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

The "Wall's" Peninsula Playoff Game of the Week - Lakeland Presents Unusual Challenge to Poquoson

From Recruit757.com

3A East Semifinals – Lakeland (3-8) vs. Poquoson (9-2), Friday 7:00 PM, Poquoson Middle

Lakeland LB Monte Hillard (Photo: Joe Barnes/recruit757)

Looking at the team records, this would appear to be a one-sided affair getting ready to be played out on Friday night in Poquoson.

However, the educated fan knows better than to jump to conclusions. Yes, Lakeland finished their regular season with a 2-8 record, while the Islanders were 8-2. And Poquoson was arguably the second best team in the Bay Rivers District, behind only undefeated Lafayette.

Yet, Lakeland is classified as a 3A school, albeit one of the largest ones, and plays in the Southeastern District. As such, their opponents included 6A and 5A powerhouses, such as Oscar Smith, Western Branch, Indian River, Grassfield and Nansemond River. With the point differential earned from playing teams with higher classifications, the Cavaliers snuck into the 3A playoffs as a #6 seed, despite sporting only a 2-8 record. And in their first round matchup, Lakeland, who had not won since a brief two-game fling in midseason, defeated #3 Park View (South Hill) 21-14.

The Cavs’ performance was highlighted by two long touchdowns – a 75-yard TD run by Damontra Milteer in the second quarter, which pushed the Lakeland lead to 14-7, and an 80-yard passing score from freshman quarterback Tyquan Holloman to Alajuwun Langston, which extended the lead to 14. DeAndre Faulk opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run.

Poquoson breezed into the second round of the 3A East playoffs by shutting out Warhill 39-0. The Islanders are led by seven players that earned first-team Conference 25 honors, one of which is star quarterback Trey Hicks. Hicks has a few weapons lined up around him including receiver Matt Blaser (former Wild Wings Player of the Week), running back Kyle Poultney (137 yards on 13 carries against Warhill; 966 rushing yards and 10 per carry), and tight end Brandon Peck, who was all-Conference on offense and defense as an end.

Defensively, Robert Henesey, who doubles as one on the Islanders top wrestlers, is a mainstay at linebacker, while lineman Gunnar Ogburn had nine tackles against Warhill, as well as a forced fumble and recovery, which he returned 42 yards for a touchdown.

Other all-conference performers to keep an eye on are Drew Watkins (lineman) and kicker Chris Coccimiglio.

The "Wall's" Peninsula Playoff Game of the Week #2 - York High Makes Easy Work of Colonial Heights in 1st Round of 3A East, 44-6

YORK– Ramsay Hayyat threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns, two to Luke Gilbert, as York opened its 3A playoff campaign with an easy 44-6 win over Colonial Heights.

The Falcons (7-4) will move on to next week’s semifinal round, against Phoebus at Todd Stadium.

Before the game, York coach Doug Pereira talked of his team’s need to avoid mistakes.

“We need to execute, plain and simple. I know it sounds clichéd, but we need to do what we do.” Pereira admitted that he knew little about the Colonials, having only seen them twice.

They succeeded. The Falcons controlled the first half, outgaining Colonial Heights 271-64. Freshman quarterback Ramsey Hayyat passed for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the opening stanza. His first touchdown pass, on York’s third play of the game, came on a 25-yard lob over the middle, which found Da’Shaun Jones, who outsprinted the Colonial defense for a 59-yard score. Logan Weis’ extra point made the score 7-0 in the game’s first two minutes.

On the ensuing possession by Colonial Heights, the Colonials fumbled, and the loose ball was recovered by York’s Noah Pascarella. This led to a 19-yard field goal by Weis and the Falcons opened up a ten-point cushion.

Another Colonial fumble, recovered by KeMont Lipscomb, led to York’s second TD, a two-yard burst through the middle by Devin Campbell. On the previous play, Luke Gilbert lined to the left as a tight end, angled for the left corner and caught Hayyat’s ball, picking up 25 yards before he fell at the 2.

The next Hayyat-Gilbert combination was unique. The freshman dropped back to pass, and watched as the senior receiver was shadowed by three Colonial defenseman. Hayyat then arched a pass three yards behind the group, which Gilbert ably gathered as he ambled backwards, turned and ran in for a 56-yard touchdown.

Gilbert, who came into the contest averaging almost 25 yards per reception, caught five passes for 155 yards.

The first half was not all pretty, even for York, who was whistled for eight penalties for 69 yards. Colonial Heights had seven flags of their own (for 68 yards), but the Falcons took a 23-0 lead into halftime.

Devinne Edwards had the lone score for Colonial Heights (4-7) on a two-yard run in the games final 2:30.

COLONIAL HEIGHTS –        0, 0, 0, 6 - 6

YORK  -                                  17, 6, 14, 7 - 44

First quarter

Y – D. Jones 59 pass from Hayyat (Weis kick)

Y – Weis 19 FG

Y – Campbell 2 run (Weis kick)

Second quarter

Y – Gilbert 56 pass from Hayyat (kick failed)

Third quarter

Y – Gilbert 28 pass from Hayyat  (Weis kick)

Y – Lightfoot 6 run (Weis kick)

Fourth quarter

Y – Wakelyn 8 run (Weis kick)

CH – Edwards 2 run (run failed)

    

          CH   York

First downs;    9, 12

Rushes-yards;  28-67, 24-80

Passing yards;   75, 281

Comp-att-int;   4-13-1, 9-18-1

Penalties-yards; 10-94, 11-90

Punts-avg;      3-36, 1-29

Fumbles-lost;   4-4, 0-0