Defense blocks sting of Hornets

Dunlap, Commodores capture third straight Class 5 Region A title

CHESAPEAKE — There’s still plenty of tread left on Demonte Dunlap’s tires.

The senior workhorse running back for Maury rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns as the Commodores dominated Deep Creek 41-0 to win the program’s third straight Class 5 Region A championship Saturday at Deep Creek Middle.

“Dunlap is special, man,” Maury coach Dyrri McCain said. “And you don’t get those runs if you don’t have an offensive line that opens up those holes up front. He does a good job finding those holes.”

With many of its stars graduating after the 2019 state championship run, McCain is particularly proud of this season’s squad for keeping the region glory in Norfolk.

“I like this one a little better, honestly,” McCain said. “We had a special class with the other two teams in ’18 and ’19, but this one’s pretty special to me because all the guys we had that left and are doing great things at their colleges and universities, this bunch right here speaks volumes to the kids not paying attention to the naysayers or people saying we couldn’t do it (again).”

McCain and the coaches harped on winning the team’s third straight region title during practice this week. And when the time came for

photos in the postgame celebration, players flashed three fingers.

“That was one of the goals we set because this hadn’t been done before,” junior quarterback and wide receiver Ahmarian Granger said. “So making history, that’s one of the things we keyed on this week — to dominate and finish the game.”

Dominate the Commodores did. Dunlap capped the game’s opening 71-yard drive with a 16-yard rushing touchdown, and Maury forced a turnover on Deep Creek’s first drive.

Maury later earned a safety and Granger’s 31-yard touchdown scramble to make it 15-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Granger rushed for 110 yards and two scores and passed for 96 yards with an interception.

Dunlap added scoring runs of 79 and 28 yards for an insurmountable 29-0 halftime lead. The Commodores finished with 456 yards of offense.

Maury’s defense held Deep Creek to just 104 yards, holding elusive quarterback Tony Barnes to 17 yards rushing.

“He’s a guy who tries to scramble a lot,” said Granger, who also plays defensive back, “so we shut him down.”

The Hornets’ talented wideouts, led by William & Mary commit Jalen Jones, also were held in check.

“We talked about them on film a lot,” McCain said. “They definitely have some weapons outside. They have a good offense and they have a good staff, good team. Again, coaching. Our defensive staff came with a great plan, worked hard all week, stuck to the game plan, and our kids executed.”

Maury looks to continue its state title defense next week with a state semifinal against Highland Springs.

“We’re a unit,” Granger said. “We go through good times and bad times and it makes us stronger.”