Churchland edges Granby after failed PAT
PORTSMOUTH — No. 13 Churchland rallied from a 14-point deficit to win its homecoming game 21-20 Friday night over No. 12 Granby as a missed extra point with 12 seconds remaining cost the Comets.
Despite struggles with long snapping, Granby (5-2) led 14-0 and was still ahead 14-13 before the Truckers (5-2) made their eventual winning drive.
Churchland’s Dontavius Booker gained 49 yards on a run before Aveyon Jordan took a direct snap from the Granby 7-yard line and ran toward the end zone. Jordan fumbled before breaking the goal line and then fell on the ball in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:28 remaining. Booker ran for what turned out to be a critical two-point conversion, giving Churchland a 21-14 lead.
Granby, which hadn’t been effective passing all night, changed that on the ensuing drive. Christian Post connected on 5 of 6 throws to drive the Comets 91 yards in 76 seconds. He completed a 39-yard TD pass to Genesis Rhodes — his only catch of the night — with 12 seconds remaining.
Granby coach Kendal Jefferson then sent out kicker Brock Johnson, who had made his first two extra points, to force a tie with a third. The snap on the attempt was high and the rushed kick was deflected away. Some of the Comets claimed an official’s whistle before the play caused the errant snap, but the miss stood.
Granby’s onside kick failed, enabling Churchland to run out the clock.
“It went way down to the wire,” Truckers coach Dontrell Leonard said. “We changed some things on offense, and it took them a long time to adjust to that. And defensively, we just turned up the heat on them.
“We live by this mantra every day: Brick by brick. Like I always tell the kids, I would rather look bad winning than look good losing.”
The Comets went ahead on Cameron Harris’ 15-yard interception return in the first quarter and extended the margin to 14-0 in the second period on Post’s 28-yard pass to Taevon Ricks.
Churchland quarterback Daniel Mitchell’s 2-yard touchdown run and Caden Caris’ PAT cut the deficit to 14-7 in the second quarter.
Penalties and an interception by Churchland’s King Hall snuffed out a Granby threat. The Truckers soon faced third-and-20, but Mitchell found Hall open for a 70-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left in the third quarter. The kick missed, keeping Granby ahead 14-13.
Booker ran for 176 yards on 31 carries, and the Truckers held Granby workhorse Drevyon Tharrington to 32 yards on 13 attempts — including 30 yards on one rush.
— Reported by Charlie Baumgardner
Gamble doesn’t pay off: Everything seemed to be going Hickory’s way.
The Hawks had cut their 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to seven, forced a fumble on Grassfield’s ensuing drive, and the offense was moving the ball. Hickory had it at the Grassfield 27-yard line with more than four minutes left.
The Hawks decided it was time to take a shot at the end zone. Bryson Lane threw into double
coverage, hoping his receiver would make a play, but Grassfield’s Aiden Newman intercepted the pass in the end zone. The Grizzlies ran out the clock for a 21-14 victory in a Southeastern District game at Grassfield.
With the game tied at 7 at the half, Grassfield opened the second half with a 13-play, 70-yard drive Khamari Wilson capped with a 1-yard run.
Hickory tried to counter, but a 15-yard run that would have put the Hawks in Grizzlies territory was called back because of holding. The Hawks fumbled the next snap. After an intentional grounding call, Hickory faced a thirdand-42 at its 4-yard line. Lane fired downfield, but was picked off at the 34-yard line. On the next play, Willie Moore broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run, giving the Grizzlies a 21-7 lead.
The Grizzlies got the ball back, but their drive stalled at Hickory’s 47. Grassfield punted and Hickory started to rally. The Hawks went to a hurry-up offense and moved the ball 72 yards on seven plays. Javaun Walker ended the drive with a 1-yard run.
Grassfield moved the ball downfield, but fumbled at the Hickory 38 and the Hawks recovered, setting up their final drive.
— Reported by Greg Giesen
#757Teamz MVP
When a player gets hurt, a coach looks for the next person to step up. Bruton, missing two quarterbacks and having a third injured, turned to wide receiver Brandon Freeman — the Panthers’ fourthstring quarterback.
Freeman delivered with a touchdown run and a 50-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Henderson. The scores helped Bruton defeat Arcadia 14-7 and clinched a winning season for the Panthers.
Storylines
Phantoms dominate: Keyontae Gray scored on two touchdown receptions and returned an interception for a TD in No. 2 Phoebus’ 65-0 victory over Gloucester. Davion Roberts ran for more than 150 yards for Phoebus, which scored on every possession, while its defense notched three interceptions.
The Phantoms play a makeup
game Tuesday against Bethel at 7 p.m. Darling Stadium.
Raiders’ defense remains stingy:
No. 4 Warwick’s defense hasn’t given up a point through eight games this season. The streak remained intact as the Raiders defeated Woodside 45-0.
Adonus Watson led the defensive effort with 12 tackles, including eight for loss.
Eduardo Rios Jr. threw for more than 260 yards and five touchdowns for the Raiders (8-0). Mike Alleyne (three receptions, 110 yards) and Keon Batts had two touchdown receptions each for the Raiders, who welcomed back star athlete Messiah Delhomme after a two-game absence as he attended to family matters.
Bulldogs keep rolling: Will Foley scored four touchdowns as 11th-ranked Norfolk Academy continued its best season in more than two decades with a 46-13 victory over Nansemond-Suffolk.
Norfolk Academy scored the first 19 points and led 33-7 at halftime.
The Bulldogs (7-0) also moved a step closer to the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools title. NA plays one more TCIS game against Norfolk Christian on Nov. 3.
Warhill remains unbeaten: Jaedyn McAdoo ran for more than 100 yards, while quarterback Liam Francisque threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score as No. 7 Warhill (8-0) remained unbeaten with a 35-6 victory over Grafton. Taylen Eady, Ta’vyion Blockett and Ed White were the receivers on Francisque’s touchdown tosses.
Lafayette tames Tigers: Six players scored for No. 10 Lafayette (5-2) in its 52-0 win over Tabb (5-2) in a Bay Rivers District game.
Six of the Rams’ seven touchdowns came on the ground. Brayden Smalls and Jayden Brown ran for two touchdowns each, while James Spencer and Nazeer Wolmart ran for one apiece.
Daniel Jackson scored on a touchdown pass from Hayden Oleksy, and Clark Canova kicked a 43-yard field goal as the Rams rebounded from a last-second loss a week earlier to Warhill.
“It was a team win as we were good in all three phases,” Lafayette
coach Andy Linn said.
Lions roar in the first half: Noah Getz caught three passes — all touchdowns — as Tallwood jumped out to a 35-point lead at halftime and won 41-14 against First Colonial in a Beach District game.
Jayden Hill rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns for the Lions. Amari Harmon returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown.
Rhett McNamara scored two touchdowns for the Patriots.
Extra points
Salem intercepted a Kempsville pass deep in Salem territory and returned it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help the SunDevils win 13-7.
York fumbled on its first possession and fell behind when New Kent (1-6) scored three plays later. But the Falcons (2-5) scored the next 24 points and held on to win 24-17. Freshmen Evan Maungkhao and Anthony Custis each had touchdown runs for the Falcons, while quarterback Brady Conner, who ran for about 90 yards, passed 6 yards to Elijah James for York’s other touchdown.
Portsmouth Christian quarterback Campbell Clark rushed for two touchdowns — including an 80-yarder — and passed for three in a 48-16 victory over Northampton.
Saturday
Heritage stifles Bethel: With by far their most impressive performance of the year, the Hurricanes shut out the 15th-ranked Bruins 24-0 on a rainy Saturday at Todd Stadium.
Heritage (2-5) considerably boosted its playoff hopes after entering the week just 10th in Class 3 Region A.
Bethel (4-3) figures to drop from its No. 5 spot in Class 5 Region B.
Kellam wins third in row: David Wilk ran for three touchdowns as the visiting Knights (4-3) shut out Beach District foe Bayside 23-0 in the rain, defeating the Marlins (3-5) for just the second time in their past 15 meetings and extending their winning streak to three.
Wilk’s runs to the end zone came from 6, 2 and 15 yards. Davis Funk kicked a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter, and Zion Copeland intercepted a pass.
Kellam began the weekend eighth and Bayside ninth in Class 5 Region A.
FRIDAY NIGHT’S SCORES
757Teamz Top 15
#1Maury 63, Booker T. Washington 0 #2Phoebus 65, Gloucester 0
#3Green Run 35, Ocean Lakes 0
#4Warwick 45, Woodside 0
#5King’s Fork 84, Lakeland 6
#14Indian River 45, #6Nansemond River 38 #7Warhill 35, Grafton 6
#8Oscar Smith 35, Deep Creek 7
#10Lafayette 52, Tabb 0
#11Norfolk Academy 46, Nansemond-Suffolk 13 #13Churchland 21, #12Granby 20
Bay Rivers District
Poquoson 20, Smithfield 7
York 24, New Kent 17
Beach District
Cox 21, Landstown 18
Salem 13, Kempsville 7
Tallwood 41, First Colonial 14
Eastern District
Lake Taylor 49, Manor 21
Southeastern District
Grassfield 21, Hickory 14
Western Branch 28, Great Bridge 7
Non-district
Bruton 14, Arcadia 7
Private schools
Blue Ridge 55, Atlantic Shores Christian 19 Catholic 41, Norfolk Christian 8
SATURDAY’S SCORES
757Teamz Top 15 Heritage 24, #15Bethel 0 Beach District
Kellam 23, Bayside 0