Blog VHSL Class 5 State Football Championship - Stone Bridge (9-4) vs. Maury (14-0)

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Greetings from UVA's Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, where the 14-0 Maury Commodores take on the 9-4 Stone Bridge Bulldogs for the 2023 VHSL Class 5 State Football Championship.

Andy Hayes and yours truly, Matthew Hatfield, will have the call for you on the NFHS Network. Watch along with us and we'll pass along some updates via Twitter, or 'X' @hatfieldsports as well.

Watch Maury / Stone Bridge on NFHS Network Here

 

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Commodores strike first with a TD on 3rd down and it's the same guy - LeBron Bond - who did it on a third down on the second possession vs. Indian River last week.

 

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Moments after Leslie Hines blocked a punt and it looked like the Commodores were about to punch it in to go up two scores, Stone Bridge comes up with a momentum changing play from Na'eem Abdulh-Rahim Gladding.

 

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Superb read on the crossing pattern for the INT.

 

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Johnson also helped on a sack on 3rd down for the Maury defense to set up the field goal try for Stone Bridge.

 

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Au'Tori Newkirk has been razor sharp, outside of that 1 INT, for the Maury passing attack.

Two blocked kicks - a field goal and punt - playing a big role as well.

 

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It's all Maury since the two spark plays provided by Gladding on defense for Stone Bridge.

 

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It's 26 unanswered points for Maury ever since Stone Bridge nudged in front 7-6. Reminiscent in a lot of ways of Maury erupting for 34 unanswered when Warwick closed within 7-6 to go up 41-7 before the half a couple weeks back in the Region 5B Finals.

 

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That ends the streak of 26 unanswered points for Maury.

 

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At the break, it's Maury ahead by 22 on the Bulldogs.

 

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Big catch moments ago by Gladding on 4th down.

 

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What a game No. 3 is having for Stone Bridge. Bulldogs aren't going away without a fight, but Maury is still up by 20.

 

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Stone Bridge continues to battle back, capitalizing on the Maury turnover.

 

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Bulldogs get the ball back, down 11 with 6:56 to go.

 

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More to come later...