Blog LIVE Game Blog: York 17, Warhill 14 - FINAL

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Greetings grom Sanford B. Wanner Stadium in Williamsburg on this pleasant Thursday night in September as the Warhill Lions (1-1) play host to the York Falcons (1-0).

We'll have updates here on the Blog + via Twitter or 'X' as they call it @hatfieldsports

Before we get going with Warhill kicking off to York to start, let's go through our Predictions and mini Preview from the game...


York (1-0) at Warhill (1-1) . . . It was a tale of two weeks for Warhill, which went from blasting Manor 68-0 to getting routed 35-0 by Matoaca. They’ve done quite well lately against York. After dropping each of the first nine meetings all-time, the Lions have won five of the past seven encounters, including a 48-0 shutout last September. Solid kicking from Sebastian Benitez-Marrero in going 3 for 3 on extra points helped York as they erased an early deficit and cruised to a 21-6 win over Gloucester. A.J. Wilson threw touchdown passes to Conner Lawson and JeMarcus Tyler. What this game may ultimately come down to his how well Warhill can run the ball with Maximus Schill and Isaiah Rembert against the York defensive front, headed up by four-year starter Xavier Ransome.

Matt Hatfield Says – Warhill 24-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Warhill 29-26 (OT)

 

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York had a nice drive to start, getting a couple of completiosn from A.J. Wilson to Anthony Cutis for 20 down the far sideline and Jamarcus Tyler on an inside slant for 14 yards as they moved into Warhill territory. One of those converted a 3rd & 5.

However, the Warhill defense clamps down against the run on 2nd & 5, then 3rd & 1, and coming up with consecutive stops on third down followed by the 4th & 1 is Maximus Schill for the Lions.

Warhill starts its first possession at their own 35 with 8:00 exactly on the first quarter clock.

 

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Eric Crane touches the football on each of the first five plays from scrimamge for the Warhill offense. His toss on 3rd & 6 moves the sticks with a gain of 6. But even more meaningful was his run on 2nd & 9, slipping away from multiple tackles to get to the second, and then third level, of the defense. It's worth 25 yards down to the York 25.

Play No. 6 is a QB keeper, faking the hand-off with Carson Strickland rushing for a gain of four. Strickland adds three more yards to bring up 3rd & 3 from the 18, but then the York defense is ready for him on the direct snap, dropping him for a loss of a yard.

Lining up for a 36-yard field goal, Warhill gets a fresh set of downs as York gets hit with an encroachment penalty on 4th & 4. That's their second penalty of five yards as the other began the series (an illegal sub flag). That will get under the skin of York Head Coach Doug Pereira for sure.

 

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Junior York linebacker Carter Ward comes up with the game's first turnover on a fumble recovery with 2:23 to go in the first period and it couldn't have come at a better time for the Falcons defense with Warhill threatening in the red zone.

Eric Crane - who had 35 yards on his first five carries - ends up putting it on the turf.

So York takes over at their own 11 with 2:23 to go in this relatively quick moving first quarter.

 

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After a run of 8 by Evam Muangkhao brings up 3rd & 2 for the York offense from their own 19, the Warhill defense gets hit with an offsides penalty. From there though, the Lions sniff out the run completely, including a key tackle for loss on the outside by DB Isaiah Rembert.

York will be punting it away to start the second period.

 

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After York's punt lands at the Warhill 48-yard line with 11:50 to go in the second period, the Lions are stuck in neutral offensively. Their run to the right side ends up going backwards for a loss of 7 as junior LB Ben Ward - brother of the aforementioned Carter Ward - makes the stop behind the line of scrimmage.

Warhill's next two runs get them back to their original line of scrimmage, where they punt it away and they get a fairly decent hop on it, downing York at its 21-yard line with 9:!5 to go in the first half.

Warhill has yet to attempt a pass in this game, whereas York has gone to the air four times out of its 13 plays. So that dimension could pay off for the Falcons if they get another big gainer, but the Falcons just got whistled for their fourth penalty of the half (this an illegal blinside block). That can tilt field position in a hurry.

 

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Using the combination of Seamus Cassidy and Evam Muangkhao - operating as the QB out of a direct snap - the York running game has given them a bit of breathing room to create 3rd & 1 from their own 19 with 7:30 to go in the first half.

Going to a hard count, the Falcons try to get Warhill to jump offsides, but they will end up burning a time-out to avoid a delay of game penalty. Wouldn't be surprised to see them go to more of a tight, under center formation and try to sneak it up there for a yard rather than shotgun style.

 

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What do I know? York stays with the shotgun snap, directly to Evam Muangkhao and he lunges forward just enough to move the sticks on 3rd & 1 for their offense. Another York time-out gets called with 6:44 to go in the second quarter.

After a trio of Warhill defenders, including Isaiah Rembert and Max Schill, drop QB A.J. Wilson for a loss of 6, the Falcons strike with their longest play from scrimmage of the night. A fly sweep run by Anthony Custis results in a gain of 20.

So that's two touches for Custis - one on a catch and another on a run - and he's got 41 yards. Definitely is a good idea to get him the football in space and let him operate.

Leland Hudik and Kameron Lovelady combine to sack Wilson for a loss of 5 and then his pass on 3rd & 14 falls incomplete.

The York punt pins Warhill back at its own 21 with 3:49 till intermission.

 

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The York defense forces a 3 & out with a really fine open field tackle by senior LB Jack Speth on a toss to Eric Crane on 3rd & 8, resulting in no gain.

With 58 seconds to go in the half, the punt by Warhill lands at the Lions 45-yard line. A net of just 22 yards on that punt. So York has been able to swing the field position back in their favor right before the break.

 

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After an incomplete pass on first down, it's York QB A.J. Wilson escaping a sack with his nimble feet, then scrambling away towards the sideline, but he is popped hard by Warhill DB Elijah Williams, showing why he's a William & Mary commit. Unfortunately for Wilson and the Falcons, that 5-yard gain didn't stop the clock because he was still inbounds. The next play is a quick 4-yard completion to Anthony Custis, stopped before he can get out by sophomore DB Jamonte Jones.

So York is unable to get the snap off before 4th & 1 from the Warhill 36, taking us to half-time in a scoreless battle.

 

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Stats at the Half:

York 0:
A.J. Wilson - 3-7 for 38Yds.
Anthony Custis - 2Rec. 24Yds; 1Car. 21Yds.
Seamus Cassidy - 7Car. 15Yds.
Evam Muangkhao - 6Car. 12Yds.
Jamarcus Tyler - 1Rec. 14Yds.
Jack Speth - 4 Tackles
Carter Ward - 3 Tackles, Fumble Recovery

Falcons - 24 plays for 80 total yards (3-7 for 38 yards passing; 17 rushes for 42 yards); 5 penalties for 40 yards; 0 turnovers


Warhill 0:
Carson Strickland - 1-1 for 1Yd; 4Car. 10Yds.
Eric Crane - 9Car. 42Yds.
Max Schill - 1Rec. 1Yd; 5 Tackles, 0.5 TFL
Ryan Kline - 6 Tackles (3 Solo)
Isaiah Rembert - 4 Tackles, 1.5 TFL
Jackson Hays - 3 Tackles, 0.5 TFL

Lions - 16 plays for 45 total yards (1-1 for 1 yard passing; 15 rushes for 44 yards, 1 lost fumble); 2 penalties for 10 yards; 1 turnover

 

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Carson Strickland was able to escape trouble, step up in the pocket and then took what would've been an ordinary run and the red sea basically parted for him to go the distance.

The way this game has gone, that might be enough to get the job done.

Do the Falcons have a quick response in them?

 

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Just when it appeared York was headed for a 3 & out on its first series of the second half, QB A.J. Wilson fires a pass over the middle and making a great leaping catch and somehow hanging on is Brayden Lemonds for 23 yards close to midfield.

Facing another critical third down - this one 3rd & 1 from the Warhill 49 - the Falcons convert it with Anthony Custis getting to the outside for a pickup of 8. Again, like a broken record from earlier, I'm getting him more touches, any way possible.

 

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Anthony Custis comes through a 33-yard TD run on 3rd & 2, just two plays after a swing pass from QB A.J. Wilson to Seamus Cassidy loosened the defense up a pinch.

Elijah Williams returns the ensuing kickoff 13 yards to Warhill's 26, where they will have it with 6:45 to go in the third period.

We've suddenly got some offensive fireworks after the defensive slugfest we saw in the first half.

 

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Warhill goes 3 & out with an offensive holding penalty not helping them and forcing them to take a deep shot on 3rd & 22, just overthrowing Elijah Rambert down the field.

Earlier on the possession, the Lions tried to get William & Mary commit Elijah Williams to break an explosive play on a quick screen, but the York defense was ready for it with Elijah James and Ben Ward reading it well.

The punt for Warhill is not a good one, giving the Falcons fantastic field position at the 32-yard line of Warhill with 4:30 to go in the third period. It was a net of just 18 yards.

 

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York moves the chains on 2nd & 10 with Seamus Cassidy powering ahead for 12 yards down to the Warhill 20.

Anthony Cutis has a rare mishap as he tries to tippy-toe on a run and he ends up losing 2. They then throw an incomplete pass on 2nd & 12, but the Falcons get bailed out on a questionable (at best) pass interference penalty. Freshman Kavon Compton teams with Ryan Kline to drop the Falcons backwards for a yard. But on 3rd & 2, it's Cassidy getting to the outside to the near sideline for a gain of five down to the 7-yard line of Warhill.

The Falcons absolutely must come away with points here, preferably a touchdown rather than a field goal, and ball security is of the utmost importance. They're starting to do a better job of controlling things in the trenches, although blocking Max Schill at his d-end spot is far from an easy task.

 

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How enormous are those 3rd down conversions? It's pretty much the game in a nutshell.

York tries a surprise onside / squib kick and it's nearly recovered, but Warhill is mighty thankful Max Schill was able to get the loose ball. The Lions begin this third possession of the half at their own 41 with 1:41 to go in the third period, suddenly trailing.

 

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An illegal formation penalty on Warhill wipes away what would've been a nice gainer from Elijah Williams. He then runs for three yards to bring up 2nd & 12, which will probably be the final play of this third quarter. Carter Ward then spins Williams for a loss of 3. So it'll be 3rd & 15 from the 36 to begin the 4th period for Warhill.

 

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Carson Strickland scrambles for 10 yards on 3rd & 15 for Warhill, prompting Coach Jerome Rhodes of the Lions to leave his offense on the field instead of punting it away. Why not? The punting game has not exactly been a thing of beauty this evening.

Before they snap it though, the Lions will burn a time-out with 11:08 to go in regulation. This is a huge 4th & 5 for them from their own 46, and it appears after talking it over, he will call on his punt team now.

Could be a fake though.

 

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Warhill does punt it away with Max Schill, pinning York at its own 13-yard line with 10:58 to go in the game. That was a very effective 41-yard punt.

Does York have the goods here to put together a time-consuming drive that either tilts field position back in their favor or results in points to put this thing away?

 

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Following Evam Muangkhao's run of 4 yards, the York Falcons appear to break a long one with Anthony Custis that would easily put him over 100 all-purpose yards on the night, but they call a holding penalty that pushes them back to their own 8.

York goes to the swing pass with Seamus Cassidy hauling it in from QB A.J. Wilson for 13 yards to bring up 3rd & 3. Max Schill then drops the Falcons ball carrier for a loss of a couple.

The punt is a near disaster for York as the ball hits the turf and then the punter literally kicks it on the ground. Referees huddle up and this one looks like what we'll get is an illegal kick. That will give Warhill even better field position than at the 38 of York with 8:03 to go.

So some special teams miscues plaguing both teams in this one. It'll put them at the 28 of the Falcons.

 

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Carter Strickland with a couple of option read runs as the QB keeper is able to get the Lions +2 and then +10 to move the sticks down to the York 18.

Rather quietly, the sophomore triggerman Strickland is up to 101 yards rushing on nine attempts, helped greatly by that 68-yard TD scamper he had to start the 3rd period.

Elijah James, Ben Ward and this Falcons defense is laying the lumber, though. He's looking at 3rd & 6 from the 14. Elijah Williams gains 1 for Warhill on the handoff, bringing up 4th & 5 from the York 13 as we tick near 4 minutes to play.

 

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What a job by Carter Strickland on that pass play because the snap was wide, fired off to his left, but he was able to gather it in without a hitch and then loft it up for Isaiah Rembert to make a play in the far back corner of the end zone.

All knotted up in a dandy here at Wanner Stadium that just may be destined to go to overtime.

Touchback on the kickoff, so York has it at their own 20 with 4:13 to play, and they certainly don't want to give it back to Warhill here in regulation.

 

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Jackson Hays drops Anthony Cutis for a loss of 1 when he tries to stretch it outside. On 2nd & 11, the York offense plays it conservatively with a swing pass to Seamus Cassidy for the third time this evening. Cassidy wisely turns it back inside after he catches it and rumbles for 18 yards to move the chains. Another good pass by QB A.J. Wilson, finding Jack Porter for a gain of 7. They then go back to Cassidy on the ground for a gain of 3, inching closer to midfield at their own 47.

A holding penalty pushes York back to their own 37 with 1:27 to go and the clock is still ticking as it feels more and more like we are OT bound.

 

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A.J. Wilson throws a 16-yard pass to JaMarcus Tyler on a jump-ball play, plus a 15-yard penalty on Warhill gives the Falcons a glimmer of hope to score and avoid overtime. A run up the middle gains just 1 as we tick under 30 seconds, though.

Wilson has pressure in his face from Ryan Kline and his pass over the top is just a pinch too far for Anthony Custis.

Big 3rd & 9 from the 31 coming up with 21 seconds to play.

Seamus Cassidy runs for a gain of 4 down to the 27, where Doug Pereira of York uses a time-out before 4th & 5 with 10 seconds to go.

 

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JaMarcus Tyler hauls in a pass worth 10 yards to get York closer for a potential 34-yard game-winning field goal try with 1 second to go.

Drama forthcoming...

 

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WOW, DIDN’T SEE THAT OUTCOME COMING.