Blog LIVE Game Blog - Phoebus (8-0) at Warwick (9-0)

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Greetings from a PACKED - and I do mean PACKED - John B. Todd Stadium in Newport News as the Warwick Raiders (9-0) play host to the Phoebus (8-0) in a highly anticipated Peninsula District showdown.

This takes me back to some of those great Hampton / Phoebus rivalry games over the years in the 1990's and early 2000's.

We'll have updates throughout the game here on the Blog and via Twitter or 'X' @hatfieldsports

See our Full Preview below...


Phoebus (8-0) at Warwick (9-0) . . . The reigning two-time State Champions from Phoebus come in riding a 28-game winning streak, the longest at the moment in all of Virginia. In their head-to-head series with Warwick, the Phantoms have simply dominated with 24 straight wins. Warwick's last breakthrough in this series came in 2001 by a count of 10-7 during the regular season - with Michael Vick's younger brother Marcus at quarterback - before the Phantoms got revenge to the tune of 49-14 in the postseason. That was on the way to the first of their now nine state titles they've achieved. Meanwhile, Warwick is trying to sit atop the Peninsula District for the first time in its history as they come into this matchup having not allowed a single touchdown with its defense as the lone score on them came via a kickoff by Grassfield in the season opener.

So while the Raiders are giving up less than a point per game, Phoebus has allowed just eight points on the year, which include a touchdown pass by archival Hampton and an intentional safety in their double-digit win at Oscar Smith to begin the season. Both defenses are littered with standouts; for Warwick it is a junior DB by the name of Messiah Delhomme with 15 FBS offers and counting. Delhomme, who was the Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, has five interceptions with two returned for touchdowns. Phoebus has a pair of big-time standouts rushing the passer off the edge in Maryland commit Anthony Reddick and ODU pledge Taysean Stevenson, each of whom was active causing pressure in last week's shutout of Bethel where they limited the Bruins to a mere three total yards of offense.

Offensively, Warwick is a bit more potent in terms of the raw numbers in averaging 46.6 per game compared to 37.1 PPG for Phoebus. While the Phantoms tend to go with more of a grind-it-out approach with RB's Davion Roberts and Paul Stephen Davis, the Raiders want to test teams through the air behind QB Eduardo Rios Jr. (64 of 93 for 1627 yards, 17-4 TD/Int. ratio) and a deep cast of receivers that include Mike Alleyne, Keon Batts, Dakota Brodus and former Phoebus receiver Julio Carrecter (12Rec. 477Yds. 5 TD's). Key components for each offense will be two-way playmaker Keyontae Gray of Phoebus as he has assumed that go-to role that Jordan Bass, now at Pittsburgh, flourished in for them a season ago, and Woodside transfer Ri'jon Hammond is vital for the Warwick run game as he comes in just 214 rushing yards shy of 1000 on the season.

It would not surprise me one bit to see this game go to overtime scoreless because these two defenses have been that fierce and consistent at all three levels from the line to the linebackers and secondary members. When push comes to shove, a spark play in the form of a strip-sack or takeaway can set one of the offenses up with great field position and swing momentum in a major way. The big-game experience that Phoebus possesses is hard to ignore and overlook, giving them maybe the slightest of edges in a game that Warwick certainly can win, particularly if their offense comes out and clicking and gains a multi-score advantage in the first half that forces Phoebus to take chances with the passing game.

Matt Hatfield Says - Phoebus 13-7
Coach Ed Young Says - Phoebus 21-8

 

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Phoebus has won the toss and elected to receive. We're ready for this showdown to commence... and there are still hundreds of folks waiting outside the stadium to get into the game.

You can watch the game via the Newport News TV channel's live stream with Greg Bicouvaris and Nate Milton on the call, also available on YouTube here:



Phoebus returns the kickoff to their own 19, where they will begin with 11:54 showing on our first quarter clock.

 

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A run with Davion Roberts to the left for Phoebus results in a loss of 2 as linebacker I'Ziah Emery gets to him. Coming in, Emery has 86 total tackles, 18 for loss, and is an All-Region, perhaps even All-State, candidate. On 2nd & 12, Adonis Stowers, the starting QB for Phoebus drops back to throw and a penalty is thrown on the Warwick defense on what would've been an incomplete pass nearly caught over the middle by the Phantoms.

It's a 10-yard penalty on Warwick up to the 32. Stowers complets a quick pass for 8 to Maryland commit Anthony Reddick, known for his defensive prowess, but also playing tight end effectively on offense. A Davion Roberts run for 4 converts the 2nd & 2 for the Phantoms. Then the Phantoms strike down the middle of the field with Stowers finding Keyontae Gray in double coverage for a 35-yard completion.

Phoebus is threatening at the Warwick 21 on this opening drive.

 

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The Warwick defense buckles down against the run, including a tackle for loss on 2nd down by that linebacker I'Ziah Emery to bring up 3rd & 11. Phoebus QB Adonis Stowers rolls to his left and throws it towards the end zone for Paul Stephen Davis, who is unable to haul it in for the game's first score. The Warwick secondary competes well for the ball in flight and knows it has to be on its A-game today against the Phantoms with weapons that can make those big plays like Stephen Davis, Keyontae Gray and others.

Looks like Phoebus will be going for it on 4th & 11 from the Raiders 22 with 8:08 to go in the opening period after the time-out.

 

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First play from scrimmage for Warwick is a run play up the middle by Messiah Delhomme, the uber-talented junior who stars on both sides of the ball. Delhomme was Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year and a recent winner of the Chicho's Pizza 757 Football Player of the Week for his star-studded performance against Gloucester.

Phoebus then gets hit with a penalty to move the sticks for the Raiders up to the 36. Delhomme runs to the left and he is met hard by Anthony Reddick and Ricardo Underwood, but a 15-yard penalty on Phoebus gives the Raiders the ball in enemy territory at the 49.

Consecutive false start penalties on Warwick backs them up to their own 41, faced with a 1st & 20. Do that against the Phoebus defense and the Phantoms can make you pay quickly.

 

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Taysean Stevenson, the ODU commit, is able to come free off the edge and sack Warwick QB Eduardo Rios Jr. They really collapsed the pocket from the inside out . Faced with 4th & 27 from their own 34 after an incomplete pass and minimal gain of about three by Saeed Williams Jr., the Raiders end up punting it away.

Not a great net on that Warwick punt as Phoebus will take over at their own 48 with 5:48 to go in the first period with solid field position. On the first play of possession No. 2 for Phoebus, it's Saeed Williams Jr. making a jarring hit on a pass intended for Keyontae Gray to break it up. Like the physical tone the Raiders are trying to set on defense, where they have yet to allow a touchdown all season long remarkably.

A 19-yard run by Davion Roberts, sprung free by an excellent block from center Markus Hopson, has Phoebus on the move to the Warwick 28 after a face-mask penalty adds some more yards on to the run. The Warwick defense buckles down on the run again with that stellar front four, including Christian Corbin. A tackle for loss on 3rd & 4 drops the Phantoms from the 22 to the 28 of Warwick. Then it's an incomplete pass for the Phantoms on fourth down.

So that's two defensive stands, with Phoebus getting inside the 30, by that stingy Warwick defense. The Warwick offense gets its second crack at their own 28 with 2:25 to go in the first period.

 

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Messiah Delhomme gains 12 yards on a toss. However, the next three plays for the Warwick offense all result in losses with Ri'jon Hammond losing three on successive runs as Kaleb Tillery and Brendon Thompson make their presence felt from the linebacker position. On 3rd & 12 from their own 37, Warwick QB Eduardo Rios Jr. is dumped for a loss of five by Taysean Stevenson. That's the second sack of the opening period for the ODU commit.

The Warwick punt has Phoebus at their own 35 with 16 seconds to go in the first quarter. A high snap to QB Adonis Stowers results in him trying to run and avoid disaster, but he is dropped for a loss of four by Saeed Williams Jr.

 

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Phoebus has moved the ball, but the Warwick defense stepped up in the red zone and this has the makings of that type of game I talked about all week on multiple Podcasts that would not stun me to see it be scoreless at the half or even head to overtime. A monumental play on defense or special teams could lead to the game's first score and maybe only one.

 

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Great juggling catch by Maryland commit Anthony Reddick for 19 yards to bail Phoebus out of a potential 3rd & 14 situation and put them at midfield early in the second quarter. After a loss of three with the running game, the Phoebus offense goes back to its underneath passing attack with Paul Stephen Davis. The Woodside transfer hauls in receptions of +8 and +5 from QB Adonis Stowers, moving the chains on the critical 3rd & 5.

But the Phantoms are faced with another 3rd & 5 following a minimal gain of one on the ground game and a screen of +4 to Keyontae Gray. This time, it's Trenton Mitchell hauling in the completion and Tysheek Baptist driving him backwards for a loss of a yard. Phoebus burns a time-out before the 4th & 6 from the 36-yard line of the Raiders with 7:41 till half-time.

 

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Believe that marks the sixth interception of the year for Messiah Delhomme, who it's easy to see why so many schools like Alabama, Michigan, NC State, Virginia Tech and a boatload of others at the Power 5 level are lining up for his services.

After two runs from Ri'jon Hammond set up 3rd & 3 from their own 11, the Raiders turn to Delhomme, who with his high-running style and athleticism, can make it hard for the Phoebus defense to get a handle on him and wrap him up easily. A couple of Warwick penalties, with a Delhomme run of three sandwiched in between, put the Raiders in a bind.

However, on 3rd & 11 from their own 15, it's Julio Carrecrter hauling in a pass for 18 yards to move the sticks. That's the first pass completion of the afternoon for Warwick. The Raiders then go to the ground game with Ri'jon Hammond a couple more times and he takes a tough lick from Brenden Thompson of Phoebus. Thompson showed me in a preseason scrimmage vs. Salem he's one of the fiercest hitters in the '757' area code.

After a time-out, it's Warwick looking at 3rd & 3 from their own 40 with 2:33 to go in the half and Delhomme trying to side-step defenders and move the chains, which he is able to barely do.

 

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A couple of penalties of ten yards each on Warwick sends them backwards. Noah Jefferson makes a really fine stop as Messiah Delhomme tries to get outside and is forced out of bounds on second down. That keeps the Raiders from trying anything too risky on 3rd & 28 from their own 25 and they run up the middle with Delhomme for five yards.

Warwick burns one of its time-outs with five seconds to go in the half in this scoreless defensive struggle. Warwick punts it away and it is downed at the 43-yard line of Phoebus as we head to the break deadlocked with no scoring.

That was a 14-play drive that came up empty for Warwick to conclude the half.

 

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We'll give you some stats - which includes tackles - in just a bit... stay tuned!

 

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Stats at the Half:

Phoebus 0:
Adonis Stowers - 7-12 for 78Yds.
Keyontae Gray - 2Rec. 39Yds.
Anthony Reddick - 2Rec. 27Yds.
Paul Stephen Davis - 2Rec. 13Yds.
Davion Roberts - 10Car. 25Yds.
Kaleb Tillery - 6 Tackles (3 Solo), 0.5 TFL
Taysean Stevenson - 4 Tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 Sacks

Phantoms - 24 plays for 96 total yards (7-12 for 78 yards passing, 1 interception; 12 rushes for 18 yards); 1 turnover; 2 penalties for 20 yards


Warwick 0:
Eduardo Rios Jr. - 2-3 for 24Yds.
Messiah Delhomme - 8Car. 29Yds; INT
Ri'jon Hammond - 7Car. 15Yds.
Julio Carrecter - 1Rec. 18 Yds.
I'Ziah Emery - 4 Tackles, 2.5 TFL
Jeshon Simmons - 4 Tackles
Saeed Williams Jr. - 4 Tackles, Sack, 2 PBU

Raiders - 21 plays for 56 total yards (2-3 for 24 yards passing; 18 rushes for 32 yards); 0 turnovers; 8 penalties for 55 yards

 

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A 19-yard kickoff return by Ian Bacon for Warwick has the Raiders beginning the second half with possession at their own 27. They run it with Ri'jon Hammond two plays in a row, first gaining five yards and then adding 12 on their longest run from scrimmage. Their longest play from scrimmage was an 18-yard completion in the first half to Julio Carrecter, who gets the ball on a handoff and loses one. Messiah Delhomme runs it, but a holding penalty will back the Raiders up ten.

Now facing 2nd & 26 from their own 28, the pass by Eduardo Rios Jr. is low, intended for Dakota Brodus. The Phoebus pass rush, hearing footsteps, might've had him rush that pass. This is where they don't want to make a mistake.

 

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Rios would like to have that one back. Phoebus goes backwards on an illegal shift penalty, then an incomplete brings up 2nd & 15, where Paul Stephen Davis brings in the Adonis Stowers pass for a gain of 12. On 3rd & 3, it's Davion Roberts powering ahead for 10. They then dump it off to Keyontae Gray in the flat and he adds 12 yards down to the Warwick 17 before he's stopped by I'Ziah Emery.

This is the drive for Phoebus to finally break the ice in my opiniion. It's incredible that the Warwick defense has gone 38 quarters without giving up a touchdown on defense this season (that lone score being a kickoff return for a TD by Grassfield to open the season).

After a gain of three by Davion Roberts, the Phantoms will burn their first time-out of this second half with 6:15 to go in the third period as they gear up for 2nd & 7 from the Warwick 14.

 

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Messiah Delhomme makes a terrific pass breakup in the end zone on 2nd & 7 to prevent a Phoebus touchdown pass. That's the third pass deflection by the Warwick secondary in this game. From the 14-yard line of Warwick, this could be two-down territory, although the Phantoms would gladly take a field goal in my estimation as well.

Looking to feed the explosive Keyontae Gray on a tunnel screen, he drops the ball and that brings up 4th & 7 from the Warwick 14 and fiedl goal time with 6:03 to go in this third quarter between two heavyweights that are super tough on defense.

Coach Corey Hairston of Warwick will use a time-out, maybe as a tactic to ice the Phoebus kicker or try and block it...

 

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That was made with ease by Knight, thrilling the Phoebus fans, his teammates, Head Coach Jeremy Blunt and his entire staff, especially longtime special teams coach Dick Van Dyke (no relation to the actor, we have confirmed).

Will that be enough to win the game, though?

Ian Bacon returns the ensuing kickoff about 17 yards or so to their own 38 with 5:49 showing in the third period.

 

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This Phoebus defense is showing why it's one of the nastiest in all of Virginia - and we mean with that in a positive way folks - regardless of classification. Really setting the tone are the active defensive tackles - DeSean Richardson and Nathaniel Anthony - as they have bottled up the running game. A Warwick penalty does not help matters for the Raiders, then on 3rd & 16 from their own 32, it's Eduardo Rios Jr. dropping back to throw and he's sacked by Terps commit Anthony Reddick.

Phoebus takes over at its own 38 with 3:04 to go in the third quarter. Fully would expect Jeremy Blunt and the Phantoms to try and chew clock and get to the fourth period with a 3-0 lead as well as with possession on the other side of the 50.

 

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Warwick gets called for a penalty - their 12th on the afternoon for 90 yards - and Phoebus turns a 1st & 5 into another fresh set of downs with QB Adonis Stowers keeping it on a run to the 50. Davion Roberts then has no room to run as Adonus Watson comes crashind down and drilling him in a hurry from his d-end spot.

Phoebus goes to the bag of tricks with a razzle-dazzle play as they hand it off, then pitch out to a receiver (believe it was Keyontae Gray) and he tosses it back to the QB in Adonis Stowers, who launches it down the field to Maryland commit Anthont Reddick. One-on-one with Warwick DB Tysheek Baptist, it's Reddick winning that jump-ball battle and hauling in a huge 38-yard reception that might turn out to be the Play of the Game.

Here it is from Larry Rubama from the Pilot & Daily Press...



For now, it's certainly the longest gainer of this contest. Davion Roberts runs for 8 to set up 2nd & 2 from the Raiders 4 with under a mintue to go in the period. Roberts runs to the outside near the pylon and is just short of the end zone. Nonetheless, it moves the sticks to set up 1st & Goal from the 1. But on the next play, Phoebus gets called for a false start, backing them up five with 21 seconds to go in the third quarter.

That will bug the Phoebus coaches to no end.

 

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After second glance, it appears the ball is actually at the Warwick 5 as they had moved up to the one-inch line following a Warwick penalty that came right before Phoebus jumped with the false start.

As a side note - - this is a wonderful day of football in Hampton Roads and throughout the state of Virginia with the weather great - at 80 degrees, sun shining and not a drap of rain in the sky - and a fantastic turnout from a crowd perspective.

 

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Hard to fathom that it took until the 40th quarter of the season for someone to score a touchdown on the Warwick defense. Now, the Raiders have to speed up their tempo considerably on offense with the clock becoming a more serious factor and behind by two possessions

 

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The Warwick offense was on the move after the kickoff return Ian Bacon got them to the 39. A false start didn't halt them as it is Eduardo Rios Jr. with just his third completion of the day, netting 20 on a connection with Mike Alleyne. They then continue with the faster pace and Messiah Delhomme hauls in a pass for six yards, followed by Rios scrambling for 23 and five more to get them in the red zone suddenly.

Didn't take long for Warwick to get to the 12-yard line of the Phantoms, but there is no panic as Nijay Gay comes up with a diving interception on an outside pass pattern. A penalty flag is thrown, but it's on Warwick and the Phantoms naturally decline. That gives the Phantoms the ball at their own 14 with 9:25 to go, looking to milk the clock and protect a precious 10-0 lead.

 

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Wisely, Phoebus is sticking to the ground game to use some clock as Keyontae Gray and Davion Roberts both get touches on outside rushes. A time-out is called before a 3rd & 3 with 7:54 to play in regulation. Phoebus has one time-out left and Warwick has two remaining.

Paul Stephen Davis runs a precise stop route over the middle and catches the pass from Adonis Stowers, good for six yards to move the sticks and make the clock tick down. Faced with another third down - on 3rd & 4 from their own 31 - it's Roberts stopped behind the line of scrimmage by Warwick LB I'Ziah Emery, so the Phantoms will have to punt it away with about five minutes left in regulation.

 

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Warwick takes over at their own 41 with 4:49 to go after taking the punt out of bounds. They trail Phoebus by ten and will have to hit a long pass play, which is much easier said than done against the Phoebus defense, to keep hope alive for an unbeaten regular season.

After an incomplete pass, it's Eduardo Rios Jr. connecting with Mike Alleyne along the sideline for a gain of 7. On 3rd & 3, Rios takes a shot down the field and is intercepted by Noah Jefferson, but that is wiped away because of a penalty on the Phantoms. It has Coach Jeremy Blunt visibly hot on his sideline, knowing it can give Warwick life here with 4:21 to go while many of the thousands here in attendance have already started heading for the exits.

That gives Warwick a fresh set of downs at the Phoebus 37.

 

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Ricardo Underwood, Trenton Mitchell and Nijay Gay all stepped up in the 2nd half with INT's. Pressure was consistently applied up the middle and from the outside by Anthony Reddick (whose catch was a momentum shifter) and Taysean Stevenson, plus firm hits from the linebacker spot from guys like Kaleb Tillery and Brendeon Thompson.

To shut down a Warwick offense that was putting up 46.6 points per game the way Phoebus has done just re-affirms the thought many had that it's actually their defense that is the most downright frightening of all.

 

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Davion Roberts is stopped for no gain by the Warwick defensive front Antwone Vasquez and Adonus Watson. Roberts has run the ball 24 times, churning out a tough 69 yards. Warwick will use its last time-out, with 1:55 to go, in hopes of getting the ball back and trying to score as Phoebus will punt it away with a 10-0 lead on 4th & 3 from their own 21.

 

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The snap didn't look good, but I still don't know why Phoebus would take the safety because those two points are enormous in the sense that Warwick can actually tie this game and send it to overtime with a touchdown and successful two-point conversion.

Now, the Phantoms did that with a double-digit lead against Oscar Smith, but I'm left scratching my head on that one.

Did not understand that one at all. Ian Bacon returns the kickoff to the Phoebus 45 for a gain of 22 yards before he's stopped by Noah Jefferson with 1:33 to play.

Don't go anywhere, folks. This one is not over.

 

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Warwick has two incomplete passes - with a 3-yard run by QB Eduardo Rios Jr. sandwiched in between - to bring up 4th & 7 from the Phoebus 42 with 56 seconds to go. His throw to Julio Carrecter on a comeback out route is short. That will allow Phoebus to take over and run the clock out, presumably with a knee, to get a 10-2 win.

Holding the Warwick passing game that averages 181 yards passing to just five completions for 57 yards with three interceptions is the difference here.

 

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More to come later from Will Garlick, yours truly and the VaPreps team... stay tuned!