Blog LIVE Game Blog - Green Run (8-0) at Tallwood (5-3)

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Greetings from Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach, where the Lions at 5-3 overall play host to a Green Run Stallions (8-0) team that has dominated the Beach District the past couple of years.

Both of these teams look playoff-bound in Region 5A and we'll have updates for you here on the Game Blog as well as via Twitter or 'X' as it is now referred to these days @hatfieldsports

Below is our snapshot Preview of the game along with Predictions, sometimes sure to go wrong... stay tuned!


Green Run (8-0) at Tallwood (5-3) . . . Entering this contest, the Green Run Stallions have won 31 consecutive regular season Beach District games and done so by an average of 37.5 points per contest. On the season this year, they are putting up 48.9 PPG and giving up 7.4 PPG with their closest call being a 28-14 triumph over Bayside at the start of October. The offense is sizzling behind junior QB K’Saan Farrar (2138 yards passing, 30-2 TD/Int. ratio) and a cast of talented receivers, headed up by 4-Star Virginia Tech commit Keylen ‘Brodie’ Adams (32Rec. 784Yds. 12 TD’s) alongside juniors Jayden Anderson (30Rec. 624Yds. 11 TD’s) and Quali Price.

Tallwood is no slouch as they are putting up 33.4 PPG and in position to grab a top four seed in the Region 5A playoffs, where they could certainly run into Green Run at some point. Junior QB Jacob Rojas has set the school single-season touchdown pass record with 16 to go with just two interceptions while connecting on 92 of 165 passes for 1266 yards. Pass catchers Amari Harmon (28Rec. 345Yds. 2 TD’s) and Nate Getz (15Rec. 329Yds. 8 TD’s) have been reliable weapons for him. Up front, Tavin Whitehead is a force on the line of scrimmage with seven sacks on the year. But the Lions, who are giving up 24.6 PPG, will need to tackle well in space and play their best defensive game of the year to win.

Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 46-15
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 44-8

 

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Worth noting that Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin - who played basketball at Norfolk Academy - is presenting the coin toss at midfield tonight. Pretty cool to see.

We'll know here in a moment who will be kicking off and who will be receiving first.

Tallwood won the toss and they will defer, so Green Run gets the ball first.

Surprisingly, Tallwood tries a squib kick, which Green Run recovers and will begin possession at their own 40 with 11:58 showing on our first quarter game clock.

 

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Facing a 3rd & 7 after two run plays and a false start by the Stallions, Green Run goes to the air and K'Saan Farrar checks it down to the running back, Quran Reames-Jones, who turns it into a 27-yard reception.

Farrar stays in a groove, completing his first five passes for 53 yards as the Stallions get the offense in high-gear. But faced with a 4th & 1 from the Lions 11, they use the QB sneak and he pushes ahead for just enough to move the sticks.

 

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Nice mix of run and pass on that opening drive for Green Run, even after the Tallwood defense made a good stop on 3rd & 1 behind two of their offensive mainstays, Reginald Custalow and Amari Harmon.

Speaking of Harmon, he returns the kickoff 21 yards to their own 33, where the Lions offense goes to work with 5:36 left in the opening stanza.

 

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Tallwood keeps it on the ground for their first three plays, recovering from a two-yard loss with a run of +9 by QB Jacob Rojas and then gaining a couple with the bowling ball style tailback in Jayden Hill. Before a key 4th & 1 from their own 42, where it appears Tallwood will keep the offense on the field and go for it, Head Coach John Kepple burns his first time-out with 3:37 remaining in the first period.

 

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Excellent execution on the option pitch play on 4th & 1 by the Tallwood offense as Jacob Rojas delivers it to Jayden Hill, who rumbles 19 yards into Green Run territory. A couple plays later, it's sophomore wideout Amari Harmon hauling in a pass and then drawing a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Stallions.

All of the sudden, the Tallwood offense is in the red zone of Green Run. Faced with 2nd & 15 following a penalty, Rojas scrambles to the left near his sideline and gains 14. On 3rd & 1, they go back to the option pitch, except this time they move the sticks with Regionald Custalow getting the pitch for the first down.

Runs by Hill and Rojas will bring up 3rd & Goal from the Green Run 3 to begin the second period.

 

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Even though these are two high-powered offenses, you get the sense that one team wants to go to the air for chunk plays in Green Run, whereas Tallwood will hit the underneath pass plays to complement a running game they hope will wear down the speedy Stallions and keep them in the game.

 

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A costly false start penalty to begin the 2nd quarter backs Tallwood up on 3rd & Goal from the Green Run 3 to the 8 of the Stallions. Nonetheless, it's likely two-down territory.

 

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What a job by John Kepple's Lions here, giving the home fans something to roar about. Another squib kick, but Green Run is able to recover this one - when it looked like Tallwood would grab it - thanks to Jordan Burns.

The Stallions have decent field position again, at their own 40, with 11:53 to go in the second period.

 

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Green Run's offense seems to be getting whatever it wants right now, especially in the passing game with some room to spare. While the Stallions haven't taken a deep shot, they are getting solid gains as they get Quali Price for a pickup of 10 following a backwards pass to Keylen 'Brodie' Adams in the flat area gains 20. Quran Reames-Jones started off the drive with a 10-yard run.

Facing 3rd & 2 from the Tallwood 12, it's K'Saan Farrar scrambling ahead calmly for a gain of seven yards to move the sticks. Tallwood brought some pressure and just missed a chance at getting a series-changing sack.

The Stallions will burn their first time-out with 8:45 to go in the second period.

 

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Green Run converted a 4th & 1 on their opening possession, leading to a touchdown shortly thereafter. On their second possession, they get a 3rd & 2 converted and score a touchdown immediately following it to re-claim the lead.

A 21-yard kickoff return by Amari Harmon sets Tallwood up at their own 36 with 8:31 until half-time.

 

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Tallwood is showing no panic and some poise here offensively behind junior QB Jacob Rojas, who breaks off a 14-yard run to the outside on a keeper play. Then he fires a pass to tenth grader Jordan Mitnaul, who hauled in the touchdown earlier, for a 10-yard completion that moves the sticks again.

Jayden Hill runs for a gain of 5, but then he is stopped by Anthony Rios and Jha'lre Ricks for no gain to bring up a crucial 3rd & 5 from the Stallions 35. A quick completion to Tyler Shonyo only gains a yard with Tarell Sablan making a crisp tackle on the outside.

Tallwood leaves the offense on the field for 4th & 4, but Rojas slips while dropping back to throw and Tor Blakely tags him for the sack and loss of 11.

Green Run takes over for their third possession, with adequate field position yet again, at their own 45 with 5:01 to play in the first half.

 

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After a rare incompletion with the Green Run passing game, the Stallions see a holding penalty wipe away a sizeable gain on a crossing pattern to junior Jayden Anderson.

A couple plays later, Farrar and Anderson just miss connecting on a deep bomb that would've been a 52-yard touchdown. Sandwiched in between was some impressive shake-and-bake by Quali Price, gaining some yards after the catch to turn a 2nd & 20 into a 3rd & 7 that their offense is fully capable of converting.

Instead of going for it there, Head Coach Brandon Williams decides to punt it away and Tallwood fair catches the boot with 3:08 left in the second period. The Lions begin at their own 31.

 

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Quarterback Jacob Rojas shows off the wheels again on the option keeper as he speeds up to the 45-yard line, gaining 14. He misses on a shot down the field on a 2nd & 10 pass, then a false start backs the Lions up five yards with 2:36 to go in the first half.

Would expect the Green Run defense and coordinator Terrell Whitehead to probably dial up a blitz here real soon and see if they can get a takeaway or generate a splash play.

 

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On a critical 3rd & 8 from their own 47, it's Jacob Rojas finding Nate Getz for an 11-yard completion on the opposite sideline. He got a lot of cushion on that pattern and delivered.

Jayden Hill runs for a short gain of about two on the next play that comes in Stallions territory. Tallwood burns its second time-out with 1:16 to go in the second period before 2nd & 8 from the Green Run 40.

Jordan Mitnaul nearly catches a deep pass down the sideline that would've had the Lions deep in the red zone. The very next play, it's sophomore Darion Spence making the sack of Rojas, resulting in a loss of 13.

Green Run will use its second time-out with 47 seconds to go in the half, thinking about getting the football back and adding to its 14-7 lead. Remember, Tallwood gets the ball to start the second half, so any type of score there - a field goal or preferably touchdown - would've been a huge confidence booster and momentum for the host Lions.

 

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Tallwood's Caleb Patterson delivers a 48-yard punt and Green Run has it at their own 21 with 32 seconds to go in the first half.

Stallions signal caller K'Saan Farrar gets the drive started off nicely with a 12-yard completion to Jayden Anderson, who alertly scoots out of bounds. Farrar misses an open Keylen 'Brodie' Adams at first, but is able to scramble and extend the play and the Virginia Tech commit shows why he's such a coveted prospect by continuing to run the route and making a beautiful grab along the sideline.

Tallwood will burns its last time-out with 13 seconds to go in the second quarter and the Stallions threatening, at the Lions 45-yard line. Tasean Young-Stieff makes his first catch of the night with a quick 4-yarder that gets out of bounds and inches them closer. But with 3 seconds to go, the Stallions are unable to convert a 3rd & 6 from the Tallwood 41 as it is juggled by a receiver down the field and dropped. It wouldn't have counted anyways as there was a holding call that was declined, so we head to the hald with the visitors up 14-7.

 

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Some half-time numbers forthcoming... stay tuned!

 

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Stats at the Half:

Green Run 14:
K'Saan Farrar - 11-16 for 119Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 2Car. 9Yds.
Quran Reames-Jones - 6Car. 30Yds; 1Rec. 27Yds.
Quali Price - 3Rec. 29Yds.
Keylen 'Brodie' Adams - 2Rec. 27Yds. TD
Jayden Anderson - 1Rec. 12Yds.
Jah'lre Ricks - 5 Tackles, TFL

Stallions - 26 plays for 187 total yards (11-16 for 119 yards passing; 10 rushes for 68 yards rushing); 0 turnovers; 4 penalties for 35 yards


Tallwood 7:
Jacob Rojas - 5-8 for 35Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 7Car. 34Yds.
Jordan Mitnaul - 2Rec. 18Yds. TD
Nate Getz - 1Rec. 11Yds.
Jayden Hill - 7Car. 35Yds; 4 Tackles
Amari Harmon - 1Rec. 4Yds; 3 Tackles

Lions - 24 plays for 103 total yards (5-8 for 35s yard passing; 16 rushes for 68 yards rushing); 0 turnovers; 4 penalties for 20 yards

 

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Not what Tallwood wanted to see at all to start the half as one of their best receivers - Amari Harmon - is helped off the field following the opening kickoff return.

Lions have it at their own 28 with 11:56 to go in the third period. Without Harmon, that's one less significant weapon at the disposal for Jacob Rojas in the passing game.

Reginald Custalow runs for no gain on the first play from scrimmage. A bad snap results in a loss of 12 on second down. Before 3rd & 22 from their own 16, Tallwood is forced to burn their first time-out.

 

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Jacob Rojas scrambles for 11 yards on third down, but that makes it 4th & 11 and Tallwood is forced to punt. Another good boot as it is 44 yards and Green Run will take it at their own 35. Quran Reames-Jones runs it and gets maybe a yard to bring up 2nd & 9 and that's where the Stallions will strike with their passing attack.

 

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After a run of two yards by Jayden Hill, it's Green Run sophomore DB Darion Spence making a diving interception for the visiting Stallions.

This is where Green Run smells blood and can take a shot down the field.

 

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And boom, just like that, Green Run is cruising. Things go from bad to worse for Tallwood as they fumble on the ensuing kickoff, recovered by Anthony Saylor. So the Stallions have it at the Lions 25 and another deep shot could be on the way.

 

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It's very reminsicent to Oscar Smith during its glory run of how quickly this Green Run offense can turn a close game into a rout with their home-run ability. Tallwood is searching for answers defensively, and on the offensive side of the ball, they just want to slow this onslaught down and see if they can piece together a quality drive at this point after the awful start to the half.

 

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A couple of solid completions for the Tallwood offense with Jacob Rojas finding Nate Getz for exactly six on 3rd & 6, then Tyler Shonyo gaining 11 into Green Run territory, as the Lions are on the move here in the third quarter finally. Jayden Hill then gains 14 yards on 2nd & 10 down to the Green Run 35. The Lions burn a time-out with 5:19 showing on the third quarter clock.

 

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Knahlij Harrell really impressed me last season and in the off-season. He's gotten more attention on the recruiting front with a handful of offers, about a dozen if memory serves me right.

Meanwhile, K'Saan Farrar could be putting himself at the top of the list for next week's Chicho's Pizza 757 Football Player of the Week if he keeps up the performance he's having, with potentially another aerial score and closing in on 300 yards for the night.

 

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The Tallwood defense is able to force a stop as K'Saan Farrar for Green Run scrambles for 10 on 3rd & 11. Surprisingly, the Stallions elect to punt on 4th & 1 from midfield, although with a 33-7 lead and less than two minutes to go in the third period, it really does not hurt them any.

Tallwood takes over at their own 20 with 55 ticks left in the third quarter.

 

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Tallwood is looking at 3rd & 2 from their own 29 to begin the fourth quarter.

 

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Tallwood receiver Jordan Mitnaul hauls in a 12-yard reception from QB Jacob Rojas. On the play, Mitnual is also on the receiving end of a dangerous blow by Green Run sophomore DB Darion Spence that was flagged for helmet to helmet or targeting. In addition to that, Spence was ejected for the hit.

Depending on the ruling, that could be a Green Run secondary that is without Milton Ferguson and Tyler Baker tonight - both watching from the sidelines - continuing to turn to backups to close out the regular season as well as to start the playoffs.

 

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The offense has really clicked in the second half for Green Run, capitalizing on four Lions turnovers. With an efficient passing game, it gives them favorable opportunities like that latest one in the running game to seize the moment and attack.

Green Run has also put up 33 unanswered points, 26 coming here in the second half.

 

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After a Tallwood 3 & out on offense, Green Run wastes no time getting another house call. This time from the Class of 2025 talent who is getting on the radar of more and more Power 5 schools with his speed and electric abilities in the open field.

 

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More to come later...