Blog Updates - Oscar Smith (8-0) at Phoebus (9-0)

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En route to Darling Stadium in Hampton following my 757 Saturday Sports Talk show on ESPN Radio 94.1 - which airs 10 AM to 12 Noon each Saturday (shameless plug).

The reigning Class 6 State Champion Oscar Smith Tigers (8-0) play the defending Class 3 State Champion Phoebus Phantoms (9-0) in a much-anticipated showdown.

Want to watch it? You can online via the Hampton Media Network on YouTube below.

 

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Phoebus gets in the end zone first on a 35-yard TD run from Ty Taylor.

The Phantoms stopped Oscar Smith on their first possession and do so on the second with JMU commit Mychal McMullin sacking the QB on third down.

 

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Despite nearly losing the handle on the snap, James finds Bass on a vertical shot and the Phantoms now have a 13-point lead on the Tigers, who are no strangers to overcoming deficits.

Remember, back on September 29th, Oscar Smith rallied from down 17-0 to edge Indian River 19-17. This is a different type of opponent, though. Phoebus has allowed just 20 points the whole season and 14 of those were on opening kickoff return scores by Gloucester and Woodside.

 

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Another third down sack by Mychal McMullin, who is a monster in the early going for the Phoebus defense.

A year ago, Oscar Smith had that enforcer / game-changer in the trenches in Caleb Jones, now at North Carolina A&T. This time, the Phantoms have that guy, plus a pass rusher on the edge in Anthony Reddick that can do significant damage as well.

Oscar Smith's offense - which came in banged up - is searching for answers right now. They're going to need their own defense or special teams to give them a lift.

 

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The Phantoms are on the move again...

 

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The Phoebus air game is having its way with Oscar Smith this afternoon, stunning the Tigers faithful that made the trip across the tunnel from Chesapeake.

And a quick correction that time should read 2ndQ, not 3rdQ.

 

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There is no let up in this machine and hat's off to Coach Jeremy Blunt and his staff for the job they've done in preparing for this one today.

 

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Pretty speechless at this point in how Phoebus is dismantling Oscar Smith this afternoon. Did not this type of beat down coming at all. Sure, Oscar Smith has been able to skate by some close calls against the likes of Indian River and Western Branch, even erasing a deficit against King's Fork, but the way in which they're being man-handled has been totally unexpected.

 

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And here's another wild stat courtesy of Marty O'Brien from the Daily Press & The Virginian-Pilot...

 

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To begin the 2nd half, Phoebus goes to the air for a deep ball again and it's Nolan James finding junior wide receiver Keyontae Gray for a completion of 46 yards down to the Oscar Smith 30.

Running clock is in effect, but the Phantoms aren't done making a statement to one of the state's perennial powers, fresh off back-to-back Class 6 state titles.

 

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On 4th & 7 from the 40, Oscar Smith is able to complete a pass that is deflected by Phantoms defender Anthony Reddick, caught by a Tigers receiver... but he's short of the sticks.

The Phantoms take over at their own 35 with 9:29 to go and leading 56-0.

The defense - which as a starting unit has not allowed a touchdown all season - has been absolutely smothering from game one to now. Mychal McMullin up front has been a beast with Reddick on the edge, and then when you get to the second level of the defense, Jordan Bass simply disrupts things in a different way than others.

 

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The punt couldn't get off due to a low snap and Oscar Smith takes over at the Phoebus 25. The Phantoms will use a time-out with 5:56 remaining, trying to preserve the shutout.

On 2nd & 4 from the Phoebus 19, the Tigers hit a slant for what appears to be a TD with Parker Lancaster to Xavier Lewis. However, a holding penalty brings it back and puts the Tigers at the 29.

 

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On 3rd & 14 from the 29 of Phoebus, Oscar Smith tries to get a big pass play and it's incomplete, nearly picked off by Jordan Bass, who is down injured in the back of the end zone. Let's hoping it's nothing more than a cramp for a young man that today is playing like, in my opinion, the favorite for Gatorade State Player of the Year honors.

 

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In many ways, this feels like a 'changing of the guard' type of moment within the '757' very much similar to when Lake Taylor shellacked Phoebus 54-0 in the Eastern Region Division 5 Championship game at Harbor Park in 2012. That ended the drive for five as in the pursuit of a fifth consecutive state title for the Phantoms.

Of course, this doesn't end the quest for a third straight state title for Oscar Smith at the Class 6 level. But one has to wonder, given their health without speedy playmaker Jamauri' Bam' Knox due to injury and also with some other integral parts dinged up if the Tigers will be able to recover and get out of Region 6A, where the likes of Thomas Dale, Manchester and Western Branch are all chomping at the bit to have their moment going to the State Playoffs.

 

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FINAL in VHSL Football - Phoebus 56, Oscar Smith 0.

Phantoms complete a perfect 10-0 regular season behind 5 TD passes from Nolan James, 5 TD's from Pitt commit Jordan Bass (4 receiving) + a starting defense that didn't surrender a score all year.

More to come later...

 

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Postgame Video Interview with Phoebus DL Mychal McMullin:



Phoebus senior defensive lineman Mychal McMullin chats after his team's 56-0 win over Oscar Smith at Darling Stadium in Hampton on Saturday, November 5, 2022.

McMullin, a JMU commit, made four sacks, three of which came in the first half on a day where the Phantoms halted a winning streak of 34 games by the Tigers over Hampton Roads foes.

The Phantoms enter the Region 3A playoffs as the No. 1 seed with a perfect record of 10-0 overall. Five more wins will secure their second straight state title.

 

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Postgame Video Interview with Phoebus DB/WR Jordan Bass & QB Nolan James:




Phoebus WR/DB Jordan Bass and QB Nolan James chat after their team's 56-0 shutout of Oscar Smith in front of a packed house at Darling Stadium in Hampton on Saturday, November 5, 2022.

Committed to play his College Football in the ACC at Pitt, Bass hauled in four touchdown receptions, totaling 152 yards to go with a 6-yard TD run and a pair of punt returns that amassed 36 yards.

James, who came to the Phantoms in the off-season from Nansemond River, was a perfect 7 of 7 through the air for 219 yards and 5 TD's.

This dynamic duo enabled Phoebus to outscore opponents 381-20 in nine games on the field, not counting a forfeit win as well.

 

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Postgame Video interview with Phoebus Coach Jeremy Blunt:




Phoebus Head Coach Jeremy Blunt chats after his team's 56-0 shutout of Oscar Smith in a much-anticipated showdown between defending State Champions held at Darling Stadium in Hampton on Saturday, November 5, 2022.

The 56-point drubbing of the reigning two-time Class 6 State Champs marked the most lopsided defeat for the Tigers since 2002 when they lost to Western Branch 58-0.

Blunt's starting defense did not allow a touchdown the entire season as the 20 points allowed saw 14 get scored by the likes of Woodside and Gloucester on opening kickoff returns, plus the other six by Bethel against backups.

Now 112-19 overall at the helm of his alma mater since being elevated to the lead chair in 2012, Blunt has the Phantoms five playoff wins away from the program's ninth State Championship.