Blog LIVE Game Blog for Region 6A Finals: #2 Highland Springs (9-3) at #1 Oscar Smith (12-0)

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It's almost time for kick-off at Beard-DeLong-Easley Field in Chesapeake, where the top-seeded Oscar Smith Tigers (12-0) play host to the visiting No. 2 seed Highland Springs Springers (9-3) in a re-match from a playoff game a year ago.

We'll have updates here via the Game Blog and on 'X' or Twitter as some still refer to it @hatfieldsports

Before we get started, check out the Preview and Picks we posted earlier on the V.I.P. Board below...


REGION 6A:

#2 Highland Springs (9-3) at #1 Oscar Smith (12-0) . . . This marks the third ever encounter on the gridiron between the Springers and Tigers, a couple of storied programs that have won a combined nine state titles since 2008. Highland Springs has won five State Championships under Head Coach Loren Johnson, while Oscar Smith is pursuing its fifth crown and third under current Head Coach Chris Scott.

Highland Springs won both of the previous meetings, including 28-7 in last year’s regional semifinals behind a stingy defense and strong ground attack that produced four rushing touchdowns, two by tailback Eric Byrd. A couple of Oscar Smith’s main components on offense – such as First Team All-Region QB Lonnie Andrews III (130 of 210 for 2123 yard, 23-5 TD/Int. ratio) and First Team All-Region WR Travis Johnson (43Rec. 725Yds. 11 TD’s) – are a year more seasoned as Andrews III is now a sophomore and Johnson one of the nation’s most sought after junior prospects.

The Oscar Smith defense has been smothering all season long with seven shutouts pitched and surrendering just 5.1 points per game. Only one team – Hickory – has hit them for more than 20 points in a game. Playoff foes Grassfield and Manchester found it mighty difficult to move the ball through the air, combining to go 13 of 38 for 199 yards passing with an interception. The secondary with Cincinnati Jahmari DeLoatch at corner, junior Jayden Covil at the other corner and Army pledge Jaden Dabbs at safety keeps most everything in front of them.

As for Highland Springs on defense, the backbone of their unit is LB/S Brennan Johnson, a Virginia Tech commit who is a two-time State Defensive Player of the Year and recently was chosen as Region 6A Defensive Player of the Year yet again. If the Springers are unable to provide rushing lanes for their backs and dual-threat QB Nelson Layne, an Army commit who can do as much damage with his legs as his arm, then it could be a third loss on the season to a team from the ‘757’ area code. Earlier in the season, two defending State Champs from Tidewater beat the Springers on their field with Phoebus prevailing 23-7 and Maury also rolling to the tune of 38-7.

Matt Hatfield Says – Oscar Smith 22-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Oscar Smith 14-13

 

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Oscar Smith gets the ball first and two straight illegal procedure penalties take them from 1st & 10 at their own 46 to 1st & 20 from the 36. They get a 4-yard run, followed by short completions worth +4 and +5 to the likes of highly regarded junior WR Travis Johnson and senior wideout Alvin 'Trey' Jones, a Buffalo commit, respectively.

The Tigers end up punting it away and Highland Springs will stat at their own 35 with 9:50 to go in the first quarter.

 

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Highland Springs runs it three straight plays up the middle, netting a total of 11 yards with two of the runs by tailback Daeron Ferguson between the tackles. Ferguson moved the sticks on 3rd & 1, but before that, it was QB and Army commit Nelson Layne scooting up the middle for 9 yards.

Layne makes a really nice throw on his first pass attempt of the night - a 21-yard completion on an inside slant to junior WR Damarri Brooks. That moves the Springers into Tigers territory.

A tackle for loss by the Tigers defense and pass batted down by edge rusher Na'Rod Jarvis brings up 3rd & 11 from the 34 for the Springers with 6:45 left in the opening frame. A run of just three yards on third down makes it decision time for Loren Johnson's Springers. They leave the offense on the field for 4th & 8 from the 31, where Layne rolls to his right and ends up throwing it away from his intended target, incomplete.

Oscar Smith takes over on downs with 5:50 left in the opening frame, at their own 31.

 

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Three straight runs with sophomore RB Ty'jae Curtis - resulting in gains of +1 and +7 as well as +1 - brings up a 4th & 1 decision for Tigers Head Coach Chris Scott. From his own 40-yard line, he decides to go for it and Curtis is able to just barely get the first down. The Springers run defense looks even more formidable than what I witnessed live in early September when they lost to Maury.

Faced with 3rd & 6 from their own 35, the Tigers convert with tailback Ty'jae Curtis catching a pass out of the backfield and slipping out of multiple tackles for a gain of 42 yards. However, the Highland Springs defense stiffens in the red zone. The Tigers tried to find star WR Travis Johnson on a fade pattern in the back of the end zone on 3rd & 7, but it's incomplete with solid coverage supplied by corner Jonathan Massenberg II.

 

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Now the question becomes can the Tigers finish this series off? Well, to begin the 2nd period, it's Va. Tech commit and standout linebacker Brennan Johnson showing why he's a two-time State Defensive Player of the Year, bringing QB Lonnie Andrews III down for a loss of 2.

The Tigers don't try the field goal this time inside the 10 and instead look for WR Travis Johnson in the back corner of the end zone on the near side on 4th & Goal from the 6. Andrews puts it too far out of the reach for Johnson to bring it down inbounds for a score.

Another huge stop by the Springers on defense as they'll take over at their own 6 with 11:03 until half-time.

 

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Highland Springs goes 3 & out offensively, gaining no yards from their own 6. Credit freshman defensive lineman Lennox Williams, a 2nd Team All-Region selection, for keeping QB Nelson Layne from scrambling for anything positive on third down.

A holding on Oscar Smith during the punt return means they'll have it at the Springers 45, instead of the 35, with 9:30 to go in the first half.

 

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Ty'jae Curtis lost a few yards on a pass reception just before his 29-yard run, where he was able to break out of multiple tackles, similar to his beautiful 42-yard pass reception earlier in the half.

Really good balance from the Tigers on offense with 62 yards passing on eight attempt sand 58 yards rushing on 15 attempts.

The field position has been dominated so far by Oscar Smith. Now it's up to Highland Springs to flip that, otherwise the Tigers will be hosting Colonial Forge in next week's State Semifinals.

 

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Cincinnati commit Jahmari DeLoatch makes two terrific plays; the first being a pass breakup and then the next being a firm tackle in space to bring up 3rd & 10 for the Springers offense on their fourth offensive series of the night. QB Nelson Layne is able to dodge multiple Tigers defenders to somehow gain 9 yards and set up 4th & 1 from their own 41.

Will Loren Johnson pull a Chris Scott here and go for it on 4th & 1? Well, not exactly as they try to draw the Tigers offsides, then burn a time-out and decide to punt it away.

With 5:46 to go in the first half, the Tigers take over at their own 31 following the punt in this physical battle.

 

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Oscar Smith nearly has two disastrous moments as a first down pass by Lonnie Andrews III is incomplete, almost picked off on a missile throw near the Springers sideline. Then, it's nearly a huge completion to Class of 2026 WR talent Travis Johnson, who would've hauled it in for a big gain of 40+ and then fumbled, but the officials say it was incomplete. Had it been a fumble, the Springers were close to scooping it up...

Coach Chris Scott uses a time-out before a 3rd & 10, perhaps pondering if they should run it here and be conservative or take a big shot.

 

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That gamble to take a shot down the field paid off as Alvin 'Trey' Jones showed his elite speed and got the separation he needed to make the monster play on a deep post. From there, Brandon Nesbit finished things off with a TD run.

 

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Miscues are starting to plague the visiting Springers. Their offense goes 3 & out and while they're set to punt it away on 4th & 8 from their own 36, the high snap turns out to put them in a spot where it can be blocked. It is, by Malik Williams of Oscar Smith, and recovered by his temmate Jaden Dabbs, an Army commit.

The Tigers get great field position, at the Springers 20, with 4:00 to go in the first half and starting to smell blood.

 

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Alvin 'Trey' Jones made his 4th reception of the night, giving him 91 yards receiving, and then the Springers hurt themselves with an illegal substitution penalty before 3rd & 2 from the 12-yard line. That puts the Tigers inside the 10 and that's where Brandon Nesbit has been feasting on this day after Thanksgiving.

Highland Springs now has 2:20 to go in the half from their own 23 to try and do something to prevent this from totally getting away from them.

 

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All three levels of this Oscar Smith defense - the line, linebackers and secondary - are completely bottling up this Highland Springs offense. Izayiah Bray, a Class of 2028 talent, makes a tackle for loss that drops NElson Layne backwards 7 yards. That set up a 3rd & 17 and the Springers are only able to get a 1-yard gain on a completion to Malik Bullock.

The Springers punt it away and Oscar Smith has 1:17 to try to add to its lead of 21-0, positioned at their own 31.

 

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Oscar Smith got all the way down to the Springers 26 late in the half, thanks in part to a Springers penalty and 21-yard reception from junior WR Travis Johnson, but a pass out of the end zone as time expires brought them to the break with the score still at 21-0 in favor of the host Tigers.

 

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Stats at the Half:

Oscar Smith 21:
Lonnie Andrews III - 9-18 for 169Yds.
Ty'jae Curtis - 7Car. 46Yds; 2Rec. 39Yds.
Brandon Nesbit - 8Car. 23Yds. 3 TD's; 1Rec. 14Yds.
Alvin 'Trey' Jones - 4Rec. 91Yds.
Travis Johnson - 2Rec. 25Yds.
Lennox Williams - 4 Solo Tackles, TL
Malachi White - 3 Tackles, TFL

Tigers - 9-18 for 169 yards passing; 18 rushes for 72 yards


Highland Springs 0:
Nelson Layne - 3-7 for 22Yds; 6Car. 12Yds.
Damarri Brooks - 1Rec. 21Yds.
Daeron Ferguson - 6Car. 5Yds.
Jaedon Parker - 5 Tackles (3 Solo), TFL
Demontez Bullock-Coles - 4 Tackles, TFL
Antoine Richardson - 2 Pass Breakups

Springers - 20 plays for 39 total yards (3-7 for 22 yards passing; 13 rushes for 17 yards, 1 lost fumble; 2 penalties for 15 yards; 1 turnover

 

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To begin the third quarter, Highland Springs starts at their own 30. After going backwards on a couple of plays, the Springers get a good chunk of yardage, 21 to be exact, as Nelson Layne uses his feet to keep the play alive in the pocket and find Malik Bullock for a 23-yard completion up to the 44-yard line. That's where Bullock then makes another catch, but is drilled by Army commit Jaden Dabbs, forcing a fumble that is recovered by senior teammate Donte Brooks Jr.

The Tigers don't do much on their first possession, gaining 3 yards with Brandon Nesbit on a 3rd & 6 play. Coach Scott elects to leave the offense on the field for 4th & 3, but their pass is incomplete.

Highland Springs now takes over at their own 40, trailing 21-0 with 7:53 to go in the third period.

 

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For the first time tonight, Loren Johnson's Springers are in the midst of an extended drive. Senior QB Nelson Layne is finally in a rhythm against this fierce Tigers defense, despite three penalties on the offense. Layne has had three completions of 10 or more yards with a 21-yard strike to Antoine 'Buddy' Richardson, a 13-yard connection to Richardson and an 11-yard completion to junior Damarri Brooks.

The Army commit Layne also moved the chains on a 4th & 6 play from the Tigers 30 with a real fine 10-yard run. However, the drive is now stalling, looking at 3rd & 19 from the Tigers 29 with 3:09 left in the third quarter. Layne runs for a gain of 4 to bring up 4th & 15.

 

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Very demoralizing for the visiting Springers, though they are able to get an INT at midfield with junior DB Devyn Simmons, who then returns it 36 yards to the 14-yard line of Oscar Smith 1:13 to go in the third period.

Had the Springers been able to score on that last series, this would be all the more interesting now.

 

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Highland Springs had an easy TD on an end around pass, but Devyn Simmons - who made the superb play on defense with the INT - short-armed the pass. But the Springers have a good shot to get on the board here with 1st & Goal from the 3, even though the Tigers defense will make them work for it for sure. They haven't allowed a TD since the Hickory game back on November 1st that they won 49-21 and that one came in the second half.

 

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A bad snap on 2nd & Goal put them in peril. Them would be the Springers. Malachi White and Na'Rod Jarvis quickly pounced on QB Nelson Layne for a loss of 9. Consecutive incomplete passes got them off the field.

 

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Oscar Smith is now going to some direct snap runs with both Brandon Nesbit and Ty'jae Curtis. Primarily, it is Nesbit though and he had a 31-yard run he ripped off into Highland Springs territory.

Another good run from Nesbit - this one a 7-yarder - puts him over 100 for the evening.

 

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A total of 62 playoff wins since 2004 is an awful lot to digest. Shows what they're done from Rich Morgan, to the late great Bill Dee for a year, then Scott Johnson and now Chris Scott. It's a program that is always among the very best in Virginia for now over a couple decades.

Meanwhile, Highland Springs is trying to avoid suffering its first shutout loss in the playoffs since 2010 when they were blanked by the L.C. Bird Skyhawks in the opening round 36-0.

 

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There went the shutout and quietly Nelson Layne has 135 yards passing on seven completions here in the second half.

 

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More to come later... stay tuned!