The level of execution by both teams was something that I haven't seen before in a high school football game.
- The only pre-snap penalty by either team was (I believe) when Dinwiddie was trying to spike the ball before the last play of the game. Great technique up front by both teams and virtually no holding penalties. I don't think this was a case of the Officials being lenient as I didn't see any obvious holding on either team. Dinwiddie had very few penalties in the game and Salem didn't have any accepted. I do think they could have called Nick Wade for PI early on in the last Dinwiddie drive but the fact that he was going to make a play on the ball is why I think they let it go.
- There were no important dropped passes that I can remember. No game-changing drops on potential TDs/Conversions but some incredible catches were made by Pope in the game. For as cold as the game was, this is pretty hard to do. The game before had probably 10 passes that went off receivers/DBs hands without being caught. Neither QB missed throws downfield on open receivers.
- The defenses played a lot better than the stats would indicate. Both teams made the other one make hard 3rd down conversions, 4th down conversions and some impossible to defend execution. There were no major coverage busts or misalignments that led to big plays. Dinwiddie did have a DB having to hustle late to line up correctly on a third down play but that is about all I can remember.
- There were almost no fluke plays that swung the outcome of the game. The only strange play I can remember was the third-and-long on the first TD drive of the game for Dinwiddie that was almost intercepted and bounced off a Spartan players hands before being caught by Pope. There was only one turnover in the game when Fox got stripped with Salem driving at the Dinwiddie 10-yard line.
- The special teams had a few big plays. Dinwiddie missed an extra point early that forced them to go for two on their next TD drive and they were stopped on the play. Craft for Salem missed a FG that looked like it got deflected up front. No huge game-breaking kick returns for either team. Craft did make a long FG with no time left to end the first half. Dinwiddie only punted a couple of times and Salem didn't have a punt in the game.
- The amount of clutch plays was just off the charts. Salem had several third and long conversions on routes and throws that were nearly impossible to defend and then they had two 4th down conversions on their last TD drive (Beckley run and Fox run) On the other side, Dinwiddie scored their last two TDs of the game on huge 4th down conversions and then had an incredible catch by Pope on a long pass to get them down to the Salem 11-yard line on their final drive.
Again, hats off to both teams for the best played high school football game I have ever seen in person. Great sportsmanship by both teams and coaching staffs. There was virtually no trash talking, PF penalties or stuff going on after plays. Seeing both teams kneel together in prayer after the game was also impressive to see.
- The only pre-snap penalty by either team was (I believe) when Dinwiddie was trying to spike the ball before the last play of the game. Great technique up front by both teams and virtually no holding penalties. I don't think this was a case of the Officials being lenient as I didn't see any obvious holding on either team. Dinwiddie had very few penalties in the game and Salem didn't have any accepted. I do think they could have called Nick Wade for PI early on in the last Dinwiddie drive but the fact that he was going to make a play on the ball is why I think they let it go.
- There were no important dropped passes that I can remember. No game-changing drops on potential TDs/Conversions but some incredible catches were made by Pope in the game. For as cold as the game was, this is pretty hard to do. The game before had probably 10 passes that went off receivers/DBs hands without being caught. Neither QB missed throws downfield on open receivers.
- The defenses played a lot better than the stats would indicate. Both teams made the other one make hard 3rd down conversions, 4th down conversions and some impossible to defend execution. There were no major coverage busts or misalignments that led to big plays. Dinwiddie did have a DB having to hustle late to line up correctly on a third down play but that is about all I can remember.
- There were almost no fluke plays that swung the outcome of the game. The only strange play I can remember was the third-and-long on the first TD drive of the game for Dinwiddie that was almost intercepted and bounced off a Spartan players hands before being caught by Pope. There was only one turnover in the game when Fox got stripped with Salem driving at the Dinwiddie 10-yard line.
- The special teams had a few big plays. Dinwiddie missed an extra point early that forced them to go for two on their next TD drive and they were stopped on the play. Craft for Salem missed a FG that looked like it got deflected up front. No huge game-breaking kick returns for either team. Craft did make a long FG with no time left to end the first half. Dinwiddie only punted a couple of times and Salem didn't have a punt in the game.
- The amount of clutch plays was just off the charts. Salem had several third and long conversions on routes and throws that were nearly impossible to defend and then they had two 4th down conversions on their last TD drive (Beckley run and Fox run) On the other side, Dinwiddie scored their last two TDs of the game on huge 4th down conversions and then had an incredible catch by Pope on a long pass to get them down to the Salem 11-yard line on their final drive.
Again, hats off to both teams for the best played high school football game I have ever seen in person. Great sportsmanship by both teams and coaching staffs. There was virtually no trash talking, PF penalties or stuff going on after plays. Seeing both teams kneel together in prayer after the game was also impressive to see.
