Barnes bolsters Deep Creek in rally from 11-point deficit
Miles’ 2 TDs help SunDevils win 13th straight in district
CHESAPEAKE — After bulldozing Braves for the winning touchdown, Deep Creek quarterback Tony Barnes better have the Southeastern District’s attention now.
Barnes barreled through Indian River’s defense for a 19-yard go-ahead touchdown with 1:21 remaining in the fourth quarter to give No. 12 Deep Creek (2-0) a 21-17 win over the No. 8 Braves on Saturday at Indian River.
“I just followed my blocks and did what my coaches told me to do: Run hard,” said Barnes, a junior who completed 9 of 18 passes for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
The score capped an improbable comeback that saw the Hornets erase a 17-6 deficit in the final eight minutes.
“Real heart. Real grit,” Deep Creek coach Andre Twine said. “The kids stayed with the program, stayed with the game plan and they just executed at the right time. We never gave up. ... We had a whole total team effort that pushed through today.”
And it certainly took a lot of pushing despite the opposing force feeling like a brick wall. Deep Creek was outgained 250 yards to 168 on offense, rushing for just 4 yards on 29 attempts.
Despite the lackluster production, Deep Creek led 6-0 at halftime when the Hornets opened up the offense to include more passing plays. Barnes threw a 15-yard touchdown to Jalen
Jones with 20 seconds to go in the second quarter.
“We started putting our guys in the best position possible and they executed on that point,” Twine said.
Indian River rebounded on the second half ’s opening play when freshman QB Tyler Allison hit Braylon Payne on a quick pass and Payne rumbled 65 yards to lift the Braves to a 7-6 lead. Payne finished with 162 yards from scrimmage.
The Hornets’ defense held firm for the rest of the quarter, forcing Indian River’s third turnover on downs inside Deep Creek territory.
Davis Crittenden kicked a 27-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-6 in the fourth quarter before Ty’Shawn Davis jumped a route and
returned an interception 25 yards on the ensuing drive to make it 17-6.
The 11-point lead didn’t last long as Barnes found Tariq Hailes for a 59-yard TD strike on the third play of the next drive to make it 17-14 following Barnes’ two-point conversion rush.
A quick three-and-out by Indian River set up Deep Creek’s winning drive.
“I’m at a loss for words right now,” Twine said. “My guys played hard and my coaching staff coached hard on that one.”
Jones sealed the win with an interception in the final minute.
“We got some work to do fixing stuff up,” Barnes said, “but it’s going to be good. It’s going to be great.”
Salem quarterback Saquan Miles scored two touchdowns, including a 10-yard run in overtime, to help the No. 6 SunDevils hold off No. 9 Princess Anne 12-6 on a cold, rainy night at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
The SunDevils, the defending Beach District champions, have now won 13 consecutive district games.
But this one wasn’t easy. The SunDevils (1-0), known for their defense, turned back the Cavaliers numerous times.
The biggest stop was in overtime.
Princess Anne quarterback Ryan High seemed to score on a 4-yard run, but holding was called to back up the Cavaliers to the 14.
On the next play, the SunDevils hit High for a 3-yard loss. An incomplete pass in the end zone followed to force fourth down.
The Cavaliers decided to go for a 35-yard field goal, but the SunDevils blocked it and nearly returned it for a touchdown.
On their first play from scrimmage in overtime, Miles sprinted through the Cavaliers’ defense for the winning touchdown.
“Our veteran leaders led and played relentless, and
the young guys followed suit,” Salem coach Shawn Wilson said about the defense.
Early in the game, Princess Anne (0-1) got the ball
on the Salem 40. The Cavaliers moved it to the 13, but couldn’t get any closer as the SunDevils held them.
After the turnover on downs, the SunDevils
marched 85 yards on 12 plays, capped by Miles’ 2-yard touchdown run. The SunDevils missed the extra point, but led 6-0.
Princess Anne put together another drive just before halftime as High moved the ball to the Salem 7. But once again, the defense stopped the Cavaliers.
Princess Anne, which hasn’t beaten Salem since 2004, had some momentum in the third quarter as the Cavaliers moved the ball to the Salem 36, but the drive ended with no points.
Wilson credited his staff, led by defensive coordinator Jeff McGowan, for making “great adjustments” during the game.
McGowan said he was impressed with the defense, which returned only three starters.
“They were resilient,” he said. “A lot of young guys stepped up, living up to Salem’s ‘Black D’ legacy.”
The defense was led by Zemarion Harrell, Donte Ponder, Keimar Carter-Gatlin and Desmond Green, who combined for 37 tackles.
Princess Anne scored in the third quarter on High’s 2-yard run to tie the game. But a bad snap on the point-after try turned into a failed pass that kept the game tied through regulation.
Despite the loss, Cavaliers coach James Yeager said he was pleased with his team’s performance.
“They really battled and played a good ballgame,” he said. “I think both sides have to really respect each other after that type of game. ... (Salem is) a strong team, they’re well-coached, they got good speed and a good defense.”