The "Wall's" TIDEWATER Playoff Game of the Week - Indian River Travels To Richmond To Meet Highland Springs in 5A State Semis

My wife Elizabeth will be covering this game for Recruit757.com. Check out @recruit757 for game updates.

5A South Region Finals - Indian River (11-2) vs. Highland Springs (12-1), Saturday, 1:00 PM

Where - Victor W. Kreiter Stadium, Highland Springs High School, 15 S. Oak Ave., Highland Springs, VA 23075 (off Rte. 33 – E. Nine Mile Rd, accessible from I-64.)

Next Opponent - The winner will play the winner of the 5A North championship game, Stone Bridge (9-4) vs. Tuscarora (13-0), next weekend in the 5A State Championship game, held at Scott Stadium (University of Virginia)

For the Braves from Chesapeake, beating top-seeded Hampton 21-17 last week merely served as the first step of three toward winning the 5A state championship. Next on deck for Indian River are the Springers of Highland Springs, who earned the distinction of becoming the best team in Richmond by virtue of their 42-35 victory over previously top-ranked Hermitage in last week’s 5A South Conference 11/12 final.

By defeating Hermitage, the Springers avenged their only season loss, a 21-20 heartbreaker to the Panthers in the season opener. Highland Springs is on a hot streak, with 12 straight wins, but the Springers have given up 69 points in the last two games, meaning that Indian River should be able to find chinks in the defensive armor of their opponent.

Meeting Highland Springs

The Springers, coached by Loren Johnson, entered this season looking to fill several key spots from the 2014 team, which went 11-1, losing 25-23 to eventual state champion L.C. Bird in the 5A South semifinals. They were successful, and after the opening game loss, quickly found their collective stride. Indian River will face a tough task in beating Highland Springs, particularly on the road, and 100 miles from their home base.

The team is on a mission, having been the victim of hard luck on several occasions on their quest for an elusive state championship. Since 1970, they have been to two championship games, but lost both by close margins. In 1978, the Bob Hardage-led Annandale Atoms nipped the Springers 14-13 for the AAA championship, while in 1989, it was Alexandria’s West Potomac Wolverines  that squeaked by Highland Springs 17-14 to triumph in the AAA-Division 6 final.

Offense – The Springers may have the most explosive offensive unit in the 5A South region, averaging 41.7 points in three playoff games. Junior quarterback Juwan Carter was the highest rated signal caller in Richmond this season, completing 63.5 percent of his passes for over 1,500 yards and 18 TD’s. He only completed 66 passes during the regular season, but 60 of them went to a pair of speedy receivers. Greg Dortch is only 5’9”, but showed blazing speed while catching 34 balls for 802 yards. K’Von Wallace also averaged over 20 yards per catch with 26 receptions for 535 yards. Dortch is a Division I prospect while Wallace has committed to Cincinnati.

D.J. Anderson leads the Springer running attack. Anderson rushed for over 950 yards and eight yards per carry during the regular season. Against Hermitage, he added 124 more. Tackle Mekhi Becton (6-7, 310 lbs.) anchors a sturdy offensive line.

Defense – The Springers defensive unit has become a bit of a paradox lately. Like the offense, they started the season as an inexperienced group, but quickly jelled. During the regular season, the Springers pitched five shutouts, including four in a row during October when Hanover, Lee-Davis, Henrico and Patrick Henry failed to score on successive weeks.

However, in playoff wins against Lee-Davis and Hermitage, the defense allowed 34, and then 35 points. While giving up 8.7 points per game during the regular season, they have allowed 27.3 ppg. in three playoff games. Good teams can score on Highland Springs and the key for Indian River on Saturday will be figuring out how to reach the end zone regularly.

How Can Indian River Win? – The challenge is well defined for Coach Glenwood Ferebee and his Braves. The offense, led by quarterback Tyre Givers-Wilson, will need to shake up the Springer defense and not allow them to find the comfort zone that kept opposing teams scoreless for most of October.

On defense, the Braves will need to slow down the receiving tandem of Dortch and Wallace, while applying pressure to Juwan Carter so that he cannot find a passing rhythm – one which achieved a 23-yard per completion average and astronomical 17.3%  touchdown-to-passing attempt ratio in 2015.

Braves on Offense – Working in the favor of Indian River is that they have a big running back, a big quarterback, and a receiver who can keep the Highland Springs secondary honest.

The Brave attack focuses on Tyain Smith, the 6-2, 205 lb. running back who transferred from Great Bridge and immediately bolstered the Indian River running game. Smith finished the regular season with 1,175 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, but in the mold of John Riggins, he is elevating his game for the playoffs. Against Hampton, Smith pushed for 130 yards, but 110 came in the second half as the Braves looked to control the ball.

Handing him the ball will be Tyre Givers-Wilson. Wilson got off to a sluggish start in the opening game against Bethel, a 14-8 drudge match, but at 6-4 and 220 pounds, Givers-Wilson possesses the size, arm and speed of a college quarterback. Fortunately, for his teammates, the rest of Givers-Wilson’s season went better, and he finished the regular campaign with over 1,400 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.

Many of those passes went to leading receiver Kyren Best. Best grabbed 31 balls for just over 500 yards and 11 scores. He will have help from Devon Hunter and Jonathan Griffin, both of whom caught touchdown passes in the Hampton game.

Braves on Defense – Very few words are needed; in fact, four can sum up what Highland Springs has to look forward to on Saturday.

Jaquan Yulee. Tavante Beckett. They are the showcase players for a defense that allowed just over ten points a game during the regular season, and have held Bethel, Kecoughtan and Hampton to seven, seven and 17.

Yulee will be playing for Nick Saban at Alabama next year, but #2 will still be counted on for big plays against the Springer offense, one that has notched 550 points in 13 games. Beckett is slightly less well known, but it was his forced fumble and recovery that sealed the victory against the Crabbers last week.

Outlook – Two keys here. Can Highland Springs, and its 42-point per game offense, be held in check? Indian River will need to hold the Springers under 28 to win this game. Second, which Springer defense is the real deal – the one that recorded five shutouts in the first ten games, or the one that has given up 69 points over the past two weekends? If the Braves can score 35 points, it may be a fun ride back to Chesapeake on Saturday.

The "Wall's" Peninsula Playoff Game of the Week - Duquesne drops wild playoff game to William & Mary 52-49

From today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review  -- The "Wall" Hits the Road

Duquesne drops wild playoff game to William & Mary

WILLIAMSBURG, VA – Duquesne scored two touchdowns in the first six minutes of  play in their first round FCS playoff game against 13^th-ranked William and Mary, then succumbed to 28 unanswered first-half points by the Tribe, before valiantly fighting back, only to lose a wild 52-49 decision on Saturday.

Trailing 52-41 with under 1:30 remaining in the game, quarterback Dillon Buechel found Wayne Capers for a 42-yard scoring pass. Chris King’s conversion catch cut the lead to 52-49 with 1:11 remaining. But the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful and the Tribe ran out the clock, but only after a crucial two-yard gain by Kendell Anderson on third-and-two from the Duquesne 36 with 54 seconds left.

Buechel finished the game with 423 passing yards on 33 completions and six touchdowns, tying a Duquesne record.

“I’m proud of our players. We showed great resiliency, but just ran out of time,” said Duke coach Jerry Schmitt, whose team was aiming to win the second ever FCS playoff game by an Northeast Conference team. “It says a lot about our program, and how the NEC has grown that we can come in here and play a #13 team hard like that.”

The key turnover for Duquesne was a blocked field goal, which was returned for a touchdown by William and Mary, resulting in a potential 10-point turnaround.

With 5:34 left in the third quarter, and trailing 31-24, the Dukes (8-4) had failed to convert a first-and-goal situation and opted for a 24-yard field goal attempt by Austin Crimmins. However, Crimmins’ kick was blocked by Tyler Claytor and picked up by DeAndre Houston-Carson, who returned the loose ball 65 yards for the score. With the change in momentum, a possible 31-27 deficit became 38-24.

Fearlessly and immediately, the visiting Dukes went to work from the opening kickoff. Starting at their 29, quarterback Dillon Buechel found Chris King streaking down the right sideline and caught him mid-stride to complete a 71-yard touchdown on the game’s first play.

After the Tribe’s first possession stalled, Duquesne constructed an eight-play, 54-yard scoring drive, culminating with a six-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone from Buechel to Nehari Crawford to build a 14-0 lead in the game’s first six minutes.

But the Tribe was just getting warmed up. They got their offense in gear and put together a six-play, 64-yard drive of their own, capped with a 38-yard scoring pass over the middle from Steve Cluley to DeVonte Dedmon.

The Tribe scored three more touchdowns, but the Dukes came back in the final four minutes of the first half. King (12 catches, 221 yards) caught three passes, while a 16-yard run by Klartel Claridy was also instrumental in the ten-play, 75-yard scoring drive which ended with Crawford’s second touchdown, a nine-yard reception from Buechel. Carter Henderson’s interception at the W&M 38 set up Crimmins’ 39-yard field goal, which closed the scoring gap to 28-24 at halftime.

King spoke of the reality of the Dukes’ task coming into Zable Stadium on Saturday.

“I knew that we were the underdogs. But I’m still proud of my team.” Both King’s 221 receiving yards and 12 catches set a career-high.

After a William and Mary field goal to open the second half, King continued to haunt the Tribe defense, catching two long balls (26 and 28 yards) on Duquesne’s ensuing drive. But, with the Dukes on the Tribe 5 with third-and goal, Wayne Capers caught a pass, but was dropped on the 1. Duquesne drew a penalty on the next play and set up the botched field goal attempt.

However, the Dukes scored again, with Capers hauling in a Buechel pass for an 18-yard score. But a 38-yard TD reception by Dedmon, his third, gave the home team a 45-31 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Duquesne continued to fight back. Capers scored a second touchdown, rolling toward the left corner of the end zone to grab Buechel’s fifth touchdown pass, from five yards out, to put the Tribe lead back at seven, 45-38, with 10:27 remaining in the game.

DUQUESNE                    –   14, 10, 7, 18 -- 49

WILLIAM AND MARY  -   14, 14, 10, 14 -- 52         

First quarter

D – King 71 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 14:44

D – N. Crawford 6 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 9:14

W&M – Dedmon 38 pass from Cluley (Dorka kick)  6:05

W&M – Dedmon 24 pass  from Cluley (Dorka kick) 4:37

Second quarter

W&M – Anderson 3 run (Dorka kick) 10:01

W&M – Abdul-Saboor 2 run (Dorka kick) 3:58

D – N. Crawford 9 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) :41

D – Crimmins 39 FG :02

Third quarter

W&M – Dorka 20 FG 9:45

W&M – Houston-Carson 65 blocked kick return (Dorka kick) 5:34

D – Capers 18 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 1:23

Fourth quarter

W&M – Dedmon 37 pass from Cluley (Dorka kick) 14:50

D – Capers 5 pass from Buechel (Crimmins kick) 10:27

D – Crimmins 35 FG 7:01

W&M – Anderson 8 run (Dorka kick) 3:17

D – Capers 42 pass from Buechel (King pass) 1:11

         DUQ      W&M

First downs;    29, 23

Rushes-yards;  26-117, 47-229

Passing yards;   423, 251

Comp-att-int;   33-53-2, 11-15-2

Penalties-yards; 5-42, 2-23

Punts-avg;      1-41.0, 1-36.0

Fumbles-lost;  0-0, 3-2

The "Wall's" Peninsula Playoff Game of the Week - Poquoson Pounds Lakeland 28-0; Moves to 3A East Final Against Phoebus

POQUOSON – Poquoson earned a date to the 3A East championship, gaining 283 rushing yards to ground Lakeland 28-0.

Cole Jackson led Poquoson’s running attack with 86 yards and a touchdown, while Dylan Freeman added 82. Trey Hicks completed six of 11 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown.

With the win, Poquoson (10-2) will face top-seeded Phoebus (11-1) at Darling Stadium next weekend.

The Islanders did not get off to an auspicious start. On the game’s first play, Kyle Poultney had the ball knocked loose, and it was picked up by Lakeland at the Poquoson 34. However, the Cavaliers could only gain 2 yards, and the ensuing 12-yard punt gave the ball back to Poquoson on the 25.

Poquoson recovered from their previous error quickly, constructing a 14-play, 75 yard drive on their second possession, capped by Trey Hicks’ eight-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Freeman. Hicks completed all four passes on the drive for 45 yards, while Robert Henesey’s 18-yard run was crucial, as it put the ball over midfield and kept the drive alive on second-and-10.

The Islanders next drive was fluid for ten plays, but stalled when they could not convert from first-and-goal from the Lakeland 7. Their four runs could only move the ball four yards, and Lakeland took over on downs.

But two plays later, the tide turned as a Lakeland fumble rolled back into the end zone. Amid a pile of bodies and penalty flags, which emerged from the pushing and shoving, Poultney fell on the loose ball for Poquoson’s second touchdown. Henesey converted the two-point run and the Islanders carried a 14-0 edge into halftime.

After the intermission, Poquoson quickly put the game away, scoring on its first two possessions of the second half. Cole Jackson burst through a seam in the middle and outran the Lakeland defense, which tripped him, but not before he had covered 37 yards and fallen into the end zone.

A 40-yard reception by Matt Blaser set up the Islanders’ last score, a two-yard burst by Henesey.

The Islanders controlled the ball for most of the final quarter, and ate nine minutes off the clock with a 16-play, 70-yard running play drive that did not result in a score, but gave the ball back to Lakeland with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

The Poquoson defense was equally effective, holding Lakeland (3-9) to only three first downs and 110 yards of total offense.

LAKELAND –    0, 0, 0, 0 -- 0

POQUOSON  -   6, 8, 14, 0 - 28                 

First quarter

P – Freeman 8 pass from Hicks (kick blocked)

Second quarter

P – Poultney fumble rec. in end zone (Henesey run)

Third quarter

P – C. Jackson 37 run (Coccimiglio kick)

P – Henesey 2 run (Coccimiglio kick)

         LAKE   POQ

First downs;    3, 19

Rushes-yards;  25-84, 57-283

Passing yards;   26, 89

Comp-att-int;   4-14-1, 6-11-0

Penalties-yards; 5-30, 5-47

Punts-avg;      6-29, 4-27

Fumbles-lost;   3-3, 2-1