Blog LIVE Game Blog - Poquoson (9-0) at Lafayette (9-0)

[matthew328826]

Greetings from Wanner Stadium in Williamsburg, where the undefaeted Lafayette Rams (9-0) play host to the unbeaten Poquoson Bull Islanders (9-0) in a showdown for tops in the Bay Rivers District.

Both have secured the No. 1 seed in their respective regions - Lafayette in 3A and Poquoson in 2A - so their playoff outlooks are solidified.

We'll have updates here on the LIVE Game Blog and via Twitter or 'X' as we now call it @hatfieldsports

To see our Full Preview + Picks, check out the VIP Board post, which is also pinned on our front page presently at this post.

Very warm night at around 70 degrees for this first Thursday of November 2024...

Captains meeting at mid-field and we'll be kicking off here soon...

 

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Lafayette starts at their own 33 and they start a methodical looking drive with runs from Breon Stokes for +3 and Brayden Smalls for +4. On 3rd & 3, the Rams appear to hit Joshua Simpson on a quick screen that goes 60 yards for a TD. However, it'll only be a gain of 12, with a 10-yard holding penalty, that moves them back.

Back to the ground game they go with Stokes and Smalls. They're getting decent chunks, but the Poquoson run defense headed by Christian Leonard is making it hard for them to break it to the second level.

The Colonial Forge transfer Austin Conley makes a sack of QB Baum Hogge on 3rd & 7 for a loss of 6 to their own 43. Punting time for Lafayette.

Poquoson starts at its own 33 and they generate just two yards on their first two runs, sniffed out well by the defensive front. Logan Oleksy was in on that initial stop. Eli Tyndall's first pass of the night falls incomplete on 3rd & 9. So the Islanders go 3 & out.

Lafayette fair catches the punt at their own 35, where they'll start their second possession with 6:34 left in the opening quarter.

 

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After Breon Stokes rips off a run worth six yards, the Lafayette running game goes to an outside sweep with Josh Simpson that is quickly halted by Nathaniel Quiroz for a loss of 3.

The Lafayette offense goes to the air on 3rd & 7 and Poquoson LB Cody Little tips it and intercepts QB Baum Hogge.

That puts Poquoson at the Lafayette 42 with just over five minutes left in this opening quarter for their second series.

The Islanders give it to Khaleo Smith for runs of +4 and +1, which brings up 3rd & 5. Eli Tyndall goes to the air and completes it in the flat area to Owen Cupp, but he's dropped for a loss of 1 by Josh Simpson.

On the punt, Poquoson appears to interfere with a Rams player calling for fair catch, so that'll move Lafayette up a bit closer for their third offensive series with 2:54 left in this fast-moving opening stanza. They have it at their own 26.

 

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Breon Stokes moves the chains for Lafayette on a 3rd & 3 play with a 5-yard run. Lafayette misses on a pass play on 2nd & 6, but the next trip it's a backwards pass - that gets counted as a run - with Brayden Smalls gaining 5 to bring up 4th & 1 when we start the second period.

Expect Coach Andy Linn to go for it, even from his own 47...

 

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Lafayette converts the 4th & 1 right up the gut with Breon Stokes as their offensive line is now getting really good push against this active Poquoson defensive front out of a 3-4 alignment. However, once the Lafayette defense crosses midfield, the Poquoson defense stiffens.

On second down, it's Nathan Quiroz with a sack. Remember him fondly with about 14-15 tackles a year ago in the Region 2A semis against King William. Testing the Islanders over the top, Dom Galacgac is able to break up a pass along the near sideline.

Lafayette booms a 51-yard punt Aidan Gerda to get the approval of Rams fans.

Poquoson has it at their own 1 with 9:36 to go second quarter.

 

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Three straight runs from about their own 1 - or 2 technically - has Poquoson punting it away on 4th & 4 from their own 8. Heath Reynolds was used as that fullback type for them. Multiple Lafayette defenders didn't budge an inch, including Obrian Canady and Daniel Jackson as part of that stifling run defense.

Poquoson will use a time-out before booting it away with their All-State caliber punter, Josh Mitchell, with 7:29 to go in the first half.

 

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Brayden Smalls returns the punt about 15 yards for Lafayette to the Poquoson 30, setting them up with great field position with 7:17 to go in the second quarter.

Runs of +7 by Josh Simpson, +2 by Brayden Smalls and +2 by Breon Stokes move the chains when it got to a critical 3rd & 1 against this feisty Poquoson defense. A few plays later on 3rd & 12 from the Islanders 21, QB Baum Hogge runs for a few yards, but a personal foul - blow to the head penalty - move them half the distance to the goal.

The Rams finish it off with Breon Stokes rumbling in the end zone.

 

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Poquoson gets the ball at their own 15 following the touchdown by Lafayette. Coach Elliott Duty goes to the razzle dazzle with a halfback toss with Dylan Bullard that's incomplete. Imagine some Islanders fans sitting in the stands across the way from me in the pressbox wanted pass interference. Supplying the coverage on the outside was Naye'Ron Hudson.

Cody Little rushes for a few yards and then Bullard busts an 18-yard run on 3rd & 3, the best play of the night offensively for Poquoson.

Big turnover from the Lafayette defense as the pressure off the edge comes on another trick play from the Poquoson offense. Dom Galacgac on a receiver / lateral pass got drilled - I believe by Sebastian Nix - and making the INT was Daniel Jackson of Lafayette.

Credit the Rams for being opportunistic, even after Poquoson popped a big play on them just a moment prior.

Following an incomplete pass, Brayden Smalls breaks off runs of +2 and +5 to set up 4th & 3 from the Poquoson 37. Coach Andy Linn uses a time-out with 1:52 to go in the first half.

Surprisingly, Linn decides to punt it instead of go for it and the punt is not that great - at least far from the previous one. It goes out of bounds.

Poquoson has it at their own 26 with 1:47 left in the half.

 

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A run with Heath Reynolds between the tackles gain a few yards and Austin Conley's attempt is held to just a gain of 1. On 3rd & 6 from their own 30 though, the Islanders are able to convert with Reynolds plowing ahead for 7 yards.

Poquoson uses a time-out with 24 seconds to go in the half from their own 37. Owen Cupp runs it for a gain of four to end the half, getting brought down by Daniel Jackson.

That will bring us to intermission.

 

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Stats at the Half:

Lafayette 7:
Breon Stokes - 10Car. 41Yds. TD
Brayden Smalls - 8Car, 22Yds,
Baum Hogge - 1-5 for 12Yds. 0-1 TD/Int. ratio; 5 Tackles
Joshua Simpson - 1Rec. 12Yds; TFL
Tristan Harris - 7 Tackles (2 Solo)
Daniel Jackson - 4 Tackles (2 Solo)

Poquoson 0:
Dylan Bullard - 2Car. 18Yds.
Heath Reynolds - 5Car. 16Yds.
Cody Little - 2Car. 8Yds.
Austin Conley - 8 Tackles, 1.5 TFL, Sack
Brayden Agnese - 5 Tackles, TFL
Nathan Quiroz -3 Tackles, 1.5 TFL, Sack

Islanders - 17 plays for 51 total yards (1-4 for minus 1 yard passing, 1 intercept; 13 rushes for 52 yards); 2 penalties for 24 yards; 1 turnover

 

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Poquoson begins with the football to start the third quarter. Cody Little runs for 9, and Owen Cupp adds a couple to move the chains. After Heath Reynolds runs for 5, it's Little again with a couple more to bring up a crucial 3rd & 3 from their own 36.

Breon Stokes recovers the fumble by QB Eli Tyndall on the exchange from center. That gives the Rams the ball at the PHS 36 with 9:46 to go in the third period.

Brayden Smalls gets a short gain, stopped by Cody Little. It's Little again making the stop, but this time Breon Stokes rumbles ahead for 11. Christian Leonard and Carter Jones limit Smalls to a gain of 1 to bring up 2nd & 9 from the 22. Ryan Burke then halts Josh Simpson for a gain of a couple. That will potentially put Lafayette in a passing situation on 3rd & 7, or maybe even two-down territory.

 

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Amidst some light rain falling here at Wanner Stadium, Rams QB Baum Hogge is able to come through with a clutch TD pass to Naye'Ron Hudson to stretch the lead out.

That's how you make a takeaway pay off - with points in a game where they're certainly at a premium.

A penalty on the ensuing kickoff on Poquoson will put them back at their own 13 with 6:53 to go in the third period.

 

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Naye'Ron Hudson follows his TD catch with a key tackle on first down defensively for Lafayette. On 2nd & 8, the Rams watch Sebastian Nix off the edge drop Owen Cupp for a loss of a yard. Time-out is called by Poquoson with 5:25 to go in the third period.

There is simply no speed edge to the outside for the Bull Islanders tonight, especially running wide against this Lafayette defense.

It's a QB keeper with Eli Tyndall that doesn't get enough on 3rd & 9 as Poquoson is forced to punt it away. Lafayette will have it at their 50 with 4:15 to go in the third period.

 

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Breon Stokes runs for a couple yards and Josh Simpson adds four more yards to set up 3rd & 8 from the Poquoson 44. That's where Stokes uses his strength for 8 more yards.

Brayden Smalls gets in on the act with a pick up of 7 yards. Cody Little brings Simpson down for a loss of a yard on second down. After Stokes gains 2 yards, the Rams are faced with 4th & 2 from the 28... but a holding penalty makes it 4th & 12, so they will punt it away when the 4th quarter starts.

 

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The Poquoson offense simply cannot shake this Lafayette defense, which is too good - smart, disciplined and hard-hitting. Their latest 3 & out really came to fruition when Cody Little accidentally slipped on a toss on 2nd & 8.

After Lafayette advances into Poquoson territory, they fumble an exchange and it's recovered by the Bull Islanders. Looked like Ryan Burke on the recovery for the PHS defense. It'll be at their own 46 with 7:23 to go.

Now Poquoson has a very fine drive going, except they are taking a lot of time to get it done. The big conversion was a 21-yard run by Owen Cupp on 3rd & 10. Not long after when it appeared the Poquoson defense had them stopped, it turned out to be a penalty on third down against the Lafayette defense.

 

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Poquoson now has to think about the onside kick, particularly given they have just two time-outs left. Lafayette is good enough to run out the clock if they recover.

 

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Daniel Jackson recovers the onside kick for Lafayette, so the Rams just need one first down to ice this victory to cap a perfect 10-0 regular season.

Breon Stokes runs for 8 yards to set up 2nd & 2. They then power it ahead to the right side with Stokes for +7, plus a Poquoson 15-yard flag. That will allow them to get into victory formation.

 

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More to come later... stay tuned!

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Thanks for the game blog Matt. Your usual good job.

 

[matthew328826]

Thanks for the game blog Matt. Your usual good job.

My pleasure - - thanks for following along!