Blog LIVE Game Blog - Landstown (5-0) at Ocean Lakes (5-0)

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Greetings on this gorgeous 80-degree, sunny Saturday - the final one of September for 2018 - as the Ocean Lakes Dolphins (5-0) play host to the Landstown Eagles (5-0) in a matchup of unbeaten contenders from the Beach District.

Last year, Landstown prevailed thanks to four takeaways.

Quick update before we post our preview and get to the Game Blog -- Ocean Lakes will be without 4-Star DB Tank Land (Maryland commit) due to a minor injury as well as starting DB Shawn Boone for his helmet-to-helmet hit on a Cox player in last Monday's 31-14 win.

Follow updates here and via Twitter @ hatfieldsports

 

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Our Game Preview from earlier on VaPreps...

Landstown (5-0) at Ocean Lakes (5-0) . . . When these two met a season ago in a Beach District showdown, both unblemished at 5-0 at the time, turnovers told the story. Landstown raced out to a 26-7 lead at the half and held on for a 26-23 win thank to four takeaways, three on interceptions of Dolphins QB Xander Jedlick. Now, Landstown’s two best players from that team have moved on to the next level in QB Brent Stukes (Norfolk State) and WR/DB Joseph White (UVA), who had a pick-six in that game. That being said, these two teams remain driven by their defenses.

Coming in, Ocean Lakes is allowing just seven points per game with three shutouts on the campaign. That’s most surprising given that their top sack artist in DE Jaevon Becton is at Virginia Tech, plus their leading tackler in Jaleel Powell also graduated. Nonetheless, four-star DB Tank Land, a Maryland commit, has been an intimidating presence on the back end and had a defensive touchdown in their recent 31-14 win over Cox, where the Dolphins held Falcons star Tayvion Robinson in check and allowed just one offensive touchdown.

Landstown, led by DE Taeveon Lane (46 tackles, 10 sacks), is giving up just 4.2 points per game and they also have three shutouts to their credit. Even though none of their five wins to date have come over a team that currently sports a winning record, the Eagles are preventing big pass plays with Jalen Jennings anchoring the secondary and getting several hats to the football in the run game with sophomore DT Denzel Lowry controlling the middle.

Offensively, Ocean Lakes is putting up 28.4PPG compared to Landstown’s 24.2PPG. Though both like to use the run to set up the pass, the Dolphins have shown a tad more explosiveness with Jedlick finding Land and sophomore WR Myles Alston (10Rec. 213Yds. 3TD’s) over the top on play-action, plus WR/LB Shawn Hamilton (11 grabs) is a reliable safety valve underneath. Landstown RB Luqman Haskett will be important both in running the ball and catching screens from QB Chris Price, who’ll need to take care of the ball and not force passes into tight windows.

This will be the stiffest test yet for Landstown’s strong defensive front against an Ocean Lakes offense that plays with good tempo and has two better than average running backs in Jake Lowe and Eli Snowden, each more than capable of churning out the tough yards to extend drives and wear down the opposition. For the Eagles to notch their third in a row in this series, it could take a key play or two on special teams, such as the onside kick recovery they had earlier this season against Bayside, to swing momentum against the host Dolphins.

Matt Says: Ocean Lakes 26-10
VHSL-Reference.com Says: Ocean Lakes 27-16
Coach Young Says: Ocean Lakes 28-27

 

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Ocean Lakes begins at its own 35 after a 14-yard kickoff return by Keshawun Edwards.

On 3rd & 10 after an incomplete and run for no gain by Jake Low, the Dolphins get a 20-yard completion by QB Xander Jedlick to WR Myles Alston into Landstown territory. Low then runs 10 yards to move the chains to the 35-yard line of Landstown.

Not good news for Ocean Lakes as Low is down, getting his left knee looked at... but fortunately he is able to walk off, gingerly, on his own power.

So the Dolphins are down 3 key players for the time being in Low, DB/WR Tank Land and DB/WR Shawn Boone. That means more falls on the shoulders of Jedlick, Alston, RB Eli Snowden and that Dolphins defense.

 

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Landstown starts at its own 12 with 9:27 to go in the opening period.

 

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After tackles for losses by Ocean Lakes defenders Shawn Hamilton and Cameron Williams, the Landstown offense converts a 3rd & 13 with QB Chris Price finding Jalen Jennings for 22 yards down to the 31-yard line.

 

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Ocean Lakes junior DE Quamah Browne intercepts a Chris Price pass of Landstown. The Dolphins had heavy pressure coming from the opposite end bearing down on Price as he threw it.

So the Dolphins begin their second series at the Landstown 18-yard line with 7:23 to go in the opening quarter.

 

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Eli Snowden rips off nine yards on a run to get Ocean Lakes inside the 10, but the Landstown defense hangs tough. In particular, the likes of Taeveon Lane and Iosefa Tanoai are getting into the backfield, pretty much untouched. A couple of good hard hits by Jalen Jennings and Luqman Haskett - two-way starters for the Eagles today - as well.

The Dolphins end up throwing an incomplete pass on 3rd & Goal from the 4, so they'll trot on the field goal team...

 

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Landstown will take that stand as a mini win I would think. Remember, last year it was Ocean Lakes with four turnovers that the Eagles turned into points on their way to a victory. The Eagles will need to avoid more turnovers because if they do their defense should give them a chance to win today.

 

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The Ocean Lakes defense continues to apply heavy pressure with Josh Drake, Shawn Hamilton, Cameron Williams and others flying in the Landstown backfield to harass Eagles QB Chris Price. However, a roughing the passer penalty takes it from 3rd & long to a fresh set of downs, at their own 45. That penalty can come back to haunt the Dolphins.

 

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A great play call there by Tommy Reamon and the Eagles to use Winston out of the Wildcat, taking the direct snap, getting the defense to sway to the left side as he raced off to the right and put the speed on to the house for six.

 

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Landstown recovers an Ocean Lakes fumble with Jonathan Blevins on the ensuing kickoff, setting the Eagles up at the Dolphins 46. Landstown leads 6-3 late in the 1stQ.

That is just the second lost fumble -- or turnover in general -- all year for Ocean Lakes.

 

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The Ocean Lakes defense stands firm and they have six tackles for loss in the opening quarter thus with two credit to Shawn Hamilton, while Quamah Browne, Devon Allen, Josh Drake and Cameron Williams all have one each.

On 3rd & 16, Landstown tried an end around with WR Jalen Jennings and it resulted in a loss of 5. So the Eagles wisely decide to punt it away, clinging to a 6-3 lead with under a minute left in the opening stanza.

 

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Ocean Lakes facing a 3rd & 15 from their own 31 to begin the 2nd period.

 

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Jacari Holloway pulls in a pass from QB Xander Jedlick, selling the fake on the option read, on 3rd & 15 for 18 yards through the air, approaching midfield.

Another quick pass, following a 15-yard illegal participation penalty on the Dolphins, nets 7 yards with Jedlick to Shawn Hamilton. They go back to Hamilton, who can't haul the second down pass in, but a flag is thrown. It's an ineligible receiver downfield on the Dolphins, who have been flagged already five times in this first half with more than 10 minutes to play till intermission.

 

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Turns out Landstown declines the 5th penalty of the day on Ocean Lakes and wisely so to bring up 3rd & 18 from their own 41 for Ocean Lakes. The offensive line is having a hard time blocking their front four of Landstown. They go to Eli Snowden on a screen and even though it doesn't move the chains, he gets plenty of yardage - 12 to be exact - to give them a better spot to punt it away from.

It's a 47-yard punt into the end zone for a touchback. So Landstown begins at its own 20, leading 6-3 with 9:37 left in the second quarter.

 

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Landstown is beginning to get in a rhythm throwing the football with QB Chris Price finding Tavien Goffigan over the middle for 12 to bring up 3rd & 2, then Jalen Jennings catches the ball for a gain 11, alertly sliding out of bounds.

Price keeps it on a QB draw and runs for a gain of 5 before he takes a big hit from Dolphins LB Shawn Hamilton. After Carlton Winston moves the chains on 3rd & 1 from their own 48, another Dolphins defender - #18 junior DE Josh Drake (6-2, 210) - gets up and hobbles off the field to get further evaluated.

 

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Even though the passing game was starting to work, I'm a little surprised Landstown abandons the run for three straight plays - all incomplete passes - from their own 48 and two of them were nearly picked off as Keshaun Edwards got his hands on the ball for a pair of deflections.

The Eagles boot a 40-yard punt and Ocean Lakes will take over, trailing 6-3 with 6:06 before the half, at their own 12.

 

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On the first play of their 4th series, Ocean Lakes fumbles as RB Eli Snowden lost the handle, believe it was stripped out by Iosefa Tanoai and recovered by his Landstown teammate - sophomore DT Denzel Lowry (a college prospect for sure).

That's the 2nd lost fumble for Ocean Lakes, which came in with only 1 turnover committed thru 5 games.

Landstown has golden field position, at the Ocean Lakes 18-yard line with 5:57 till the break.

 

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Chris Price runs for 2, then an incomplete pass by the Eagles brings up 3rd & 8. Price dumps it off to Luqman Haskett on a screen that gains 5. Landstown lines up to go for it on 4th & 3 from the Ocean Lakes 11, but a delay of game penalty - hard to fathom at this key moment - backs the Eagles up 5 yards.

A time-out by Landstown, their final one of the half with 4:19 before the half, and the Eagles will still line up to go for it instead of kicking a field goal. Remember, they missed the PAT miserably after a touchdown earlier.

Price is down hurt after his pass intended for Tavien Goffigan falls incomplete. A huge stand for the defense for Coach Joe Jones, d-coordinator Chris Ramey and the host Dolphins. Landstown let a great opportunity slip away there.

 

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Ocean Lakes, with their 5th offensive possession, starts at their own 16, and QB Xander Jedlick runs for 5 yards. That is Jedlick's first carry of the ballgame.

After making a nice play, Jedlick makes a key mistake as he tries to scramble away from the defense and loses his balance, falling down for a loss of 16. Ocean Lakes is facing 3rd & 21 from their own 5. They have to be careful not to get a sack here that results in a safety.

Ocean Lakes burns their first time-out with 2:39 before the break.

 

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Xander Jedlick takes off for a nice run of 13 yards before he's tackled by Landstown's Luqman Haskett. The Eagles looked a little bit out of sorts to begin that defensive series, but they settled down and got multiple hats to fly to the football.

Landstown takes over at their own 47 with 1:43 before the break, leading the host Dolphins of Ocean Lakes 6-3. Tommy Reamon's Eagles are out of time-outs, so even though they are near midfield, with a shaky kicking game, look for them to probably run clock unless they hit a big play to begin the series.

 

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Landstown hits a couple of nice plays following a penalty as QB Chris Price finds Jalen Jennings for a 17-yard pass. Jennings had a 13-yard run prior to that, so Landstown gets to the Ocean Lakes 39 with under a minute to go - without any time-outs - and surprisingly the Eagles decide to run the ball.

Luqman Haskett's run - his 5th carry of the afternoon - gains no yards. So the Eagles try to hurry, and when you rush sometimes it leads to mistakes. Price's pass is picked off by Ocean Lakes safety Myles Alston, stepping up today without DB starters in Shawn Boone and Tank Land.

 

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Some numbers at the break of note...

Landstown 6:
Chris Price - 5-13 for 67Yds. 0-2TD/Int. ratio
Carlton Winston - 5Car. 61Yds. TD
Luqman Haskett - 5Car. 8Yds; 1Rec. 5Yds.
Jalen Jennings - 3Rec. 50Yds; 2Car. 8Yds.
Tavien Goffigan - 1Rec. 12Yds.
Calvin Sykes - 4 Tackles (3 Solo)
Taeveon Lane - 4 Tackles (3 Solo), Sack

Eagles - 28 plays for 129 total yards; 15 rushes for 62 yards; 5-13 for 67 pass yards, 2 intercepts; 2 turnovers; 5 penalties for 36 yards

Ocean Lakes 3:
Xander Jedlick - 5-11 for 63Yds; 3Car. 2Yds.
Eli Snowden - 6Car. 8Yds; 1Rec. 12Yds.
Jake Low - 2Car. 10Yds. (left with injury)
Myles Alston - 2Rec. 26Yds; 3 Tackles, INT
Shawn Hamilton - 4 Tackles, 2TFL
Keshaun Edwards - 3PBU

Dolphins - 22 plays for 83 total yards; 11 rushes for 20 yards; 5-11 for 63 pass yards; 2 turnovers (both lost fumbles); 4 penalties for 40 yards

 

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Gutsy move by Joe Jones, channeling his inner Sean Payton from the Super Bowl the Saints won against the Indianapolis Colts when they executed "Ambush," on their way to a comeback victory.

 

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Celebration for Ocean Lakes is short-lived due to another turnover...

 

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Landstown goes 3 & out on their first series of the 2nd half and end up punting it away.

Ocean Lakes is on the move as a couple of runs from Eli Snowden bring up 3rd & 1 from their own 48, then it's Jacari Holloway with a catch of 16 yards into Landstown territory.

Finishing drives against this Landstown defense is no easy task. After a 22-yard catch by Shawn Hamilton on the pass from Xander Jedlick, the drive stalls.



Jedlick was nearly picked off as Carlton Winston almost got one of those dangerous throws.

 

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Landstown completes a pass with Chris Price to Brian Pedersen - who has been a presence on defense today with 8 total tackles (4 solo) - but he ends up losing the ball as he goes to the ground apparently. Eagles Coach Tommy Reamon was pleading that he was down. The officials gather and it's ruled a fumble. Believe that Jacari Holloway was the one with the fumble recovery for the Dolphins.

Knowing that chances to find the end zone are slim to none today, the Dolphins seize the moment and re-claim the lead behind Xander Jedlick and Eli Snowden's tough running...

 

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On 4th & 5 from the 50 - Landstown goes for it with QB Chris Price being intercepted b Keshaun Edwards, who fumbles and it is recovered by Jonathan Blevins of the Eagles. That's how wild this game has been.

So each team committed their 4th turnover of the afternoon on the same play.

This one could be decided by a fatal mistake on either side. Pedersen has been dinged up for Landstown, Jalen Jennings (dealing with hurt ankle) too, while Ocean Lakes has a bevy of key players battling bumps, bruises or not playing. Among the key absences for the Dolphins - RB Jake Low (who has not returned), DB Tank Land and DB Shawn Boone.

 

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After a long penalty on Landstown, the Eagles go to the air with Chris Price heaving the jump ball to Jalen Jennings, who skies up over Myles Alston and hauls in a 34-yard pass. That gives Jennings four receptions for 84 yards on the day. Following the play, Landstown is called for a penalty that backs them up 15 yards, just inside midfield.

Luqman Haskett hauls in a quick screen for 3 to bring up 3rd & 3 from the Ocean Lakes 41 with under a minute left in the third period.

 

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Tell you what, I'm extremely impressed with how Landstown QB Chris Price continues to stand in there, take shots from the Ocean Lakes defense and deliver accurate throws. His toughness is on full display today as he's overcome some mistakes and continued to battle.

 

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To begin the 4th quarter, Chris Price sees one of his passes deflected and it's nearly picked off by Shawn Hamilton. In fact, many of the Dolphins fans below me seated here in the pressbox are screaming upset, that it was caught and not trapped by Hamilton.

The Eagles need to establish the run and take pressure off of Price, who is just a sitting duck back there.

 

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Can't fault Coach Reamon going with the fake there. The fooled Bayside earlier this season on a fake punt, and with the field position, a punt doesn't do a whole lot for you.

 

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Ocean Lakes is pounding the rock with RB Eli Snowden - getting a heavier workload with Jake Low sidelined - and QB Xander Jedlick. We're now looking at 6:58 to go in the ballgame and the Dolphins lead Landstown 10-6. They call a time-out to prep for this 4th & 2 from the Landstown 31.

Me personally, I might be tempted to pooch punt this, try to pin Landstown inside its own 10 and make them go 90+ to win the game. Remember, the Landstown offensive line is sucking wind and the Dolphins have gotten in the face of QB Chris Price time and time again in this 2nd half.

 

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A substitution infraction will back Landstown up 5 yards.

 

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Long-armed sophomore DE Naquan Brown (who has a chance to be a big-time recruit if he adds some weight and muscle) of Ocean Lakes just had his 4th quarterback hurry on Landstown QB Chris Price this half.

The next play, Treshon Griffin and Marin Forbes combine to sack Price. Landstown is facing 4th & 21 from their own 19 with 6:04 to play after the injury time-out (Brown was being looked at following the last play).

 

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Brian Pedersen's punt of 37 yards will put Ocean Lakes at its own 44 with 5:45 remaining.

 

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The Landstown defense holds tough. Even though it appears Ocean Lakes moves the sticks on a screen pass from QB Xander Jedlick to RB Eli Snowden, a holding penalty will bring the Dolphins back. On 3rd down, they go to the air and WR Myles Alston is covered wonderfully by Jalen Jennings.

With 3:54 left, Landstown takes over after the punt at their own 22. Ocean Lakes clings to a 10-6 lead.

 

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Eagles QB Chris Price continues to be a pinata, the latest to tee off being Naquan Brown and Dylan Alexander.

On 3rd & 24 - Price finds Luqman Haskett on a crossing route and he nearly goes the distance. A holding on Landstown - a block trying to spring him free to go the entire way - keeps it 3rd down for the Eagles.

Ocean Lakes defense gets a stop with an incomplete pass, until the 9th penalty on Ocean Lakes is called on a personal foul.

 

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Ocean Lakes continues to bring the heat with its pass rush and QB Chris Price of Landstown checks out - understandably so - as he is woozy following a completion to Carlton Winston.

On 4th & 15 from the 35 - Javil Painter scrambles at the QB spot, comes in and it's incomplete.

Ocean Lakes will run out the clock - at least try to - as they lead it 10-6 with under a minute to go.

 

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