Game Recap Trojans Subdue Tigers and Set Up Clash with the Gladiators

[TheSel2]

The Trojans Kam Robinson stops the Royal Tigers Kam Berry in his tracks.

TAPPAHANNOCK- In the regular season many anticipated the Essex vs. King & Queen Central matchup because of the competitive nature of last season's game. Many left disappointed but expected the rematch to be the test before the game for the Trojans. The Royal Tigers were surely going to make this time a much different outcome right? Hopes of a different outcome were quickly denied in less than 60 seconds.

After recovering the squib kick, Essex looked to send a message about how this game was gonna go. The first play from scrimmage Dorian Harris took the hand off cut right and it was goodbye. Harris would streak 51 yards for the touchdown before many got settled into the bleachers as only 11 seconds were off the clock.


Dorian Harris exploded for the opening touchdown from 51 yards out.

The Royal Tigers offense would look to respond and they would but not in the way the visiting fans wanted. Malik Holmes' pass to his left would be picked by Mekhi Allen who raced 31 yards for the pick six. With 11:01 on the clock in the 1st Essex led 16-0.

King & Queen Central's defense would tighten up and would even look good stopping the Trojans offense the rest of the quarter and into the early 2nd. After denying a Trojan drive at their own 5 yard line, the Royal Tigers would watch a snap go right through the hands of Holmes into the back of the endzone for the safety. Essex led 18-0 with 8:21 before the half.


The snap gets away and into the back of the endzone for an Essex safety.


If the fire had gone out then that safety would be the spark the Trojans needed to rekindle the flame. The next possession would end with Kam Robinson leaping into the endzone from a yard out. He would even throw a pass on the conversion to Jordan Howard to make it 26-0 with 4:59 to play before the half.

After an interception by Bryan Roane Jr., Michael Brimmer would throw a perfect pass to Allen from 29 yards out to make it 33-0 at the 3:17 mark in the 2nd. This would be the score at the half.

In the 2nd half, Brimmer would hit Javione Garner-Rich on a short reception in which he would then dash for a 14 yard touchdown! The running clock would be on and Zaccheus Ware would nail his 2nd straight extra point to make it 40-0. Jaden Holmes would get the final score going in from 2 yards on with the 2nd team to close things out with a 46-0 victory.


Jordan Howard makes a big catch setting a score.


Essex will now move on to the state semifinals where they set up the most anticipated match up of the year. Essex (13-0) will travel to Greenville and face the Region B champion Riverheads (11-1) who defeated Central Lunenburg 42-13. Coach Todd Jones' group is their most talented in decades for the Trojans and a large convoy of fans should make the ride out west.

Coach Dylan DeHart gets the runner up trophy and will say goodbye to a group many would say were the faces of resurrecting the Royal Tigers back to their winning ways. Their community is proud of them and they look to reload and continue to be in the upper echelon of Region A contenders..


Coach Dylan DeHart accepts the runner up trophy from Essex Principal Damean Barfield for the good season the Royal Tigers produced.

KING & QUEEN 0 0 0 0 - 0
ESSEX 16 17 7 6 - 46

E- Harris 51 yard run (Robinson run)
E- Allen 31 yard interception return (Harris pass from Brimmer)
E- Safety (ball goes out the back of the endzone)
E- Robinson 1 yard run (Howard pass from Robinson)
E- Allen 29 yard pass from Brimmer (Ware kick)
E- Garner-Rich 14 yard pass from Brimmer (Ware kick)
E- Holmes 2 yard run (kick failed)

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Correction.........Riverheads' record is now 10-1. They lost to Class 3 Lord Botetourt in the regular season and had a road game at Westmoreland canceled due to the hurricane. So they ended the regular season 8-1. They have now beaten Sussex Central and Central Lunenburg to win Region B, which makes them 10-1.

 

[KWcavs360]

Essex being 13-0 doesn’t have the power points to host the state semi finals?

 

[Xcross]

Doesn't help to play a lot of cupcakes all season .

 

[RappriverEHS]

Other then LB, riverheads hasn't played anybody. There district is made up of weak 2a schools who help them with points.

 

[KWcavs360]

Doesn't help to play a lot of cupcakes all season .

The schedules don’t look all that different honestly. At least to me. Just doesn’t seem right to have a 10-1 team host a state semi final when the opponent is 13-0

 

[uvacavs1]

I would seriously suggest that the entire referee crew for this big game not be from within an hour of Riverheads or Tappahannock.

Especially the man with the white hat (this man should definitely have never seen either of these teams before).

I can already hear it now....

"During the 1st half, Essex's Dorian Harris has his 2nd long TD blast called back because of a late penalty flag thrown from the other side of the field...."

"Essex's Kam Robinson is mugged again by the Riverheads defenders way before the pass even arrived....oh my, another no call.."

"Wow - momentum certainly has shifted to Riverheads."

During the 2nd half, with Riverheads up by 2-3 scores, "Essex finally gets a big call to go their way....."

 

[Xcross]

When you don't want to admit defeat blame the zebras . That is classy !

 

[uvacavs1]

It's called prescience, my friend.

Classy or not, it is what it is and will probably also be.

Hopefully though, not now....

May the best team be victorious, and the players decide the outcome on the field.

 

[Gladiatorfencepatrol]

The schedules don’t look all that different honestly. At least to me. Just doesn’t seem right to have a 10-1 team host a state semi final when the opponent is 13-0

Riverheads is no 1 seed because their schedule , they played five 3A teams and two 2A teams. There only loss was to 3A LB.

 

[Gladiatorfencepatrol]

Other then LB, riverheads hasn't played anybody. There district is made up of weak 2a schools who help them with points.

Their district has four 3A teams, 2 that made the playoffs and one 2A team that made the playoff. Show me another 1A team that comes close to playing that kind of schedule. That is why their #1 seed and Essex is #3. Essex has played absolutely nobody.

 

[RappriverEHS]

King william is a nobody?? I forgot how strong Waynesboro and fort defiance are! Heck of a season they had! Anybody makes the playoffs these days, I wouldn't put much into that.

 

[Gladiatorfencepatrol]

King william is a nobody?? I forgot how strong Waynesboro and fort defiance are! Heck of a season they had! Anybody makes the playoffs these days, I wouldn't put much into that.

KW isnt close to the team they had last year, evident by their loss to a mediocre Poquoson team. Like the way you list Way and Fort, you dont mention the three 3A playoff teams, but guarantee your team couldnt beat anybody in our district.

 

[RappriverEHS]

Essex would do just fine in that district. Any of those teams get out of the first round?

 

[Gladiatorfencepatrol]

Essex would do just fine in that district. Any of those teams get out of the first round?

My bad, didnt pay attention to the EHS at the end just saw the Rappriver and thought you were Rappahanock, LOL, yes Essex would do well in our district.

 

[RedPrideNation_RollPride]

I happen to agree that Essex would do well in the ‘doah. The difference right or wrong is that a win over a middle of the road 1A opponent 5-5 gets you 26 points for the win. When you beat an admittedly overachieving 3A opponent 7-3, you get 34 points. That’s basically a whole point on average at the end of the season. While it’s not perfect the points system works for the most part but there are always little oddities like this case that crop up.

On a semi serious note, I have heard that the defense has score a pile of points this season for Essex, how many tds on the year were the result of the D? I know they aren’t allowing many and hats off for that. The core of most championship teams is the defense (even though the offense always seem to get credit for wins).

 

[Gunz41]

Essex:
Sussex Central (6-4): 28
Jamestown (0-10): 22
King William (7-3): 32
Franklin (4-6): 24
King Queen (8-2): 32
Northumberland (7-2): 30
Colonial Beach (1-9): 18
Lancaster (1-9): 18
Westmoreland (4-5): 24
Rappahannock (5-5): 26

254 Total (10 games)

Riverheads:
Waynesboro (1-9): 22
Parry Mccluer (4-6): 24
Lord Botetourt (9-1): 17
Tazewell (6-4): 30
Buffalo Gap (6-4): 28
Wilson (7-3): 34
Fort Defiance (3-7): 26
Staunton (7-3): 34
Stuarts Draft (7-3): 32

247 Total (9 games)

Essex played 7 playoff teams, Riverheads played 7 playoff teams.

The difference was that the majority of the teams that Riverheads played (and thus made playoffs) are higher classes, so more points.

But just for the purposes of the discussion, had Riverheads and Westmoreland played their game, assuming Riverheads won, their total points would then have been 271.

So the difference in schedules to determine host would be 17 points.

 

[RappriverEHS]

Essex doesn't get much help being in a small area with nothing but 1a schools in their district. I would like to start seeing them beef up their schedule in the future with some Richmond area schools and possibly king george who is right up the road.

Not sure exactly how many touchdowns the defense has produced...I would say they would be 50 percent of the scoring.

 

[RedPrideNation_RollPride]

@RappriverEHS thats impressive for sure.

Safe travels to the Region A fans coming up and I am hoping for a good clean injury free game. Two very good teams that will both play their hearts out. Good luck to all the athletes still playing this coming week.

 

[TrojanFan22560]

This is a topic that comes up every season. In the past ten years or so Essex has played Deel Run (5A), King George (4A), Caroline (4A), Goocand and Gretna even knowing they would likely meet in the playoffs, James Monroe, etc. I would like to see Essex play Caroline and King George annually and add a Hanover County school as these are all fairly close but are bigger schools that Essex would likely lose to often times, but would better help prepare them for the playoffs. The problem is, it’s hard to get higher class schools to play lower class schools OOD, especially if there’s a chance to lose.

 

[TrojanFan22560]

This is a topic that comes up every season. In the past ten years or so Essex has played Deel Run (5A), King George (4A), Caroline (4A), Goocand and Gretna even knowing they would likely meet in the playoffs, James Monroe, etc. I would like to see Essex play Caroline and King George annually and add a Hanover County school as these are all fairly close but are bigger schools that Essex would likely lose to often times, but would better help prepare them for the playoffs. The problem is, it’s hard to get higher class schools to play lower class schools OOD, especially if there’s a chance to lose.

 

[KWcavs360]

This is a topic that comes up every season. In the past ten years or so Essex has played Deel Run (5A), King George (4A), Caroline (4A), Goocand and Gretna even knowing they would likely meet in the playoffs, James Monroe, etc. I would like to see Essex play Caroline and King George annually and add a Hanover County school as these are all fairly close but are bigger schools that Essex would likely lose to often times, but would better help prepare them for the playoffs. The problem is, it’s hard to get higher class schools to play lower class schools OOD, especially if there’s a chance to lose.

That’s also been KW’s problem, our district is so weak full of 1A schools and struggled trying to get anything bigger then a 3A school to play us. I have heard that KW has added Hanover high school to their schedule this up coming season, so maybe their is hope for Essex in the future. Personally I would like to see a new district made with KW, Essex, Armstrong, Thomas Jefferson, Caroline, maybe New Kent, Mechanicsville, and/or Maggie Walker. For the most part logistically it could be do able. Essex would be the smallest school but Essex never really rebuilds but reloads. That would give Essex 2 2A and 2 3A schools to play every year and possibly more incentive for schools like Hanover and KG to put them on the schedule. Just my opinion.