Blog LIVE Game Blog - Warwick (4-0) at Phoebus (1-0)

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Greetings from Darling Stadium on this hot and humid Saturday afternoon, the 22nd of September, as we are about set for kick-off between the host Phoebus Phantoms (1-0) and visiting Warwick Raiders (4-0) in a Peninsula District matchup.

Warwick is enjoying is best start in 18 years, while the Phantoms have only gotten one game in - a shutout of Denbigh. Looming right around the corner in five days is a showdown for Phoebus with unbeaten Lake Taylor.

Follow updates through our LIVE Blog all afternoon + on Twitter @ hatfieldsports

 

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Warwick gets the ball to start, from their own 32-yard line, and actually lose a yard in three plays. On 3rd & 11, QB Tyrique Henderson had Phoebus defender Josiah Silver breathing down his neck and his pass is incomplete.

Latrelle Smith fields the Warwick punt at his own 34 and returns it to the Raiders 47 - a gain of 19 - with 10:12 left in the opening period.

 

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Phoebus has come out very basic and vanilla on offense, and nothing wrong with that as they are keeping it simple with short passes and runs between the tackles. They get a 3rd & 1 conversion from the Warwick 38 on a jet sweep that nets three by Latrelle Smith.

On 2nd & 12, Barry Hargraves picks up four yards on a reception. But on 3rd & 8, it's a drop passed that forces the Phantoms to do a quick kick. The punt by Chris Daniels ends up as a touchback.

Still scoreless with 5:57 left in the opening period, Warwick will operate its second drive from their own 20.

 

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Warwick's offense isn't doing its defense any favors as the Phantoms should get great field position for their second series. The Raiders might want to look at keeping a tight end to help block off the edge.

 

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An illegal procedure penalty on Phoebus means the Phantoms start their second series at their own 49. On the very first play, it's Warwick's Damone Davis - lined up in the nose guard role out of what looks to be a 3-4 front. Davis along with LB Dayvon Meade have been extremely instrumental in Warwick's 4-0 start this year.

On 2nd & 17 - QB Chris Daniels responds by finding RB Jaylen White for a screen pass, picking up 12. That makes it a manageable third down, where this time Barry Hargraves hauls in the pass for 8 yards on an out pattern to move the chains. They go back to White and his power run picks up 12.

We have a time-out with 1:38 left in the opening period and Phoebus looking at 1st & 10 from the Warwick 22. The Raiders look to slow this drive and get a stop or hold the Phantoms to a field goal.

 

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Out of the time-out, Warwick shifts to a four-man defensive front and it results in a pair of Raiders, including Damone Davis, making a stop behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 4.

The Phantoms go to a jet sweep on the next play with Barry Hargraves, picking up 4. Warwick switched back its 3-4 setup and then on 3rd & 10 it's Rasheed Langford sacking a scrambling Chris Daniels for a loss of 2.

 

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On 4th & 12 from the Warwick 24 - it's Phoebus QB Chris Daniels scrambling for 16 yards to keep the drive alive to start the 2nd period.

Going for it made sense because of the field position, and a 41-yard field goal try was anything but a sure bet.

 

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Coach Jeremy Blunt has to really like the play mixture of run and pass on that drive and to respond from negative yardage plays with solid gains - not forcing things where a turnover could occur or going for the home run shot. A patient and effective scoring drive by the Phantoms; now let's see how Warwick responds.

 

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This Phoebus defensive front is manhandling Warwick on the line of scrimmage and it's another 3 & out by the Raiders, who punt it away on 4th & 4 from their own 36. Austin Gilliam and Josh Austin are really getting in the opposing backfield quickly.

Warwick's punt goes only 12 yards as it was partially blocked by Corey Wilson of Phoebus.

So the Phantoms need to go just 48 yards to take a two-score lead as they begin their third drive with 9:45 till half-time. This may be a time to take a big play, deep shot down the field.

 

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As expected, Phoebus takes a shot down the field through the passing game on first down, though QB Chris Daniels is unable to connect with his receiver. An incomplete pass on second down brings up 3rd & 10 from the Raiders 48, where Daniels will drop back to throw and then take off to run.

Daniels picks up 20 on his run and his legs - providing two runs of a combined 36 yards - have made it possible for Phoebus to take the lead and now increase their advantage in this defensive struggle.

 

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Warwick's defense has bent some, but they aren't breaking. Damone Davis and Rasheed Langford make consecutive tackles for loss and keep Phoebus from getting in the red zone. They are really getting great penetration through both the B gap and A gap. Now on 3rd & 14, Phoebus is forced to go to the air.

Chris Daniels completes the pass for 11 yards to Barry Hargraves, where he's met immediately by DB Jordan Lucas on the firm tackle.

Phoebus is lining up to kick a field goal on 4th & 3 from the Warwick 21. Am surprised they aren't going for it here.

 

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Coach Corey Hairston and the rest of the Warwick coaching staff must be thrilled to come up with the stop and give up no points. Imagine if they had to do it over again, Phoebus would've gone for it on 4th & 3 from the 21, knowing that field position wouldn't have hurt them if they went and got stopped. But that's 2nd guessing of course...

 

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A late foul personal foul brings Warwick up from its own 15 to their own 30, but on 2nd & 10 it's Phoebus DE Josh Austin coming free unscathed to the QB for his 2nd sack of the first half.

 

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The only time Warwick has moved up is on a Phoebus penalty and there have been three of those for 30 yards today.

Phoebus' Latrelle Smith returns the punt 2 yards to the Warwick 40 with 4:05 till half-time. The Phantoms know it's important to add to this 7-0 lead before intermission with golden field position yet again.

 

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That last series was a pretty poor one for Phoebus with a 2-yard run by Anthony Turner, then back-to-back incomplete passes.

So all that went off the clock was 1:05. To make matters worse, instead of being pinned at their own 12, Warwick moves up to the 27 after a late hit by the Phantoms out of bounds. Penalties and continued mistakes by the Phantoms will allow Warwick to hang around in this game, and if their offense can just hit one big play, they're right back in business.

 

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Warwick just had its longest play from scrimmage of the afternoon - a 9-yard pass from QB Tyrique Henderson to WR Da'Twon Cox on a slip screen out of trips left - but a good job by the Phoebus defense with Elijah Mitchell making the open field tackle to prevent a bigger gain that allowed them to move the chains.

It's the 5th straight 3 and out for the Warwick offense. They've still yet to pick up a first down, and will now punt it away on 4th & 8 from their own 29 with 1:18 till half-time following the Phoebus time-out to stop the clock.

 

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Phoebus now enters its two-minute offense, beginning from their own 41 with 1:06 before intermission as they try to get their second touchdown on the team's fifth possession of the day.

You don't expect to see a double reverse, but the Phantoms just tried it and the play went nowhere, in fact actually it went backwards. Latrelle Smith lost 3, stopped behind the line of scrimmage by Rasheed Langford of Warwick. Phoebus burns another time-out following a run by QB Chris Daniels for no gain.

So the Phantoms have it at their own 38, facing 3rd & 13 with 18 seconds before the break. They pretty much can either run the clock out and go to half up 7-0 - which I think they'll likely do - or take heave towards the end zone since they are out of time-outs. Problem with that is an incomplete means they'd still have to punt it away.

 

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Phoebus decides to run blast for 3 yards with Jaylen White on 3rd & 13, but Warwick will call a time-out with 12 seconds left, forcing Phoebus to have to punt it away.

Warwick gets the punt at their own 23, and with 2 seconds left, they'll take a shot. QB Tyrique Henderson escapes pressure and throws it incomplete.

 

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Some individual numbers of note...

Phoebus 7:
Chris Daniels - 5-10 for 41 yards; 4Car. 29Yds.
Jaylen White - 9Car. 25Yds. TD; 1Rec. 12Yds.
Barry Hargraves - 4Rec. 29Yds; 1Car. 4Yds.
Josh Austin - 5 Tackles, 3.5TFL, 2 Sacks
Trevon Hayes - 4 Tackles (all solo), TFL

Warwick 0:
Tyrique Henderson - 2-7 for 9Yds.
Da'Twon Cox - 1Rec. 9Yds.
Rasheed Langford - 6 Tackles, 3TFL, Sack
Tylique Ray - 4 Tackles (all solo)

 

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Latrelle Smith returns the second half kickoff for Phoebus 38 yards. But on back-to-back plays, it's Warwick's Damone Davis coming through unblocked for tackles for loss. That brings up 3rd & 12 and Phoebus will go to the air.

 

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A great catch and run by Hargraves. Warwick will begins their first drive of the second half at their own 29.

 

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A 15-yard penalty - pass interference - on Phoebus on 3rd & 11 allows Warwick to move up to its own 43. After that though, it's all backwards for the Raiders, beginning with a loss of 10 on a run by Dayvon Meade, which gets extended backwards even more on a holding penalty on the Riaders. A 7-yard catch by Jordan Lucas gives Warwick a little bit of hope, but on 3rd & long, it's QB Tyrique Henderson being strip-sacked by Phoebus sophomore Trevion Stevenson.

Warwick was able to recover the football with lineman Milohn Newby - their right tackle - alertly hopping on pigskin.

Phoebus takes over at midfield with 5:50 to go in the 3rd quarter, leading 14-0.

 

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Jaylen White runs for 3 and then the pass on 2nd & 7 by QB Chris Daniels is high for his intended receiver. Daniels does a nice job on third down of buying time, pump-faking and completing a pass to John Tucker along the sideline. Tucker takes a personal foul penalty hit on a defender from Warwick, which will move the ball in the red zone of the Raiders.

 

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Phoebus is now up to 6 penalties for 70 yards and the ones they've had are prolonging potential scoring drives for them. Now facing 3rd & 22 - Barry Hargraves catches a pass underneath for about 2 or 3 yards.

The Phantoms will go for it on 4th & 20 from the 23-yard line of Warwick, leading 14-0 with under 3 minutes left in the third quarter. It's another big completion over the middle and Hargraves hauls it in for the touchdown on the simple post route.

 

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That's as demoralizing as it gets for the Warwick defense, which has played much of the afternoon on 1st and 2nd downs, to give up two long passing scores on 3rd & 4th down to open this half.

 

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A 33-yard kickoff return by Tylique Ray gives Warwick its best field position of the afternoon, at their own 46-yard line and needing to construct some scoring drives in a hurry as they trail 21-0.

Da'Twon Cox picks up 17 yards on the pass from QB Tyrique Henderson, who was able to quickly get the ball on the bad snap and find his open receiver. The Phoebus defense calls time-out with 1:48 left in the third quarter to gather themselves.

 

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On 3rd & 9 from the Phoebus 36, Warwick running back Dayvon Meade runs up the middle for 15 yards and then it's QB Tyrique Henderson on the keeper, faking the defense before pulling and running to his right.

An incomplete brings up 3rd & 6 for the Raiders at the 17 of Phoebus and a pass interference on the Phantoms will give Warwick a fresh set of downs at the 9-yard line.

 

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The back corner fade route was there for Cox and then Warwick catches Phoebus on the 2-point conversion, faking the snap to the QB and it's a direct snap to Davis in the backfield. No need for Corey Hairston's Raiders, who haven't thrown in the towel and will continue to battle, to try an onside kick. They just need a 3 & out to keep their momentum going.

 

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After a kickoff return by about 26 yards or so from Barry Hargraves, Phoebus begins its third series of the second half with the ground attack. A sweep by Jaylen White gains 14 yards into Warwick territory. White has another good run before being tripped up by Van Crawford - who had that blocked field goal Warwick returned for a TD earlier in the week in their wild win over Bethel.

White's latest run, good for 12 yards, gives him 14 rushes for 49 yards on the day.

The Phoebus offense has looked much crisper here in the 2nd half as they look to get back in top form before taking on Lake Taylor in a clash on Thursday here at Darling.

 

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As a team gets closer to scoring, the Warwick defense makes it tougher for the opponent to run it in for points. Their run defense has done a sound job today and now Phoebus is forced to go back to the air on 3rd & 13 from the 26.

The pass is initially incomplete, but a flag is thrown. At first glance, it looks like holding. However, the officials call a penalty on each side, so they'll replay third down. Phoebus will call time-out and talk it over.

 

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A pitch to Jaylen White gains 2. Phoebus will go for it on 4th & 1 from the Warwick 24. It is nearly picked off, deflected by the Raiders, so Warwick will get a chance to draw closer.

Warwick takes over at their own 24, trailing the Phantoms 21-8 with 7:32 remaining.

 

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An incomplete pass on Warwick on first down and a minimal gain by RB Dayvon Meade on second down brings up 3rd & 9 for Warwick from their own 25. Knowing the Phoebus defense will be playing pass, the Warwick offense tries to counter with something they're not expecting through the air and it's Meade sneaking out of the backfield and over the middle for a completion from QB Tyrique Henderson for a gain of 32 yards into Phoebus territory.

Then it's Henderson finding a leaping Da'Twon Cox for an incredible 40-yard catch over Barry Hargraves, inside the 10 of Phoebus. So far, that catch was play of the day - outstanding effort from Cox.

 

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Trevion Stevenson recovered the fumble on the 2-point try and ran it back in as the Phoebus fans celebrated... but remember, in High School, you can't run the 2-point play back the other way for points. It's blown dead.

 

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However, a 1-yard loss on 1st down followed by an incomplete - high and dangerous - now makes it 3rd & 11 from the raiders 31 with 3:53 left. Warwick has 2 time-outs left and Phoebus just used its final time-out.

 

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Barry Hargraves with a huge catch on 3rd & 11 from QB Chris Daniels - good exactly for 11 yards - down to the Warwick 20. Phantoms up 21-14 on Warwick with 3:11 to play.

 

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That should do it for Phoebus.

 

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A 68-yard completion for Warwick - Tyrique Henderson to Jordan Lucas - is bought back on an illegal procedure penalty on the Raiders. That hurt dearly as Warwick was thinking about a quick touchdown and an onside kick try. Instead, it'll be marked back at their own 20.

The drive fizzles and Warwick punts it away on 4th & 15 with 59 seconds to go. Phoebus should take a knee and get out of here with a 28-18 victory that looked easy midway through the third quarter, but the Raiders made them sweat for portions of the fourth period.

 

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