Watson has been quite efficient for the Truckers in completing 56.8% of his passes on the season for 635 yards and a 7-1 TD/Int. ratio. Daquan Felton is his go-to guy with 18 catches for 215 yards and 3TD’s. Booker T. Washington brought back eight starters on defense from a season ago, including four in the secondary with Tim White, Tayeon Woods, Kevin Towns and sophomore sensation Rodney Hammond.

Hammond is the focal point for the Bookers on offense with 615 rushing yards and 2TD’s on 99 carries. Towns at receiver is a deep threat, averaging over 25 yards reception with three scores on the season. Churchland’s defense has come back down to Earth a bit since pitching shutouts of Kecoughtan and Grafton to open the 2018 campaign. However, if they can add to their season takeaway count of six and continue to see Isaiah Macklin and Anthony Stevenson – a duo with 51 total tackles – make critical stops on third down, a road win to avoid their third straight loss is highly possible.

Matt Says: Booker T. Washington 19-16
VHSL-Reference.com Says: Booker T. Washington 20-10
Coach Young Says: Booker T. Washington 24-20

 

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Booker T. will be receiving the football first. We are set here on a beautiful final Friday night for football here in September, temperature at 71 degrees and the sun setting. If we get this weather the rest of the year, I'll be a real happy guy!

 

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Great concentration and awareness by Kevin Towns on the sideline catch to stay in and get just enough for the first down.

 

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Churchland begins its first series at their own 15. The Truckers open with trips right and looking to go to the air. Their first pass with QB Kisheed Watson is incomplete. On 2nd & 10, they take a deep shot and again are unable to connect out of empty, where they motion into quads. Their pass on 3rd down is incomplete, intended for Jamel Carter-Love, who along with Kisheed Watson played extremely well in their season-opening win over Kecoughtan.

So a quick 3 & out for the Truckers. Not what second-year Head Coach Dontrell Leonard wanted to see from his offense in an effort to respond from the game-opening scoring drive by the host Bookers.

Churchland's punt ends up being downed at the BTW 47 with 7:53 left in the opening stanza.

 

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Coach Darvin 'D.J.' Alexander is glad to have Towns back in the lineup. He had suffered a concussion in the first game, missed some time then returned in last week's loss to Maury, where he caught 3TD's.

 

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A great start for Booker T. Washington offensively and Churchland must make some adjustments to respect the talents on the perimeter of Kevin Towns, but also be cognizant of Rodney Hammond's breakaway ability out of the backfield.

 

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Churchland now has a good drive starting as they've gone to the running game, pulling the backside guard similar to what Maury did last week in their 30-22 win over the Bookers when RB C.J. Beasley had a big night.

After a 6-yard run by Kenny Gallop moves the chains, QB Kisheed Watson keeps it on an option-read, fooling both the Booker T. Washington defense and the referees who initially thought the running back was down (only the QB had it). The officials huddle and the play stands - a 14-yard gain to midfield b Watson. Gallop gains 9, but we have a penalty that might move the Truckers back. A longer that needed pause here - in my opinion - as the officials explain penalties on each side to Coach Alexander.

 

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As for the penalties - it was a 10-yard hold on Churchland, but a 15-yard personal foul on Booker T. Washington, so that tacks on 5 more following the 9-yard run by Kenny Gallop to put Churchland at the Bookers 36.

Back-to-back tackles for loss by the Booker T. defense as it's first Stephon White with a sack of QB Kisheed Watson as he ran around the left tackle. That was then followed by a loss of 1 for Gallop on a tackle by LB Avontae Mitchell.

Churchland faces 3rd & 13 now. Watson scrambles for 1, tackled by White.

 

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Just a simple wheel route that Carter-Love ran exceptionally to get open and haul in a touchdown that swings momentum over to the visiting Truckers.

Booker T. will be shaking its head about that one later as that could've been a chance to maybe not necessarily put Churchland away, but keep them at bay and extend their lead.

 

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Booker T. Washington begins its 3rd series at their own 30. QB Larry Parker Jr. finds Ja'Bon Saunders for a completion good for 21 yards into Churchland territory.

But then two runs by the Bookers pick up minimal yards, and on 3rd & 5 they lob it up for the 6'4" wideout Tasean Waters, who can't haul it in.

On 4th & 5, it's QB draw with Parker and he gains 6 to move the chains, at the Churchland 38.

The Truckers are stacking the box with about nine men and it's helping against the run a great deal.

 

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That TD pass was tipped by a Churchland defender, but Cowan was waiting for it on the deflection in the end zone.

Been real impressed with the growth and development of Bookers QB Larry Parker Jr. from my last live game viewing of him a year ago in a home loss to Broad Run and now. The Bookers will take on Broad Run - ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 5 - next week in Ashburn.

 

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Churchland converts a 3rd & 2 on their third series offensively of the game with Kenny Gallop's 5-yard run . However, the Bookers are hanging tough with Stephon White making a stop for loss - his 4th tackle of the night.

On 3rd & 10 - it's an incomplete pass.

Booker T. gets the ball for their 4th possession at the 7:49 mark of the first half with decent field positioning at their own 40.

 

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That drive was all about the run game for the Bookers - using QB Larry Parker Jr. as well as RB's Rodney Hammond and Tayeon Woods. Parker basically side-stepped a defender on a 14-yard run following two runs by Hammond that collected 11. Then they went to Woods to finish off the series - a 6-play, 60-yard drive that took only 2:13 off the clock.

Churchland switched its defensive front from a '50' to a four-man front during the possession and they are searching for answers right now.

 

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Churchland was able to pick up the pressure by the Booker T. defense just well enough for Watson to dump it off to Gallop, who about 30 yards through his run made a nifty cut-back and then had just enough speed in the tank to finish off his scoring scamper.

Just when you think the Bookers are about to pull away, the Truckers answer. It might take at least 40 to win this thing tonight in Norfolk.

 

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Anthony Stevenson makes a solid tackle on 3rd & 5 for the Churchland defense, but unfortunately for the Truckers, QB Larry Parker Jr. was able to get 6 to move the chains.

Booker T. is running the ball between the tackles and the only thing that is stopping them potentially from scoring looks to be the clock as they burn a time-out with 59 seconds remaining after a 5-yard run from Rodney Hammond brings up 3rd & 2 from the Truckers 43.

That's the final time-out for Booker T. Washington, so regardless if they throw or run here, they will have to look towards the sidelines to try and get out of bounds and conserve some time to prolong this drive.

 

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Someone will be getting a good college football player. Grades are fine from what I hear, ROTC captain too...

 

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Parker is 6 of 8 for 132 yards and 2TD's passing.

 

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Five offensive possessions and five touchdowns for the host Booker T. Washington, looking to get to 4-2 overall on the campaign.

Coming in, the Bookers were averaging 21.6 points per game with the season-high of 31 points coming in a road win at Norcom. They've already beat that in just one half of football tonight against a Churchland defense that, earlier in the season, appeared much improved after pitching shutouts of Kecoughtan and Grafton.

Some key individual numbers...

For BTW:
Larry Parker - 6-8 for 132Yds. 2-0 TD/Int. ratio; 5Car. 37Yds.
Rodney Hammond - 12Car. 89Yds. 2TD's
Tayeon Woods - 5Car. 42Yds. TD
Kevin Towns - 3Rec. 90Yds. TD
Antwan Cowan - 1Rec. 18Yds. TD

For Churchland:
Kisheed Watson - 3-7 for 147Yds. 2-0 TD/Int. ratio; 5Car. 12Yds.
Kenny Gallop - 2Rec. 109Yds. TD; 7Car. 23Yds.
Jamel Carter-Love - 1Rec. 38Yds. TD

 

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Churchland begins the 2nd half with the football at their own 37.

 

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That's the 2nd INT of the season for Cowan.

 

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Booker T. Washington RB Rodney Hammond has gained 33 yards on his first three carries of the 2nd half. As evidenced last season when he burst onto the scene as a freshman, he continues to run hard even in the 2nd half and is a breakaway threat at any time.

Ja'Bon Saunders just hauled in a pass of 13 yards as the Bookers have moved into Churchland territory with ease.

 

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4:05 to go 3rdQ - Not good news for the Bookers, even with a 22-point lead, as their stud tailback Rodney Hammond is being looked at by the training staff.

Jason McManes of Churchland, making his 8th tackle of the night (4th solo), got a good lick on him in the back.

Fortunately, Hammond pops up after a couple minutes and seems to be alright. Hopefully he just got the wind knocked out of him and it's nothing too serious.

 

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With Hammond out of the game, they go to Tayeon Woods on 3rd & Goal from the 4 and he picks up 1.

Booker T. will try a field goal on 4th & Goal from the 3. The 20-yard try is no good.

 

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One of the few times tonight - - maybe the first -- where Churchland targets its 6'4 wideout Daquan Felton. It draws a pass interference. On the next play though, Tieyoun Floyd makes his 2nd sack for the Bookers defense, bringing up 2nd & long for the Truckers.

Then it's the 2nd takeaway of the night...

 

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Booker T. Washington's near sack on 2nd & 11 results in Churchland QB Kisheed Watson finding a streaking Daquan Felton for a jump-ball, gaining 35 yards into Booker T. territory. Na'shawn Bunch follows it with a 12-yard catch down to the Bookers 20 to end the 3rd period.

 

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Watson is 7 of 14 for 198 yards passing.

 

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That comes after a pair of incomplete passes by the Truckers. This has not been a passing half that Watson would like to remember.

Booker T. has scored on all six offensive possessions tonight and they've yet to punt it away. They ran only 9 plays in that 3rd period.

 

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Churchland's defense forces a 3 & out and the first punt of the night for Booker T. Washington, which leads it 41-12 with 10:37 left in the ballgame.

The Truckers take over at the 39 of the Bookers with 10:24 to go following a punt that took 13 seconds (but felt like it took 45).

 

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An 18-yard catch by Jamel Carter-Love on 4th & 14 kept the drive alive for Churchland, which is likely to try an onside / squib kick here...

 

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Booker T. is content to keep it on the ground and they already have one 100-yard rusher in Rodney Hammond (18 carries for 132 yards and 2TD's). They are looking to get a second with Tayevon Woods.

Currently, Woods is sitting at 12 rushes for 77 yards as the Bookers face 3rd & 6 from the Churchland 26 as we tick under 2 minutes to play.

 

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