Maury has stars at skill positions, but offensive line makes them go
NORFOLK — Sometimes a team has to face adversity before it can enjoy success.
That’s what happened to Maury last season. The Commodores beat Salem to win their first region title since 1972.
The following week, they faced highly favored and defending state champion Highland Springs in the state semifinals. For a half, the Commodores held their own as they trailed 24-21.
The second half would be much different as the Springers scored 47 points to beat Maury 71-28. Highland Springs went on to win its fourth consecutive state title, while the Commodores went home disappointed and embarrassed.
The offensive line took it the hardest. The players knew conditioning played a huge part as they looked tired and worn down in the second half.
“We felt like up front that we let the team down,” Maury assistant Brice Parker said. “We felt like we didn’t get it done. And that was all of the motivation in the world.”
The offseason would be much different as the Commodores worked hard in the weight room and in conditioning. Some players even changed their diet.
They also spent more time working on techniques and watching game film.
It all paid off last week when the Commodores got another chance at the state semifinals. This time, they beat Varina — which upset Highland Springs in a Region B semifinal — to advance to the program’s first state championship game since 1972. Maury will play Stone Bridge, of Ashburn, in the Class 5 state title game at noon Saturday at Hampton University’s Armstrong Stadium.
“Getting there, it let us taste it,” Parker said about last season’s state semifinal. “It gave those guys a hunger. Those guys just put in time in the weight room and all offseason. So, when they got there on Saturday, they were ready to go.”
Center David Haley said last season’s state semifinal loss was just what the offensive line needed.
“It was total motivation for this entire year,” he said. “And we’ve been working 365 days ever since then.”
The line consists of Haley, tackles Shaq McKesson and Darian Varner and guards Paul Hutson III and Deonte Wray.
When the season began, people raved about the Commodores’ skilled players like KeAndre Lambert, CJ Beasley and Khamran Laborn. But they heard question marks about the line.
Parker and assistant coach
Tevis Terrell took it personally and made sure they did whatever they had to do to fix it.
“We heard that everywhere,” Parker said. “Coach Tevis and I worked our tails off to get it a lot better.”
Head coach Dyrri McCain knew the team’s success this season would rely on the offensive line.
“I know we talk about the names we have in Lambert, Beasley, Laborn and those guys,” he said. “But those names don’t get heard of unless these guys are doing what they’re doing up front.
“They put in a lot of time,” he added. “They don’t get their names in the paper, the accolades or the TV time. But those guys do the dirty work. Coach Brice and Coach Tevis do a great job with them.”
Terrell said it was all about making the linemen take pride in what they did.
“The line is where the game is won,” said Terrell, who played on the line at Churchland High and Norfolk State. “I sold them on that, letting them know that they’re a key, integral part of the team.”
The players began to buy into it, too.
“I take a lot of pride in it because we don’t get a lot of attention,” Wray said. “But without us, the guys behind us wouldn’t be able to do what they do.”
“It really starts with us five up front,” said Varner. “We don’t get a lot of credit, but Coach gives us the credit every day. So we just take his word.”
“Nobody really recognizes us as the leaders of this team. They look to our skilled guys,” said Hutson, a sophomore and the only nonsenior of the bunch. “But we really came a long way and worked hard to help us dominate up front. We know it starts up front with us. Coach tells us that and we take that very serious. Without us, nothing would be able to start.”
The Commodores are also smaller than most opposing defensive lines they face.
Take last Saturday, when they faced a Varina defensive line that included Lorenz Terry, who is 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, and Alonzo Ford, who is 6-3 and 285 pounds.
But the Commodores are able to overcome their lack of size by using strength and technique.
“It’s all about trusting the process and trusting our technique,” said Wray, who is 5-10 and 240 pounds. “When I’m in the weight room, I’m lifting so I can handle guys like that.”
“They’re not big guys at all,” Terrell said. “But they have big hearts. So, if you have a big heart, you can do anything.”
The Commodores will try to finish the job on Saturday. If they are successful, it would be the program’s first state football title since 1939.
“Getting here means everything,” said McKesson. “Now it’s right here and we have to go get it.”