Blog LIVE Game Blog: Maury 38, Highland Springs 7 - FINAL

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Greetings from Highland Springs High School, home of the Springers and we have ourselves another chapter in this rivalry that has formed between two of the state's finest in recent years.

Sitting at 1-1 overall, Highland Springs welcomes in the defending Class 5 State Champion Maury Commodores (1-0).

Kick-off is a little over an hour away on this 78 degree night where it's mostly cloudy, but there is no threat of rain in the forecast.

You can check out our Full Preview and Prediction with Keys to Victory on the VIP Board here + in the Tidewater Predictions column.

We'll be back when things get underway. Updates will follow here + on Twitter or 'X' @hatfieldsports

 

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We're ready for kick-off as it'll be Highland Springs sending it off to Maury first to start this game.

Been looking forward to this one all week!

 

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Highland Springs boots it into the end zone for a touchback.

Good drive going for Maury as they convert a 3rd & 6 with QB Au'Tori Newkirk finding Jaiden Avery for a 24-yard completion to their own 48.

Catches by LeBron Bond and Elijah Moss, totaling 12 yards, help get Maury into Highland Springs territory. Newkirk's first pass falls incomplete on 2nd & 7. Now it's a key 3rd & 7 from the Springers 37 with 9:13 to go in this first quarter.

Oh hey, guess who's here tonight? A couple of former NFL players with in-state connections to UVA and Virginia Tech...

 

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Out of an empty formation, Maury leaves the offense on the field for 4th & 7 from the Highland Springs 37. QB Au'Tori Newkirk steps up in the pocket and takes off for a gain of 15. Just smart awareness there.

Not a good sight here for Highland Springs as senior LB Josiah Martinez, who has a couple of tackles including one for loss, is helped off the field with 8:42 to go in the first period. Maury is facing 2nd & 10 from the Springers 22 and they've shown pretty good tempo.

We won't say who, but it appears an individual threw up on the field, so we have an official's time-out after they clean up the vomit (I bet you didn't have THAT one on the bingo card for the blog tonight!).

 

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That caps an 11-play, 80-yard drive that took 3:53 off the clock with the Commodores converting a fourth down. Nice job by Au'Tori Newkirk, who is 4 of 6 for 58 yards with each completion going to a different receiver - LeBron Bond, Jaiden Avery, Eli Moss and the TD to Damon McDaniel Jr. (Western Branch transfer).

 

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Highland Springs is trying to come out with a ball-control attack, running the ball through the A gap with Eric Byrd and they're having mixed results thus far. Byrd did get an 8-yard run on 3rd & 4.

They run it to the outside with QB Nelson Layne, the Army commit, on a keeper and it gains 5 on 3rd & 7. The Springers line up to go for it on 4th & 2 from their own 26, not so much with the intention to go for it, but to try to make Maury jump offsides. It works. Fresh set of downs off the hard count.

That small mission was accomplished. Now can they get the bigger one and finish this drive off with points?

 

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That's a big game-changer right there as Leslie Hines, who quietly was one of the most productive defensive players on Maury's defense during their unbeaten 2023 season, causes the turnover. Ari Watford, who usually wears #0 and is #66 tonight, scoops it up and runs in for the touchdown.

Watford is making a routine of recovering fumbles as he had one in last year's matchup and also came up with one last week vs. Wise.

The Springers move the sticks behind Eric Byrd on a 5-yard run on 3rd & 5 up to their own 39. Loren Johnson isn't going to change up his game-plan just based off of two scores.

 

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At what point will we see the Springers go to the air? Well, after South Carolina commit Kendall Daniels makes a tackle for loss on QB Nelson Layne, it's probably coming on 3rd & 12.

 

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Highland Springs has moved into Maury territory, based on the hard running of QB Nelson Layne, who moves the pile on 4th & 1 from their own 48. Layne actually picked up 11 on a nifty scramble the play before on 3rd & 12.

Eric Byrd, who broke off a long TD in last year's meeting, rumbles forward for 17 yards on the longest play from scrimmage on the night for the Springers. The bad news is that he comes off in some pain (looks to be holding his shoulder). The means more of the shiftier / speed back in Daeron Ferguson checks in for him.

Ferguson can't slip out of a tackle from LB Dylan Goad on 3rd & 7 from the Maury 28. Highland Springs leaves the offense on the field, understandably, before 4th & 4 from the Commodores 25 as we tick under 7 minutes to go in this fast moving first half.

 

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Will Dyrri McCain of Maury take a shot here after the stop by his defense? You know it's coming...

 

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Maury has brought some of the '757' swag to the '804' and what a brilliant play call, fantastic deep ball and easy catch to make the quick-strike come to fruition,

Dyrri McCain has this Maury offense humming with the buttons he's pushing very similar to Oscar Smith of years past under Rich Morgan. Whenever the Tigers got a big stop or takeaway, they would try to further demoralize the opponent with the kill-shot.

That was an early blow that the Springers may not be able to recover from.

 

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Maury is on the move again after Highland Springs commits its second turnover of the night, this one on a fumble inside the Maury 30. Looks like LB Dylan Goad came away with the pigskin.

The Commodores waste no time going back to the air as they hit LeBron Bond for a 25-yard pass over the middle, plus the Springers get called for a 15-yard personal foul on the play to put them even closer to paydirt.

After a couple of penalties, Maury leaves the offense out there on the field on 4th & 7 from the Springers 9 with three minutes to go in the first half. Au'Tori Newkirk buys time in the pocket, steps up to avoid the rush and completes to LeBron Bond, but he's out of bounds in the back of the end zone.

So the Springers take over at their own 9 with 2:48 to go in the first half.

In some ways, you'd ordinarily be surprised that Dyrri McCain didn't try the fild goal to make the margin a 24-point lead. However, the Commodores are that confident in their offense being able to convert in that situation and get 6 points. Also, as someone in the pressbox said, they're wanting to make a statement tonight.

 

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Army commit Nelson Layne is having some moments with his legs tonight, but shortly after his 15-yard scramble moves the sticks on 3rd & 7, the Maury defense rises up to make another play. It's Leslie Hines with the sack and it's now 2nd & 22 from their own 15 for the Springers with 1:17 to go in the half.

Maury burns another time-out after LB Isaiah 'Ike' Simmons bites down on the run and limits Daeron Ferguson to a minimal gain.

The Commodores want to get the ball back and score again, which they have a serious chance to do with 1:12 till the break and leading this one 21-0. It has been a dominant showing tonight from the reigning Class 5 State Champs on both sides of the ball.

 

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Most remarkable to me is the fact that Highland Springs didn't record its first pass attempt until 1:58 to go in the second quarter when it fell incomplete.

Maury's Kendall Daniels blocks the punt on 4th down, so the Commodores are in business with 1:00 exactly to go in the first half, at the Highland Springs 11 with no time-outs. But trust me, the time-outs are a non-issue.

We saw QB Au'Tori Newkirk is human as he made a potentially wrong read, not giving it to LeBron Bond in the flat. However, I can't even say it was the wrong read because Kendall Daniels got open in the corner of the end zone and they just didn't connect.

Commodores Coach Dyrri McCain probably will be bothered at the break unless they score here because they've gotten a couple of penalties to back them up further, to the Springers 21-yard line with 28 seconds to go.

 

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We have reached intermission and some numbers are forthcoming...

 

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Stats at the Half:

Maury 24:
Au'Tori Newkirk - 8-14 for 185Yds. 2-0 TD/Int. ratio; 4Car. 29Yds.
LeBron Bond - 3Rec. 111Yds. TD
Damon McDaniel Jr. - 2Rec. 39Yds. TD
Elijah Moss - 2Rec. 11Yds.
Jaiden Avery - 1Rec. 24Yds.
Kendall Daniels - 1Car. 13Yds.
Isaiah 'Ike' Simmons - 7 Tackles (3 Solo)
MarQuaveon Morris - 6 Tackles
Ari Watford - 4 Tackles, 1.5 TFL, Fumble Return TD
Leslie Hines - 3 Tackles, Sack, Forced Fumble

Commodores - 23 plays for 231 total yards (8-14 for 185 yards passing; 9 rushes for 46 yards); 5 penalties for 35 yards; 0 turnovers


Highland Springs 0:
Eric Byrd - 10Car. 42Yds.
Nelson Layne - 7Car. 21Yds.
Daergon Ferguson - 7Car. 9Yds.
Josiah Martinez - 3 Tackles, TFL
Brennan Johnson - 2 Tackles

Springers - 28 plays for 83 total yards (0-1 for 0 yards passing; 27 rushes for 83 yards, 2 lost fumbles); 3 penalties for 30 yards; 2 turnovers

 

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Excellent kickoff return to begin the second half for Highland Springs, all the way to the Maury 48. However, a strong stuff by LB Carlton Smith, the Terps commit for Maury, keeps Daeron Ferguson from gaining a yard on first down. The Springers then get called for a false start penalty, backing them up to their own 47.

Nelson Layne's second pass attempt of the night on a screen is incomplete. This makes it a mighty daunting challenge with 3rd & 15 and the Springers will burn a time-out. Leslie Hines, No. 12 off the edge, hurries the throw and it's incomplete.

Hines just might be the most underrated defensive performer on this Maury defense and deserves more attention than he's gotten in my opinion.

Maury's first possession of the third quarter will come with 10 minutes to go on the clock from their own 19.

 

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Much like we noted that Leslie Hines has been an x-factor on defense for Maury, the same can be said about junior WR Damon McDaniel Jr. On this series alone, McDaniel Jr. has grabs of +6, +25 and +9, showing off the hops for one of those grabs.

His father was starred on that 2004 Landstown team that won a state title before going off to play College Football at Florida State and Hampton University.

LeBron Bond slips out of two or three tackles to get a catch worth a couple of yards. You don't usually see Highland Springs fail to wrap up like that and the Commodores are on the move, at the Springers 36.

The Highland Springs defense generates a turnover as it's Demontez Bullock-Coles picking off QB Au'Tori Newkirk over the middle. Newkirk was trying to get it to Bond over the middle.

Can this jump-start the Springers offense? They're at their own 20 with 6:11 to go in this third quarter, which is moving much slower than portions of our first half.

 

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Keeping the offense on the field on fourth down on their side of the 50, Springers QB Nelson Layne is sacked by Maury's Javonti Hughes.

It gives the Commodores the ball at the HSHS 30 with 2:58 to go in the third period.

But the effects of the Maury offensive line minus two regulars - Jayvon Wynn (1st Team All-State last year) and Naziar Tate - due to injuries is beginning to show. They've gone just 4 of 11 through the air here after half-time as the Springers have made some adjustments to counter them.

 

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Highland Springe goes 3 & out with the punt being fielded LeBron Bond near his own 12 and he zigs and zags his way along the near sideline close to midfield. Unofficially, we'll call it a 38-yard return to their own 48 with 50.6 seconds to go in the third quarter.

The Commodores have not been nearly as crisp in this half and they'll head to the fourth quarter still with a comfortable 24-point lead, but facing 2nd & 17 from their own 41.

 

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Couple of completions of 5 yards to Damon McDaniel Jr. and 7 yards to Kendall Daniels for 5 yards makes it a manageable fourth down for the Maury offense, but hten they get hit with a penalty that forces them to punt it away.

On the punt, the snap is low and the Springers drop them for a huge loss. It gives the HSHS offense great field position at the 28-yard line of the Commodores with just over 10 minutes to go in this one.

 

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Maury lines up in a 3-4 defense on 4th & 9 from the 27-yard line with Highland Springs trying to get closer to the red zone and then potentially the end zone. But that won't happen on this particular down as Leslie Hines - setting up as the d-tackle on this play - quickly gets to QB Nelson Layne with Joshua 'Batman' Bowe cleaning him up to conclude it and draw the referee whistle.

The Commodores take over at their own 35 with 9:07 to play. Maury's air show - with 239 yards passing to five different receivers - has given the Highland Springs plenty of trouble this evening.

 

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As terrific as Maury was offensively in the first half, they've gotten a bit stagnant, in part due to proection issues, here in the second half. They are forced to punt it away.

Can Highland Springs avoid being shut out for the first time since 2012 when Varina blanked them 20-0 in the regular season finale?

Well, it's not looking too good as the Springers begin at their own 22 with 6:36 to play on this latest series. The Maury blitz is really giving Nelson Layne and the HSHS offense fits. On 3rd & 11, it's Corey Jacobs from his linebacker spot knifing in, along with the help from his mates, to drop Layne for a loss of 5.

At one point, Layne had 23 yards rushing. By my count, he's at 0 yards on 13 attempts.

A 12-yard punt puts Maury at the Springers 28 with 4:02 to go. Leon Clark rushes for 8, then it's an incomplete to bring up 3rd & 2.

 

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Nice job by the Maury offense to put Kendall Daniels at tight end and he's already a major matchup problem. Good luck to defenses figuring out how to stop this passing attack when he's running patterns from that spot.

 

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If you told a Highland Springs fan they would lose by double-digits to both Phoebus and Maury with only 2 TD's scored - both on special teams - they might not have believed you. However, that's the story here with 3:09 to go.

Maury has it after the onside kick try at their own 47 with the starters remaining in for the Commodores.

 

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Haven't seen one yet. This Newkirk kid is special, folks.

Maury simply just got mad about surrendering a touchdown on special teams and took out their frustration on the Springers secondary.

 

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More to come later... stay tuned!