Blog VHSL Region 4A Quarterfinals - #5 Churchland (7-3) at #4 Phoebus (6-3)

[matthew328826]

Nice sunny, 68-degree day at Darling Stadium in Hampton as the reigning four-time State Champion Phoebus Phantoms (6-3) play host to the visiting Churchland Truckers (7-3) from Portsmouth.

Phoebus is 80-20 all-time in the playoffs and 6-0 in its history against Churchland, which includes three postseason victories over them.

Updates here and via Twitter or 'X' @hatfieldsports

 

[matthew328826]

 

[matthew328826]

That scoring drive for Churchland was 11-play, 89-yard drive and took up 5:29 off the clock.

 

[matthew328826]

 

[matthew328826]

Nice response from the Phantoms with a lengthy 10-play, 65-yard drive.

 

[matthew328826]

Churchland was not helped by 13 penalties for 123 yards in the first half compared to just 4 flags for 20 yards on the Phantoms.

Kameron Tillery leads the Phoebus defense with 6 total tackles (3 solo). The Truckers have rushed for 82 yards, although it feels like much more and it would be if not for numerous penalties.

 

[matthew328826]

Incredible kickoff return by Josh Blackwell, who spun off a Churchland player during the 80-yard return that got the entire Phoebus fan section on its feet.

Maurikus Banks missed an open target on the 2-point try, but the Phantoms are back in this one.

 

[matthew328826]

A 51-yard kickoff return by Breon Dupree is wiped off because of a holding penalty - the 14th flag on the visiting Truckers. However, a 21-yard run from Elijah Salmon along with a pass completion from sophomore QB Logan Wynne to wideout Floyd Logan V. A face-mask penalty on the pass completion committed by Phoebus helps Churchland inch closer to the red zone. Three straight incomplete passes bring up 4th & 10. The third down pass was nearly intercepted by Isaac Parker of Phoebus.

Big sack from Phoebus defensive lineman Jovan Pendleton on fourth down, dropping Wynne for a loss of seven.

The Phantoms take over at their own 34. They get 7 yards on a run from Mikhail Georges and then move the sticks on a run by Georges for three more. Junior QB and ODU commit Maurikus Banks dumps it off to Tyree Diggs for a gain of three yards before junior Rashaun Alston-Parrott rushes for five yards. On 3rd & 2, Banks ends up getting dropped for a loss of about four by Churchland lineman Travon Williams

Phantoms Coach Jeremy Blunt decides to punt it away on 4th & 6 from their own 48. Churchland takes over at their own 40 with 7:02 remaining in the third period.

 

[matthew328826]

Faced with a 4th & 3 from their own 47, Churchland is leaving the offense on the field while leading 14-12. They don't have to run the play to convert it, though. That's because Phoebus gets called for encroachment.

A nice end around run that Dareon Ripley twists inside for a gain of seven brings up 2nd & 3 for the Truckers from the Phantoms 44. After a false start penalty, Churchland gains four yards on the ground with Larry Hurdle Jr/ Then on 3rd & 4, it's Trukers QB Logan Wynne getting sacked by two-way Phoebus lineman standout Troy Solomona.

Churchland ends up punting it away and it barely bounces into the end zone for a touchback when it nearly died at around the 1 or 2.

Phoebus takes over at their own 20 with 2:38 to go in the third period, trailing 14-12.

 

[matthew328826]

Best ball of the day delivered by junior triggerman Maurikus Banks to Jayden Javier, who shakes one defender, but doesn't get past another to get an 80-yard touchdown. Instead, it's a 39-yard reception into Churchland territory. Mikhail Georges runs for another four yards, plus a 15-yard infraction on Churchland gets the Phantoms near the red zone.

Churchland is now imploding with multiple penalties - including an unsportsmanlike conduct flag - with the Phantoms at the Truckers 8.

Coach Dontrell Leonard cannot be pleased at all that his team, in control earlier with a 14-point lead, has been penalized 19 times for 172 yards... and we still have another quarter to go.

 

[matthew328826]

After some self-inflicted mistakes through penalties, Churchland's defense is trying to make Phoebus earn this go-ahead touchdown. They wallop Tyree Diggs for a loss of one with Breon Dupree. Then they limit QB Maurikus Banks to just a gain of four on second-and-goal. Now, a huge 3rd & Goal from the 4 for Phoebus, which has me perplexed why they are going shotgun instead of more of a heavy / jumbo type of package with it likely being two-down territory.

 

[matthew328826]

That 'B' button, known to spin on the PlayStation or XBox controller, has been activated for Phoebus in this second half. Much like Josh Blackwell's spin on the kickoff return, it's Tyree Diggs able to twirl his way into the end zone. The Phantoms went with a shotgun style option pitch that had QB Maurikus Banks get it to his backfield mate to finish the scoring series.

 

[matthew328826]

If Churchland can eliminate the penalties, this is a very winnable game. However, the Phantoms have the hearts of a Champion... and you know they won't let them have it without a fight.

 

[matthew328826]

Sophomore DE D'Andre White brings the heat on 2nd & 18 and nearly sacks Churchland sophomore QB Logan Wynne, drilled as he throws. It's almost intercepted by Kameron Tillery.

The third down pass by Wynne short hops his intended target, Dareon Ripley, and now the Truckers have to punt it away just 11 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Phoebus takes over after fair caching the punt at their own 35.

 

[matthew328826]

That touchdown run by Tyree Diggs is hands down one of the three of four best I've seen all year long - live or on film - as he was refusing to go down on that sprint to paydirt.

Do the Phantoms have their swagger back? Maybe. But should they hold on, awaiting them is top-seeded Hampton, which crushed Manor last night and beat them earlier this season by a 43-7 running clock margin just one month ago.

 

[matthew328826]

Surprised Churchland isn't operating with more tempo or urgency, suddenly trailing by 12. Of course, part of it can be the shock factor that comes with playing Phoebus and having a lead that evaporates. A run of a couple yards by Elijah Salmon is followed by a pass completion of seven yards to Dareon Ripley. On 3rd & 1, the Truckers go shotgun and it's Salmon able to mvoe the sticks for six yards.

Salmon makes another play with a 5-yard reception on 2nd & 9 just a couple plays later. On 3rd & 4 from the Phantoms 39 it's Logan Wynne throwing a nice jump-ball that Floyd Logan V comes down with for a gain of 27 yards.

The very next play though, it's Troy Solomona stopping Salmon for no gain on a run he tries to stretch outside. On an underneath crossing route, it's Jayden Person with a catch for no gain as Kendall Whitehead made an impressive tackle. Solomona and Marcel Hill, both of whom have really stepped up their play in the second half, limit Salmon to a gain of one. That brings up 4th & 9 from the Phantoms 11, essentially the game for the Truckers here.

 

[matthew328826]

The Phantoms have incorporated some speed option in this second half and it's paying off with Tyree Diggs gaining 84 yards on his six attempts after half-time. After his 11-yard run, he's stopped for no gain. Diggs gains four yards to bring up 3rd & 6 as the clock ticks under four minutes in regulation.

Rolling to his right, Maurikus Banks is unable to complete the third down pass, halting the clock at 3:31.

Churchland returns the punt to the Phantoms 43 with 3:21 to play. Still a chance to make something happen in this game.

 

[matthew328826]

That pitch and catch was a beauty for Churchland fans - - Logan Wynne showed the arm talen tand Floyd Logan V ran a really fine route. The safeties were not positioned properly for Phoebus, leaving the middle open on the deep post pattern.

Now, the Churchland defense is aiming to force a quick 3 & out to give their offense a chance at stunning the four-time defending State Champs.

Churchland tries the onside / squib kick and sophomore Zachary Edmunds for Phoebus recovers just shy of midfield at the 49 with 3:04 left.

 

[matthew328826]

Tyree Diggs is running with a refusal to lose for the Phantoms. His latest run is 18 yards down to the Churchland 33. Now it's time to milk the clock for the Phantoms.

But an uh-oh moment - - Diggs coughs it up. Believe Breon Dupree recovers it for Churchland after we credit him with the force.

Churchland has plenty of time - 2:20 left - at their own 33 with all three time-outs at their disposal.

 

[matthew328826]

Elijah Salmon breaks off a 15-yard run to get Churchland near midfield. Then he gets 4 yards and a catch of +4 by Dareon Ripley. Ripley then adds another four-yard reception to keep the game going.

Right before that, freshman Jayden Marbury nearly intercepted the third down pass of QB Logan Wynne from Churchland.

Wynne has been clobbered on a couple of his pass attempts lately - one by Mikhail Georges on a blitz and the other from lineman Jordyn Hill. The ladder brings up 2nd & 10 with 1:09 to go. Dontrell Leonard's Truckrs still have two time-outs left.

A pass goes flying off the fingertips of Breon Dupree to bring up 3rd & 10.

 

[matthew328826]

 

[matthew328826]

A sub infraction on Phoebus gets Churchland closer to the 8. A forward pitch with Breon Dupree in motion loses a yard as Kendall Whitehead drops him a yard to the 9.

The Truckers burn their second time-out with 50 seconds to go before 2nd & 6 from the PHS 9.

It's penalty No. 21 on Churchland, a false start, pushing them back five yards to the 14 for 2nd & 11.

Jordyn Hill sacks Logan Wynne for a loss of 8 to make Churchland burn its final time-out with 41 seconds to go. Churchland is now facing 3rd & 19 from the PHS 22.

 

[matthew328826]

Churchland QB Logan Wynne rolls to his right and throws an incomplete pass. Phoebus Coach Jeremy Blunt calls time-out to get his defense organized before the big 4th & 19 from the 22-yard line with 34 seconds left and the Truckers trailing 26-21.

Wynne fumbles the fourth down pass and then throws it in the end zone, where it's incomplete with 27 seconds to go.

Then suddenly a flag is thrown -- a holding penalty on the Phantoms. Tha makes it 4th & 9 from the 12. Wow.

 

[matthew328826]

What a ballgame. And what a way for the ninth grader - who dropped an INT earlier this quarter - to redeem himself. Remember that name Jayden Marbury.

 

[matthew328826]

This will mark the 11th playoff encounter between storied rivals Hampton & Phoebus since 1998.

Phoebus leads their postseason series 7-3 with five straight playoff victories over the Crabbers (2007, 2010, 2012, 2023 and 2024).

Hampton won earlier this season, 43-7 on Oct. 16.

More to come later... stay tuned!