Rolling left behind the ample protection that his offensive line has customarily provided all season, Matoaca quarterback Ryley Justus spotted wideout Dillon Newton-Short momentarily wide open about 8 yards downfield.
Recognizing, though, that a Mills Godwin defender was closing quickly, Justus placed a well-crafted spiral into Newton-Short’s hands at knee level and left the rest to him.
The nimble-footed, sure-handed junior zigged past the first would-be tackler, cut back inside, zagged past the next, cut back toward the sideline, then outsprinted the pursuit across the goal line.
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As the PA announcer at Warrior Stadium queued up Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” the early-fourth-quarter, Justus-to-Newton-Short pyrotechnics covering 30 yards provided yet another highlight-reel moment in Matoaca’s 36-0 victory over the Eagles in the Class 5C semifinal Friday on the home team’s tan-hued Bermuda turf.
“Coach (Earl) Kinney does a phenomenal job,” said Warriors’ coach Fred Stoots of his Godwin counterpart. “He always has his t’s crossed and i’s dotted. He knows what he’s doing.
“We just came out and played our style of game. We’re a physical team. On defense, we like to fly around and put pressure on the quarterback and make plays. Offensively, we like to put the ball in our playmakers’ hands.
“We can run right at you, but we also throw to keep you off balance. We do what we call PRO, pass-run options. We try to throw the ball around a little bit and let our kids have fun and play.”
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After a scoreless first quarter, Matoaca (9-3) controlled the action, and try as they might, the Eagles (7-5) could never gain traction against the Warriors’ staunch defense or find a consistent answer to Justus’s passing (17-for-26 for 186 yards, three touchdowns) and the running of Montino Williams (15 carries, 115 yards, one touchdown.)
Most of Justus’s completions came on short passes which his receivers converted to significant yardage.
“Coach (Kinney) had a good game play to keep us throwing the ball underneath,” Stoots said. “Our guys just took what the defense gave us, and we just moved the ball down the field.”
The Warriors stopped five Godwin drives with interceptions, two of which came off tipped balls.
Bryce Yates picked off two passes, and Newton-Short, Williams, and Caljuan Tucker one each.
Yates’s first pick came midway through the second quarter with his team up 7-0 and ignited an 8-play, 58-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard TD pass from Justus to Newton-Short.
A low snap on the PAT sent the Warriors scrambling, but kicker Zach Bowers alertly grabbed the loose football and tossed to Devoin Knapp in the end zone to put their guys up 15-0.
So it went for Matoaca on this clear 60-degree evening.
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Yates’s second interception ended the Eagles’ first drive of the second half and gave Matoaca the ball on its 36.
Six plays later, one of which was a 32-yard burst up the middle by Williams, Justus connected with Yates for a 14-yard TD followed by Bowers’ point-after for a 22-0 lead at 5:02 of the third period.
Justus’s second TD pass to Newton-Short came at 9:10 of the final period and ended a six-play, 66-yard drive.
“We did a little short route,” said Newton-Short of evading tacklers. “They played off, and he (Justus) threw it to me. When I catch the ball, I don’t like to go down.”
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Matoaca’s final score, which came 3:32 from the end, was Caljuan Tucker’s Pick-6.
“We watched film on them all week,” Yates said of the Warriors’ defensive prowess. “We knew they liked to run the short routes, make us fall asleep, and then try to hit the running back over top. We were on it, the DB’s. We have a strong bond. We talk it out. We shut it down.”
Matoaca limited Godwin to 126 yards (51 rushing, 75 passing) and seven first downs on 39 plays.
The Warriors amassed 317 yards (131 rushing, 186 passing) and 17 first downs on 36 plays.
“We’d seen on film that they weren’t going to give us anything deep,” Justus said. “It was all about getting the ball out quick, getting the ball into our playmakers’ hands, and letting them go to work.
“Shout out to the O-line. They played great. That was probably the best O-line play all season. They gave me a bunch of time in the pocket. I just sat back there and delivered.”
Matoaca, the No. 3 seed, advances to the regional championship game for the first time since 2006. Friday, they host William Fleming (Roanoke), who a little over a week ago were the No. 8 seed and are now 8-4 and one of eight teams still in contention in Class 5.
What does this opportunity mean to the Warriors?
“Tough to put into words,” Stoots said. “Our guys have worked so hard in the off season. They put in blood, sweat, and tears all summer. They put in time in the weight room, in film study, in practice. They deserve it.”
Mills Godwin……………0 0 0 0 – 0
Matoaca…………………..0 15 7 14 – 36
Mat – Williams 6 run (Bowers kick)
Mat – Newton-Short 28 pass from Justus (Knapp pass from Bowers)
Mat – Yates 14 pass from Justus (Bowers kick)
Mat – Newton-Short 30 pass from Justus (Bowers kick)
Mat – Tucker 30 interception return (Bowers kick)
MG – Viener 8 carries, 18 yards, Brown 6-14, Parham 7-13, Washburn 1-6.
MAT – Williams 15-115, Copeland 2-11, Ranson 2-5.
MG – Viener 12 completions, 29 attempts, 5 interceptions, 75 yards
MAT – Justus 17-26-1-186.
MG – Ginn 4 receptions, 22 yards, Washburn 4-13, Smith 1-33, Wine 1-6, Parham 1-1, Brown 1-0.
MAT – Yates 7-59, Newton-Short 5-104, Williams 2-17, Ranson 2-4, Harrison 1-2.
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Richmond area high school football roundup for Week 11 of the 2023 season: Springers, Knights, Titans, Generals, Blue Devils, Falcons, Wildcats, Cavaliers among big winners.
Under the Friday night lights towering above the ecru-hued turf at Warrior Stadium, Coach Billy Mills and his guys got their answer in the form of a convincing 49-28 victory over a talented Matoaca contingent that, after a fast start, found itself little match for the offensive prowess of Harry Dalton and Raphael Tucker and the high-motor defensive intensity that the visitors from a half-hour down the road brought to bear.
It started with a methodical 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive culminating in sophomore sensation Davion Brown’s 18-yard touchdown run on a well-designed misdirection.
And with that, coach Sam Mickens’ Titans were off and running on their way to a resounding 36-7 rout of the No. 1 challengers to their crown.
Sam DeFrancesca 16-yard touchdown reception from Taegan Logan for Trinity Episcopal in 36-7 win over Benedictine
Cody Shelton touchdown run for Benedictine in 36-7 loss to Trinity Episcopal
Deuce Edwards 7-yard touchdown reception from Taegan Logan for Trinity Episcopal in 36-7 win over Benedictine
Trinity Episcopal football coach Sam Mickens on 36-7 win over Benedictine
Tre Grant 6-yard touchdown run for Trinity Episcopal in 36-7 win over Benedictine
Trinity Episcopal football sophomore reciever Davion Brown on 36-7 win over Benedictine
2023-11-18 11:30:00
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