Blog LIVE Game Blog: Warwick 47, Bethel 0 - FINAL

[matthew328826]

Greetings from Darling Stadum on this first Thursday of 2024, where we have the 0-1 Bethel Bruins playing host to the 1-0 Warwick Raiders, who enjoyed a run to the Region 5B Finals.

We have a gorgeous night for football as it's sunny and comfortable at 74 degrees right now. This is also my frist in-person look at the brand new artificial turf at Darling, which looks outstanding. Todd Stadium in Newport News also has a brad new turf field that looks great.

We'll have updates here in the Blog as well as via X or Twitter @ hatfieldsports

 

[matthew328826]

Before we kick it off, let's get to our mini write-up with picks that ran earlier on the V.I.P. Board...

Warwick (1-0) at Bethel (0-1) . . . How smothering have the Warwick Raiders been defensively? Well, consider the following - - their defense has allowed just one touchdown in the past 11 regular season games. That came in the 2023 regular season finale to Phoebus in a 10-2 loss. They’re fresh off a 35-0 thumping of Grassfield, where they held the Grizzlies to 28 total yards and generated four turnovers, including two by senior FS Jaden Gilliam. Bethel did get burned for 402 total yards – with 215 coming through the air – in a 46-14 loss to Nansemond River. So as tough as it may be for the Bruins to generate scoring drives, the defense will have its work cut out for them slowing down a very well-rounded Warwick receiving core with Keon Batts, Julio Carrecter and Dakota Brodus.

Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 30-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 36-0

 

[matthew328826]

Bethel's first series begins at their own 7 after the return man decided not to let it bounce into the end zone for a touchback.

The Bruins move the sticks on the very first play as sophomore QB Derek Fisher - nephew of former Hampton standout and Virginia Tech lineman Dwight Vick - completes a screen pass worth 12 yards to Amari Pryear.

From there, however, it is 3 & out for the Bethel offense. Tracy Pope and Jaylen Jordan combine for a sack on third down for the Warwick defense to bring out the punting unit for the Bruins.

Warwick's first series starts at the Bethel 40 with 9:32 to go in the opening stanza.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick's offense doesn't strike on its first pass play and running back Cam Glenn gains five on a run, then just two, so it's a 4th & 3 coming up from the Bruins 33.

Raiders Coach Corey Hairston leaves the offense on the field. It pays off as new starting QB Saeed Williams, the backup to Eduardo Rios Jr. (now graduated) a season ago, converts the QB draw with a gain of 13 by using his feet. A few plays later though, the drive stalls and they settle for a field goal.

 

[matthew328826]

The Bethel offense goes 3 & out with linebacker I'Ziah Emery and defensive lineman Christian Corbin making big hits.

Warwick gets the ball back in less than two minutes, with 5:07 to go in the opening period. They have favorable field position at the Bruins 44 as well.

 

[matthew328826]

Just when Bethel thought it had something work in their favor with a holding penalty backing Warwick up near midfield, the Raiders hit them with a screen to the house.

That's a great sign for the Raiders, who are likely without their star playmaker in Messiah Delhomme (Maryland commit, out with a leg injury) for the season. They're also without the services of speedy receiver Julio Carrecter this evening.

Prior to the TD, Warwick went to their heavy package to convert a 3rd & 3 with the ground game as Cameron Glenn picked up +4.

 

[matthew328826]

Another 3 & out for the Bethel offense - which saw Xavier Carter bite down for a sack from his outside 'backer spot on 2nd & 12 - ends up giving Warwick excellent field position once more at the 46 of the Bruins.

However, give credit to the Bethel defense with Jaden Bryant making a total of 6 tackles so far, including that sack. DeAndre Wimbley is showing some solid instincts on defense as well.

Bethel is not helping itself on special teams, though. They decided to fair catch it inside their own 10 - at the 4-yard line to be exact - with 11:51 to go in the second period. If not careful, this can be disastrous against the Warwick defense.

 

[matthew328826]

A third consecutive 3 & out for the Bethel offense Warwick's run defense - headed up by some All-Region level front 7 players from last year's stupendous unit - are giving the Bruins fits. Amazingly, QB Derek Fisher was able to slip out of tackle to gain 8 yards on the first play from scrimage. After that, the next two runs gained exactly one yard. It brings out the punting unit.

 

[matthew328826]

You could see this one coming because Jordan partially blocked the last punt. This time, from their own end zone, the Bruisn were in big trouble.

Meanwhile, the Warwick kicking game is doing its job with a field goal and now a touchback into the end zone by Zac McMorris-Webb, listed as a freshman.

Bethel - which only trailed by 8 at the break last week vs. Nansemond River - is facing a much larger deficit tonight with 9:38 to go in the first half.

 

[matthew328826]

Du'Wuane Skipwith absolutely unloaded on QB Derek Fisher on a run play. The Bethel rushing attack has to feel helpless because they've got 10 attempts for all of two yards. Their offensive line is simply getting man-handled by a strong Warwick d-line.

I feel like at this point I should just copy and paste two paragraphs from our Warwick 2024 Preview, where we had the Raiders pegged at No. 7 in the Class 5 Top Ten. Admittedly after watching them so far in this first half - even minus Delhomme and Carrecter - that seems a bit low.

It all begins with a dominant front four on the defensive line returning in juniors Christian Corbin (6-2, 295), Du'Wuane Skipwith (6-2, 275) and Antwone Vazquez (6-1, 245) to go with senior Marlen Stewart (6-1, 195). Corbin, who has Wake Forest among his five offers to date, was a 2nd Team All-State performer on the d-line with 46 tackles and 2.5 sacks, plus got tabbed 1st Team All-Peninsula District on the o-line. Skipwith, who was in on 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks, has offers from Charlotte and ODU. There's not a drop-off when you go to the next level of the defense at linebacker either.

Serving as the backbone of the defense is senior 'backer I'Ziah Emery (5-11, 205), a 1st Team All-State selection a year ago with 135 total tackles, 36 for loss and 3.5 sacks. Georgetown, Hampton U and Temple are among few of his offers to date. Another 1st Team All-State linebacker joining him in the lineup is Xavier Carter (5-10, 180), fresh off a junior campaign where he was in on 104 total stops and 25 behind the line of scrimmage. Fellow senior Jaylen Jordan (6-0, 195) rounds out the senior LB core.


... That's a sample of what you get when you subscribe, by the way.

 

[matthew328826]

With the running game neutralized, Bethel is forced to go to the air and Derek Fisher is interceted by the lanky 6'5" DB Dakota Brodus of Warwick.

The Raiders are in prime field position again, at their own 45 with 8:38 till half-time. Amari Levisy moves the sticks on a 14-yard catch from QB Saeed Williams. Just a few plays later on 3rd & 7 from the 38, it's Keon Batts laying out along the sideline for a gain of 8 on a pass from Williams.

The drive stalls for Warwick, though. They end up trying a 37-yard field goal that is no good, but because Bethel gets called for a running into the kicker penalty, it extends the series. Roughing is just a 5-yarder, whereas running into is a 15-yard infraction. So Warwick will bring the offense back out for 4th & 6 from the Bethel 15.

Oddly enough, they change QB's for this 4th down play and it's RaiQuan Edlow, who appears to be sacked Trytin Whitlock. However, personal fouls on each side means they replay the down. Edlow then gets sacked by Kordell Davis.

A much-needed stop by the Bethel defense, giving the ball back to their offense from their own 26 with 4:53 until intermission.

 

[matthew328826]

I've got to give Bethel sophomore QB Derek Fisher some credit for battling against this fierce Warwick defensive front and doing his all. Fisher gains 8, then moves the sticks on a 3rd & 1. However, the Bruins leave the offense on the field on a fourth down it does not pay off for them. A turnover on downs. Antwone Vazquez and Jaylen Jordan combined for a key sack on the series for the Raiders, their third of the half.

Warwick has excellent field position once again, at the Bethel 42 with 1:55 till the break.

 

[matthew328826]

An extremely confusing situation here as Warwick has its QB sacked by Jaden Williams. There was a penalty on the Raiders, yet Bethel decides to take the holding penalty instead of the yardage and down for the sack. It would've been third down. After the mass confusion, there's a time-out with 33 seconds and we have 2nd & 15 from the 23, when it was 2nd & 7 from the Bruins 15 before that... go figure.

Trying to figure it out just gives me a headache, so I won't try at this particular moment. On the very next play though, it's Dakota Brodus using his height and athleticism to make a nifty catch worth 14 yards. They go back to the air on 3rd & 1 from the 9, following a time-out, but the usually sure-handed Keon Batts is unable to haul in what would've been an easy TD.

Coach Corey Hairston will call on the field goal unit now on 4th & 1.

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick now has a comfortable 20-point lead with 10 seconds to go in the half as Bethel will probably take a knee from their own 20 to go to intermission and try to re-group.

 

[matthew328826]

We'll be back in a bit... stay tuned!

 

[matthew328826]

Stats at the Half:

Warwick 20:
Saeed Williams - 5-13 for 83Yds. 1-0 TD/Int. ratio; 4Car. 17Yds.
Cameron Glenn - 10Car. 44Yds.
Ni'Zjohn Humphrey - 1Rec. 43Yds. TD; 1Car. 5Yds.
Dakota Brodus - 2Rec. 18Yds; INT
Keon Batts - 1Rec. 8Yds.
Zac McMorris-Webb - 2-3 on FG's
Christian Corbin - 5 Tackles
Jaylen Jordan - 3 Tackles, Sack, 2 Blocked Punts

Raiders - 30 plays for 138 total yards (5-13 for 83 yards passing; 17 rushes for 55 yards); 4 penalties for 33 yards; 0 turnovers


Bethel 0:
Derek Fisher - 3-5 for 18Yds. 0-1 TD/Int. ratio; 10Car. 13Yds.
Amari Pryear - 1Rec. 12Yds; 4Car. 4Yds.
Jayden Short - 1Rec. 5Yds.
Jaden Bryant - 7 Tackles, Sack
Julian Johnson - 7 Tackles (2 Solo)

Bruins - 21 plays for 34 total yards (3-5 for 18 yards passing, 1 intercept; 16 rushes for 16 yards); 1 penalty for 5 yards; 1 turnover

 

[matthew328826]

Warwick begins the 2nd half with possession at their own 24 with 11:55 showing on the third period clock after Keon Batts returned the kickoff 19 yards. Batts then wiggles away from a couple of defenders on a catch underneath from QB Saeed Williams. Cameron Glenn moves the sticks with a run of 10 yards, followed by Williams scrambling for 18 into Bethel territory.

If you blink, the Raiders find paydirt to begin this third period.



Easily their best offensive series of the night.

Not going to lie though - - do wonder if Warwick had a jersey number switch because the guy that caught that TD is listed as a kicker, whereas that ninth grader with the two field goals is listed with his position as a WR/DB... 🤔

 

[matthew328826]

Bethel's offense moves the sticks with a 16-yard pass play by QB Derek Fisher to WR Jayden Short. Both are from the Class of 2027 and Head Coach David Porter likes the upside for each. However, on the next third down sequence - a 3rd & 5 from their own 36 - Fisher's pass is a pinch hit and his target is unable to snag it in the air. That brings out the punting unit.

This Warwick defense is mighty tough, folks. The only offense I've seen be able to solve them in the past couple years was Maury, the reigning Class 5 State Champs, in last season's Region 5B Finals.

 

[matthew328826]

Listen, there are some moans and groans from people up and around the pressbox area about Warwick not going for the 2-point conversion. That's because with a 35-point margin, you get a running clock, and with the outcome pretty much figured to be known at this point, many of the individuals watching would like to get home in time to watch the 2024 NFL opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.

Me on the other hand, while interested in that game when this one is done, applauds Warwick Head Coach Corey Hairston for not going for the 2 in that spot and being classy.

By the way, great strike on the pass from Williams to Brodus. Those two will be connecting quite a bit this season I'd expect.

 

[matthew328826]

Second giveaway of the night for the Bruins proves costly and now Warwick has that running clock lead that some of the spectators were looking for when they got it to 33-0 and decided to kick the PAT to make it 34-0.

See, in life you just wait and be patient, good things will happen. Well, that is if you're rooting for Warwick. If you're rooting for Bethel, you have to wait another week to get in the victory column it does appear.

 

[matthew328826]

We should be home in plenty of time for that matchup between the Ravens and two-time reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

 

[matthew328826]

The Warwick reserves are getting in on the scoring act tonight as they are now up to 188 yards passing with four TD strikes through the air.

Bethel has some work to do in the secondary moving forward.

 

[matthew328826]

Junior WR Antonio Cummings makes a leaping 30-yard catch from QB Derek Fisher for Bethel down to the Warwick 2-yard line. They use a time-out with 1:08 to play, trying to break up a shutout by the Raiders defense. Warwick leads it 47-0.

But again, the Warwick defense has only let one foe score on them - Phoebus - in the past 12 regular season games. The Phantoms only got 10 points with a single TD and a field goal.

 

[matthew328826]

Jaylen Jordan, Christian Corbin and their mates stuff QB Derek Fisher on 1st & Goal from the 2. The next play is an incomplete. The Bruins use one of their two remaining time-outs with 18 seconds to go before 3rd & Goal from the 2.

Jordan and Xavier Carter halt Amari Pryear at the 1. So Bethel Coach David Porter uses a time-out before 4th & Goal from the 1 with 2 seconds to go in the game.

What drama! Ok, not really... but we can pretend right?

 

[matthew328826]

Credit I'Ziah Emery, Christian Corbin and a host of others for stuffing the run on 4th & Goal from the 1. What a job by that Warwick defensive front there... and all night long for that matter.

 

[matthew328826]

Worth noting above if you're scoring at home... or wherever you may be following / reading. Wanted to get that correction in...

We'll have interviews posted later via YouTube with Coach Corey Hairston and two of the defensive studs - Christian Corbin and I'Ziah Emery - that you can check out later this weekend on 757 Saturday Sports Talk on CoVA Sports TV.