Hampton rallies for victory to put Warwick’s playoff hopes in question
HAMPTON — Hampton saw its Class 4 Region A playoff hopes virtually ended by losses in its first two games because it failed to hold onto fourth-quarter leads. The Crabbers used a fourth-quarter rally to beat Warwick 18-13 in their Peninsula District game on Tuesday to put the Raiders’ playoff chances in jeopardy.
Elijah Robertson broke up the middle on a 74-yard touchdown run to give the Crabbers an 18-13 lead with 10:04 remaining. The Crabbers had gained possession at their own 20 moments earlier on Torian Howerton’s interception — his third of Warwick quarterback Derek Nixon in the second half.
Warwick (3-1) was bedeviled as well by penalties in the second half, the biggest an ineligible receiver call that nullified Nixon’s apparent 63-yard touchdown pass to Keysaun Jones.
The victory gave the Crabbers (1-2) a measure of revenge for a playoff defeat to the Raiders last season. While one loss might not be fatal to the Raiders in a playoff setup that includes four — rather than the usual eight — teams this season, they will almost certainly have to beat Menchville (2-0) on Saturday at Todd Stadium to remain alive.
Hampton started out with a bang. On the Crabbers’ second play from scrimmage, quarterback Teddy Watson completed a pass over the middle to Howerton for a 20-yard gain to midfield.
On the next play, Adam Hatcher (100 yards rushing) sprinted 50 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with the help of receiver Aiden Gibson’s knockdown block. Warwick blocked the point-after attempt, but Hampton led 6-0 with 10:34 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders’ defense stiffened the rest of the first half against constant pressure. Hampton’s defense, sturdy for a third consecutive game, gave its offense possession inside the Raiders’ 30 three times in the first half.
But the Crabbers did not score on any of those possessions, nor when it drove from its 30 to the Warwick 20. Raiders defensive back Kenyon Thorne ended the latter drive by breaking up a pass on fourth and 3.
Warwick led 13-6 at halftime on a pair of short touchdown runs set up by Nixon passes of 19, 22 and 37 yards. Following his 22-yard completion to Elijah Smith, Nixon ran for gains of eight and 10 yards and a 1-yard touchdown as Warwick took a 7-6 lead with 5:19 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders began their next possession at midfield after lineman Francisco Reynoso-Sanchez stopped a Crabber for no gain on fourth and 1. Nixon threw for 19 yards to Jones and 37 yards to Smith before Bryce Buchanan completed the four-play drive with a 2-yard TD run to increase the Raiders’ lead to 13-6 with 1:11 to play in the first quarter.
Hatcher’s 8-yard TD run late in the third quarter pulled the Crabbers back to within 13-12, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.