Blog LIVE Game Blog for Region 6B Finals: #6 Colonial Forge (9-3) at #5 Patriot (9-3)

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Watching two games simultaneously with the Region 5D Finals featuring Briar Woods at Riverbend and this Region 6B Championship on the NFHS Network.

John Brown's Colonial Forge Eagles comes in as the No. 6 seed at 9-3 overall, visiting Sean Finnerty's Patriot Pioneers, the No. 5 seed and also at 9-3 overall.

Patriot ended a seven-game losing skid in its series to Battlefield by toppling the unbeaten Bobcats in the regional semis, while Forge got here by avenging regular season losses to both Stafford and North Stafford in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

 

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Colonial Forge strikes first.

 

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Patriot was moving the ball well on its first series - with 43 total yards and 23 on a pass play from QB Tyler Knutson to Aiden Pagonis - but the drive ended up stalling with an incomplete pass on 4th & 5 from the Forge 28. Kudos to Colonial Forge defensive lineman Jake Mangano - son of former North Stafford Head Coach Joe Mangano - for making a tackle for loss on that series to shift momentum. Jake was the Commonwealth District Defensive Player of the Year.

Now it's decision time for Head Coach John Brown - go for it or try a long field goal?

 

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Freshman Darion Majeed is making his presence felt with 3 grabs for 37 yards and a score already in the first half. Big ups to Brock Brimhall for staying in the pocket and delivering that throw while taking a big hit.

Patriot begins its second series at their own 27 with 11:41 to go in the first half.

 

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Buddy Noakes makes a clutch catch for Patriot on 3rd & 5 for a gain of 12 to the 44-yard line. Senior tailback Sean Coleman bursts through the middle untouched for a gain of 23 to the Forge 23.

Following a run of +4 by Jamir Brown, it's Coleman again, using a nifty spin move and bouncing off a tackler to the 3 for a gain of 16.

 

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TaySean Jones, Christian Freeman, Caleb Cleveland and the rest of those Colonial Forge defenders were outstanding to recover and not let the Pioneers punch it in for a score.

However, Colonial Forge fumbles it away from their own 1 as it appears Louis Kenbeng was the one that recovered the ball that squirted free and bounced to the 8-yard line. Chris Umana-Gomero looked like the one that created the fumble from what I could tell.

Patriot now has another chance to strike.

 

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Nice play-call and execution as QB Tyler Knutson hits Jack Fowler, a junior, in the flat area for an easy 6-yard TD pass. So the Pioneers are finally on the board.

No need to fear if you're on the Colonial Forge side because they return the ensuing kickoff to their own 45 with 5:25 till intermission, giving htme nice field position.

 

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TaySean Jones, who had 2 TD's in the earlier matchup between these two teams this season, is able to make up for what happened on play earlier. On the second down play, he dropped what would've been a sure-fire 46-yard TD pass on a vertical shot. This time, John Brown and the Eagles dial up a quick screen to the far side of the field, near their sideline, and he's off to the races once he hauls in the pass from QB Brock Brimhall.

Patriot's defense has done a fine job on first and second downs for the most part, but have struggled to get off the field on the third and fourth down plays. Those have been killer to this point.

 

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Both teams go 3 & out on offense, leaving Patriot with 1:06 to try to cut into this 21-7 deficit as the Pioneers take over at their own 41 following a Colonial Forge punt.

Senior 6-foot-1, 175-pound wide receiver Buddy Noakes shows why he's one of the premier talents in the Cedar Run District, breaking loose on a deep post for a 35-yard reception from QB Tyler Knutson. That puts the Pioneers at the Colonial Forge 24. After an incomplete pass, a bad snap puts Knutson in trouble and he's nearly sacked by Jake Mangano, but he's able to get rid of the ball to bring up 3rd & 10 with 35 seconds left in the half.

 

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Aiden Pagonis makes an 11-yard catch on 3rd & 10, alertly scooting out of bounds to stop the clock with 28 seconds left in the half. However, on the very next play, it's Colonial Forge making another timely play with their two-way standout Josiah Bryson.

 

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Key Stats at the Half:

Colonial Forge 21:
Brock Brimhall - 9-14 for 161Yds. 3-0 TD/Int. ratio
TaySean Jones - 5Rec. 90Yds. TD; 3 Tackles, TFL
Darion Majeed - 3Rec. 37Yds. TD
Josiah Bryson - 5Car. 9Yds; INT
Christian Freeman - 1Car. 5Yds.
Jaylen Carter - 4 Tackles

Patriot 7:
Tyler Knutson - 6-12 for 88Yds. 1-1 TD/Int. ratio
Sean Coleman - 13Car. 69Yds.
Buddy Noakes - 2Rec. 47Yds.
Aiden Pagonis - 2Rec. 35Yds.
Jack Fowler - 1Rec. 6Yds. TD
Luca DellaFave - 6 Tackles, 1.5 TFL

 

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On Patriot's opening drive of the second half, a pass is intercepted by junior Douglas Campbell of Coloninal Forge, who'll take over at their own 49 with a little more than nine minutes to go in the third period.

Josiah Bryson goes right to work with the running game, breaking off a 29-yard run to the PHS 22.

 

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Colonial Forge is starting to pull away. Not your typical No. 6 seed. They're closing in on the program's sixth regional title.

 

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Coach Sean Finnerty of Patriot is pulling out oall the tricks. They go with the double pass as it's Tyler Knutson to WR Aiden Pagonis, who slings it down the field for a 42-yard completion to Buddy Noakes. That puts Noakes over 100 yards receiving on the day.

Another big gainer comes on a 25-yard pass completion to Christian Ruiz, down to the 8 of Colonial Forge for the Pioneers.

Now can the running game finish off the drive?

 

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Patriot is not done just yet as they're looking to make a comeback. They'll have to create type of game-altering play on defense, though.

 

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An outstanding read option play by QB Brock Brimhall, who solid it well to the defense and then darted off up the middle for a touchdowns scramper that could turn out to be the dagger in this one. He's running the offense with great percision and this Eagles team is a dangerous one right now.

 

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Patriot goes to Buddy Noakes and he turns a quick screen into a 17-yard completion.

Senior DB Caleb Cleveland is down in some pain with 35 seconds to go in the third quarter and we're hoping it's nothing too serious. He does look to be OK, walking off under his own power. A gain of three yards with Jamir Brown will bring us to the end of the third period.

 

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A jet sweep with Buddy Noakes was sniffed out well by the Colonial Forge defense, under the direction of d-coordinator Bill Brown (a VHSL Hall of Famer). The Eagles take over at their own 46, sensing the chance to milk some clock and punch their ticket to the State Semis.

 

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Great balance on the day with 201 of those 377 yards through the air and mixing it up with six different backs for 176 yards rushing.

 

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Congrats to John Brown and his Colonial Forge Eagles on winning the Region 6B Championship and securinga State Playoff berth.

More to come later...