His performance brought a smile to Commodores head coach Dyrri McCain’s face.

He remembers when he played with McDaniel’s father, Damon Sr., at Hampton University.

“It feels like yesterday that I was seeing baby Dame come to the games and seeing him run around when his dad and I were teammates,” he said. “It’s a great experience to be able to coach him now. He’s learned, developed well and taken the coaching well so far. His best is ahead of him, if you ask me. I’m sure wide receiver coach Darius Blount would agree, too.”

The younger McDaniel, who transferred from Western Branch, has nine receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown this season.

The elder McDaniel was one of the top receivers in the country when he came out of Landstown High, where he teamed with former star Percy Harvin. A four-star prospect, McDaniel began his career at Florida State before he transferred to Hampton.

McDaniel is still No. 1 in South Hampton Roads in single-season receptions with 92, second in single-season yards with 1,574 and third in single-season touchdowns with 22.

The Commodores, who have won 17 games in row dating back to last season, host Dinwiddie High on Friday.

McCain said he’s proud of his team’s focus and execution so far.

“We are still growing as a team, but I like the direction that our veterans are leading us in,” he said. “Our veterans are taking the right steps right now.”

The Commodores are ranked No. 66 nationally by MaxPreps and are the No. 1 team in the state.

Unlikely hero leads York: The unlikely hero of York’s 2-0 start to the season is kicker/punter Sebastian Benitez-Marrero. Cut during varsity soccer tryouts in the spring, Benitez-Marrero informed head coach Doug Pereira he’d like to give football a try.

“I said, `Why not? We need a kicker,’ ” Pereira said.

In his first game, the Falcons’ 21-6 comeback win over Gloucester, Benitez-Marrero made all three extra-point kicks, had several booming punts and two well-placed pooch kickoffs the Falcons recovered. After missing his only extra-point try against Warhill last week, Benitez-Marrero was called on to attempt his first field goal with the game tied at 14 in the final seconds.

Pereira says Benitez-Marrero was so unfamiliar with kicking field goals that he lined up six yards behind the holder. “I guess he thought he was going to get a running start, like on a kickoff. Then, fortunately, Warhill called timeout to ice him.”

During the timeout, Pereira instructed Benitez-Marrero to line up closer, same as if he were kicking an extra point. Benitez-Marrero then split the uprights from 32 yards with 1 second remaining, giving the Falcons a 17-14 victory.

“His teammates were excited and mobbed him,” Pereria said. “There was no doubt about the kick — it would’ve been good from 45 yards.”

Howard is answer for Tabb: It was an open question in the preseason: Who would replace the 1,242 rushing yards 2024 graduate Cam Dixon had for Tabb a year ago. Landon Howard is the answer.

A 5-foot-7, 160-pound senior, Howard has rushed for 275 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers in the first two games, victories of 17-0 over Heritage and 37-20 over Jamestown. He ran for 174 yards and touchdowns of 21 and 18 yards against Jamestown, bettering his 155 yards and one TD his junior season.

Tigers coach John Byron says Howard’s rise is no accident, but rather the result of tireless work. He said that Howard never missed an offseason workout and has transformed himself into one of the Bay Rivers District’s strongest players with a 425-pound squat to go with a 260-pound bench press and power clean.

“He has worked for four years to have the kind of senior year he’s having,” Byron said. “All coaches want their players to be about the process and Landon really enjoys the process.”

Howard’s hard work has given him stamina to go with his strength. He not only runs the ball, but he starts at linebacker and plays on most special teams.

“He almost never comes off of the field,” Byron said. “There were 178 plays in the Jamestown game and I’d guess he was in on 170 of them.

“Landon is everything you want in a team captain and a football player.”

Jordan making up for lost time: Warwick senior Jaylen Jordan sat out the 2023 season with a knee injury. He’s making up for lost time with a plethora of defensive and special-teams contributions as the Raiders are off to a 3-0 start.

A defensive end, Jordan already has three sacks. He also has 10 quarterback pressures to lead a defense that has not given up a point as the Raiders have outscored their opposition 146-0.

“If he doesn’t get the sack, he’s going to disrupt the pass because he’s coming so hard off of the edge,” Warwick coach Corey Hairston said of Jordan, who also plays at tight end and wing for the offense.

Jordan has also been a special-teams terror with two blocked punts and several near blocks. Hairston said Jordan is invariably the first man down the field on the kickoff team and has several tackles for that unit.

“He worked hard during the offseason to get back and has been so good, you’d never know he was hurt last year,” Hairston said.

New Warriors QB starts fast: Nansemond River quarterback Tyrell Grant Jr. is off to a great start this season.

The senior has completed 36 of 48 passes for 393 yards and six touchdowns with one interception to help the Warriors begin the season 2-0. He’s also rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

“Tyrell has been very efficient and is definitely our field general,” Warriors coach Alonzo Ricks said about Grant, who transferred from Norcom High. “He can do so many things with the ball in his hands and is like having a coach on the field. He has been great so far and so looking forward to the special things that we count on him doing throughout the rest of the year.”

Nansemond River will need another big game from him Thursday night, when the Warriors travel to play Oscar Smith for a Southeastern District showdown. Last season, the Warriors upset the Tigers 42-28. It was the first time the Warriors topped the Tigers since 2002.

The Nansemond River-Oscar Smith game is one of four in the Southeastern District that have been moved to Thursday because of traffic concerns related to the Luke Bryan country music concert Friday in Chesapeake.

The games that have been moved all will be played at 7 p.m. Thursday: Deep Creek at Grassfield, King’s Fork at Great Bridge, Nansemond River at Oscar Smith and Western Brach at Hickory.

Lakeland’s game at Booker T. Washington remains scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.

What they witnessed, instead, were injuries to the Captains’ top two quarterbacks, essentially sidelining them for the second half. The Captains had little success moving the ball even when they were on the field, and despite a stellar defensive effort, fell 14-3 Saturday to No. 7 Johns Hopkins.

Fifth-year quarterback Matt Dzierski, CNU’s all-time passing yardage leader, injured a foot in the second quarter before second-string quarterback Connor Barry suffered a thigh contusion on his second series. Dzierski played only two snaps in the second half and the Captains turned to Tahir Johnson, who had never played in a collegiate game.

It was little wonder the Captains (1-1) totaled a paltry 144 yards, just 70 passing.

“It makes it tough to operate, for sure, when you’re on your third-string quarterback,” CNU coach Paul Crowley said. “That’s a challenging defense to go against to start.”

CNU’s defense was good, too, holding the Blue Jays (2-0) to 180 yards while sacking second-team All-Centennial Conference quarterback Bay Harvey seven times — the most sacks by the Captains since 2018. But Harvey was on the money to PJ Scales twice on quick slants, good for touchdowns of 28 and 20 yards, and that was enough.

CNU linebacker Patrick Sullivan made a sack on the first possession, before nose guard Jerry Cashwell and linebacker Andrew Worsham combined for one on the second to stop the Blue Jays on third down on two early series. But Johns Hopkins converted on third- and fourth-downs on their next series, before Harvey passed to Scales for the 28-yard touchdown that gave the Blue Jays a 7-0 lead with 14:06 left in the first half.

CNU responded via a 10-yard run and 16-yard reception by Gunner White, then Dzierski’s 11-yard run gave the Captains three first downs on three plays. The Blue Jays stiffened, sacking Dzierski for a 7-yard loss and injuring the foot.

The Captains settled for Maxx Lawton’s 40-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 7-3 with 10:08 left in the first half. After Barry was hurt late in the first half, Johnson (eight carries, 28 yards) played admirably in his first outing and earned Crowley’s praise.

But his one mistake, an interception by Jack Schondelmayer at the Captains’ 22, was costly. Harvey passed to Scales for a 20-yard score on the same slant two plays later, and the Blue Jays’ led 14-3 with 1:08 left in the third quarter.

That was too much for the CNU offense to overcome, even as the defense maintained its high standard.

“One of the better defensive efforts we’ve had in a long time,” Crowley said. “I don’t think anyone else has held (the Blue Jays) to under 30 points the past two years, and we’ve done it twice.”

His memory was almost correct. Except for CNU’s 20-14 loss last year in Baltimore and Saturday’s defeat, Hopkins has scored no fewer than 27 points in every game since November 2022.

Crowley said the injuries to Dzierski and Barry were minor and he expects them back soon.

The Springers had beaten the Commodores three times since 2018, all in the late stages of the state playoffs, including the 2022 Class 5 state championship game. But for the second consecutive year, Maury cast out the bad memories, this time with an emphatic 38-7 victory on the Springers’ home field.

Commodores quarterback Au’Tori Newkirk led the way, completing 18 of 29 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Two of the scoring passes came in the first half, when the nationally ranked Commodores (2-0), who are No. 1 in the 757Teamz Top 15, settled matters by bolting to a 24-0 lead over a Highland Springs team that fell 23-7 at home to second-ranked Phoebus a week before.

Maury’s Damon McDaniel Jr. caught eight passes for 95 yards. The defense allowed just 113 yards and pitched a shutout — the Springers’ only score came on a kickoff return — as irrepressible end Leslie Hines had five tackles for loss among his eight stops and Clemson-bound end Ari Watford scored on a fumble Hines forced.

In all, it was the kind of win that put losses to the Springers in the Class 5 state semifinals of 2018 (by 71-28) and spring 2021 (13-0), along with the 33-19 defeat in the 2022 state championship game, far in the rearview mirror. Maury beat Highland Springs 23-14 early last season at Powhatan Field in Norfolk for a breakthrough, and Friday’s road victory continued the rivalry’s turn.

“The first year we played with these guys, it was a game and then it got away from us in the second half,” Commodores coach Dyrri McCain said. “I think from there, we’ve always learned from any loss.

“All it takes is to keep closing that gap, closing that gap, closing that gap. But we’ve got to figure out how to build on that.”

Newkirk was 4 for 4 on the Commodores’ first drive, which he capped with a 22-yard scoring pass to McDaniel. The lead increased to 14-0 later in the first quarter when Hines strip-sacked Springers quarterback Nelson Lane, and Watford picked up the fumble and ran to the end zone.

Maury’s lead moved to 21 points early in the second quarter when Newkirk found LeBron Bond ridiculously open over the middle for a 78-yard touchdown. The Springers’ defense became more competitive from there, but Newkirk got hot in the fourth quarter.

He passed to Kendall Daniels for a 20-yard score. Then, one play after the Springers’ Jalen Padmore ran a kickoff back 60 yards for a touchdown, Newkirk passed 53 yards to Eli Moss for a TD.

“Tori is a very laid-back, casual type of guy, but super-, super-competitive, which is what I love about him,” McCain said. “He’s one of the best that I can say that I’ve ever had.”

Efforts to reach Newport News Public Schools and Hampton City Schools spokespersons were not immediately successful. But Bethel head football coach David Porter, who learned about the postponement of the game at 11 a.m. on Thursday, said he understood the shooting in Newport News and the shooting threats in Hampton were among the reasons for the postponement.

On Tuesday morning, a 15-year-old Menchville High student was shot to death as he waited at a school bus stop in southeast Newport News. On Wednesday, officials said several Hampton schools were mentioned in anonymous online posts that threatened shootings.

Porter said he would’ve preferred the game was played as scheduled, even in front of an empty stadium, but added, “I understand student safety is also first and (administration) has got to do what they can to protect those kids.”

Menchville coach Rodney Taylor said, “I would expect when something like that is going on in the city, they want to make sure everyone is safe at any venue. The parents and more so the students.”

Taylor said he addressed the death of the Menchville student at his team’s practice Wednesday and kept that practice “light” in case any of the players wished to talk about it.

“We took a moment to address those guys about making good decisions, watching the company you keep and being very mindful about the things you’re involved in,” Taylor said. “Everyone was still in shock.

“It’s a traumatic event, so everyone’s still trying to process what’s going on and why this had to happen. We want to make sure to address (the players) first as human beings and not just being football players. You want to make sure they have time to process (it) and get their feelings together.

“Again, this isn’t normal or happens every day. It’s a tragic event that hits home.”

Marty O’Brien, mjobrien@dailypress.com

That was the case with the Commodores in their three previous meetings against perennial power Highland Springs as the Springers won all three meetings, including the 2022 Class 5 state championship game.

But the Commodores beat Highland Springs, who have since moved to Class 6, during the regular season last year.

The newly minted rivals play against Friday at Highland Springs, just east of Richmond.

Commodores coach Dyrri McCain knows beating the Springers on the road will be difficult, but it just got tougher because Highland Springs lost to Phoebus last week in a game that was dominated by the Phantoms. The Commodores (1-0), ranked No. 1 in Hampton Roads, beat Wise of Maryland 20-14 in their season opener.

Highland Springs (1-1) hasn’t lost back-to-back games since 2010.

“After our game against Wise, I told them Highland Springs isn’t trying to lose back-to-back games,” he said. “They’re not trying to lose back-to-back games at home. They’re not trying to lose back-to-back games against teams from the 757. And they’re not trying to lose back-to-back games against us.”

A loss would drop Highland Springs to 1-2 this season, which would be the program’s worst start since 2008, when the Springers started 0-3.

“So I know they’re going to come ready to play,” McCain said. “So we have to set the energy.”

In the Beach District, fifth-ranked Green Run’s game against Princess Anne has been canceled and ruled a forfeit for the Stallions because of low numbers on Princess Anne’s roster.

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No. 1 Maury (1-0) at Highland Springs (1-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Maury 28-14. Marty’s pick: Maury 35-6.

Thursday’s games

757Teamz Top 15

#2 Phoebus (1-0) vs. Woodside (1-1) at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Phoebus 34-0. Marty’s pick: Phoebus 42-0.

#12 Poquoson (1-0) vs. Grafton (0-1) at Bailey Field, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Poquoson 27-13. Marty’s pick: Poquoson 35-14.

Bay Rivers District

York (1-0) vs. Warhill (1-1) at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Warhill 34-20. Marty’s pick: York 14-13.

Peninsula District

Menchville (1-1) vs. Bethel (0-2) at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Bethel 27-21. Marty’s pick: Menchville 21-20.

Friday’s games

757Teamz Top 15

#3 King’s Fork (1-0) at Western Branch (1-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: King’s Fork 33-20. Marty’s pick: King’s Fork 28-21.

#4 Oscar Smith (2-0) vs. Great Bridge (1-0) at Great Bridge MS

Larry’s pick: Oscar Smith 41-14. Marty’s pick: Oscar Smith 48-7.

Kecoughtan (0-2) vs. #6 Warwick (2-0) at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Warwick 48-0. Marty’s pick: Warwick 56-0.

Hickory (1-0) at #7 Indian River (2-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Indian River 41-6. Marty’s pick: Indian River 38-10.

New Kent (0-1) vs. #8 Lafayette (2-0) at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lafayette 41-0. Marty’s pick: Lafayette 47-7.

#9 Salem (1-0) at Landstown (1-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Salem 28-26. Marty’s pick: Salem 27-13.

#11 Cox (2-0) at First Colonial (0-2), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Cox 42-13. Marty’s pick: Cox 35-6.

Deep Creek (1-0) at #13 Nansemond River (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Nansemond River 27-26. Marty’s pick: Nansemond River 24-16.

Tallwood (0-2) at #14 Ocean Lakes (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Ocean Lakes 21-20. Marty’s pick: Ocean Lakes 14-8.

Bay Rivers District

Jamestown (0-2) vs. Tabb (1-0) at Bailey Field, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Tabb 33-6. Marty’s pick: Tabb 42-13.

West Point (0-2) at Bruton (2-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Bruton 27-0. Marty’s pick: Bruton 38-0.

Beach District

Bayside (1-1) at Kempsville (1-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Kempsville 27-20. Marty’s pick: Kempsville 30-24.

Eastern District

Booker T. Washington (0-2) at Churchland (0-2), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Churchland 33-0. Marty’s pick: Churchland 40-6.

Norview (0-2) at Norcom (1-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Norcom 33-13. Marty’s pick: Norcom 46-8

Peninsula District

Gloucester (1-1) vs. Hampton (1-1) at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Hampton 34-6. Marty’s pick: Hampton 28-14.

Non-district

Manor (0-2) at Lakeland (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lakeland 20-13. Marty’s pick: Lakeland 37-7.

Hopewell (0-1) at Lake Taylor (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lake Taylor 20-14. Marty’s pick: Hopewell 20-14.

Private schools

Catholic at Roanoke Catholic, 7 p.m.

Christchurch at Greenbrier Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

Fredericksburg Christian at Isle of Wight Academy, 7 p.m.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy at Collegiate, 7 p.m.

Norfolk Academy at St. Christopher’s, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday’s games

Heritage (0-2) vs. Denbigh (0-1) at Todd Stadium, noon

Larry’s pick: Heritage14-13. Marty’s pick: Heritage 21-12.

How they fared

Larry Rubama: 21-2 last week; 41-7 (85.4%)

Marty O’Brien: 19-4 last week; 39-9 (81.2%)

The Packers finished above .500 each of those seasons and, with the offense and defense contributing in equal measure, could do so this season. One of the breakthrough standouts is quarterback Kyle Buggs, whose dad, assistant coach Kermit Buggs, guided Surry County to a state title in 1999. He’s thrown for more than 300 yards in two games.

Buggs has reliable targets in Amon Rawlings and Merlin Lance, not to mention one of the area’s quickest and most talented running backs in Kinye Martin. Martin ran for 150 yards in the win over Churchland.

Head coach Tracey Parker, defensive coordinator for Phoebus’ state champs in 2021, says the line of Michael Williams, William Flythe, Derek Boone and Deion Bowe has been key to a much-improved defense that has allowed just 13 points in two games.

“That was the program’s biggest win since I’ve been here,” said Parker, in his third year as Packers head coach. “It lets us know all of the hard work in the offseason has paid off, but we’re working each game and each practice to get better.”

All-around effort spurred Phantoms

When your defense holds a program with five state titles in the past decade to 76 total yards and pitches a shutout while the offense rolls up 331 yards — both of which Phoebus did in its 23-7 domination at Highland Springs — it’s difficult to nitpick.

But the Phantoms do need some work on their punt return team, which recovered its own fumble early, then fumbled the ball away twice, the second of which the Springers ran in for a touchdown and their only points. On a positive note, Farriss Knight kicked a 40-yard field goal, the longest for Phoebus in years.

But the big special teams highlight was Brenden Thompson’s punishing tackle on the opening kickoff. Thompson, an all-state linebacker, flew through the air to level the Springers’ returner, prompting high fives and head butts from at least a half-dozen teammates.

If there was any question about whether sophomore quarterback Maurikus Banks (135 yards passing, 65 rushing) has any reliable long-ball receivers, Romeir Smith and Tenton Mitchell answered that with catches that will join Thompson’s tackle on the season highlight-reel video.

Smith tipped a Banks throw over the middle to slow it down, then dove at full stretch to catch the ball for a 35-yard gain. That set up Banks’ 22-yard screen pass to Davion Roberts (104 yards rushing) for a TD. Trenton Mitchell made a leaping 40-yard reception, while riding through the air on a defensive back’s shoulders, to set up Knight’s field goal.

Dukes welcome special team member

Windsor head coach Benjamin DuBois promises that Friday night’s game against Middlesex will be “special.”

That’s because senior Cage DeBruyne will be on the field.

DeBruyne isn’t the team’s star player, but he’s no doubt the biggest motivator.

DeBruyne, a junior, has cerebral palsy, is confined to a wheelchair and has been unable to participate in high school sports activities.

That is until this season, when DuBois gave him an opportunity to become a member of the team.

DuBois took it a step further when he coordinated with Middlesex staff to get DeBruyne into this week’s game.

“Cage is everything that you would want out of a football player,” he said. “He is present every day, works hard at any and everything that you give him to do, and never has an excuse.”

Getting on the football field is only one goal of DeBruyne’s.

The other?

“To ultimately walk across the stage at his graduation in his walker,” DuBois said. “With the amount of support that he gets from our coaches, players and school staff, I know he will accomplish that goal.”

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Panthers are rolling

With wins of 36-0 over Northampton and 38-0 over Nandua, Bruton is clicking on all cylinders. The Panthers, who could barely keep 17 players on the roster when they got outscored 875-67 in 17 consecutive losses from 2018-20, boast 17 seniors on a 60-player roster.

Senior Ashton Bell has thrown for more than 400 yards and six touchdowns in the first two games. Sophomore Anthony Henderson Jr., one of the top Division I recruits on the Peninsula, has 11 catches for 255 yards and three TDs. The defense is led by a pair of relentless defensive ends in senior Tyler Pollock (11 tackles, two tackles for loss) and 6-foot-6, 200-pound junior Troy Walson (four sacks).

The Panthers are in the final season of a hybrid schedule, with five Bay Rivers District and five non-district games, before returning to a full district schedule next year. Fourth-year coach Barrington Morrison, the architect of the Panthers’ turnaround, predicts the team will end its 26-game district losing streak this season.

“That’s a big priority for us,” he said. “I think we would’ve done that last year if not for some key injuries.

“We’ll be very disappointed if we don’t win some district games this season.”

Commodores’ Bond has next

Maury has had some extraordinary wide receivers over the past several seasons, including All-Tidewater players KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Ahmarian Granger.

Next up is LeBron Bond.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder was first-team All-Tidewater last season with 47 receptions, 1,347 yards — fifth on the all-time South Hampton Roads list — and 16 touchdowns and totaled 1,754 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns.

He’s gotten off to a great start this season with five receptions, including two for touchdowns, to help the Commodores beat Wise of Maryland 20-14.

“That (win) means a lot,” he said. “They’re a good team in Maryland, so we had to show up.”

Newkirk pass to Bond. Extra point failed. Maury 6, Wise (MD) 0 pic.twitter.com/0h9GudP6Aw

— Larry Rubama (@LHRubama) September 6, 2024

Bond, rated the No. 11 senior in Hampton Roads, has committed to Indiana.

Commodores coach Dyrri McCain said he’s excited to see what Bond will do this season.

“He’s special. He’s elite. He’s different. And he’s a playmaker,” he said. “He’s waited his turn from guys who have have gotten their touches. Now it’s his time.”

Gators host defending state champion

The last time Greenbrier Christian started the season 3-0 was during the spring 2021 COVID season.

Prior to that, the Gators started 4-0 in 2011.

This season, they’re 3-0 and have outscored opponents 170-18 with victories over Kenston Forest, Broadwater Academy and Fuqua.

Greenbrier Christian — which plays eight-player football because of its small enrollment — has a big challenge Friday night when the Gators host defending eight-player VISAA Division I state champion Christchurch, which is 2-0 and has outscored its opponents 76-14.

“This early divisional contest is huge,” said Gators coach Kevin Washington. “They won it all last year, and we won it three years ago when my seniors were freshmen.”

He’s also excited about the game because of what a win would do for the program.

“The program is heading in the right direction,” he said. “Our confidence and school pride has soared, games are packed, and the community is excited to cheer on the team.”

The Gators are led by quarterback Tyson Moravec (15-24, 447 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT), running back DJ Caban (29 carries, 405 yards, 5 TDs) and wide receiver Ethan Gosman (8 receptions, 176 yards, 3 TDs).

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

Marty O’Brien, 757-897-2917, mjobrien@dailypress.com

“We came out today to show we’re not the underdogs, we’re the big dogs,” Hopson said as he celebrated his 18th birthday with two sacks.

The Phantoms showed exactly that on Friday night with a 23-7 victory on the Springers’ home field. Considering that Highland Springs, now a Class 6 team, won five of the seven Class 5 state championship games it played in the previous 10 years, Phoebus, a Class 4 school, showed plenty of grit putting its win streak on the line on the road.

“We were playing a team full of championship pedigree,” Phoebus coach Jeremy Blunt. “Our guys know what it means to win up here at Highland Springs.”

The Phantoms (1-0), ranked second in the 757Teamz Top 15, did it in dominant fashion, outgaining the Springers (1-1) 306 yards to 68. Blunt said before the game that the team that ran the ball and stopped the run would win. The Phantoms outgained the Richmond area’s top-ranked team 194 yards to 4 on the ground.

Class 4 all-state running back Davion Roberts led the ground game for three-time defending state champ Phoebus with 104 yards on 22 carries. Sophomore quarterback Maurikus Banks ran for 65 yards on seven carries while completing 8 of 10 passes for 112 yards.

The Phantoms’ defense, which allowed only six points in the regular season on the way to a 15-0 record and the Class 4 state title a year ago, did not allow a point. Highland Springs’ only score came when it returned a fumbled punt by the Phantoms for a 5-yard touchdown.

By that time, early in the third quarter, the Phantoms led 14-0 and were in control. Roberts ran six times for 42 yards as the Phantoms drove 53 yards on eight plays to score on their first possession.

Banks got untracked on the 10-play, 69-yard drive the Phantoms used to increase their lead to 14 points in the second quarter. He had runs of 11, 27 and 11 yards before handing off to Brandon Diggs for a 9-yard touchdown on an end-around.

Diggs’ punt drop and Marreyon Harvey’s 5-yard return that made it 14-7 with 8:21 left in the third quarter did not faze the Phantoms. Romier Smith’s spectacular bobbling, diving catch of Banks’ pass for a 35-yard gain launched a 12-play, 80-yard TD drive that was the Phantoms’ response.

Banks’ 22-yard touchdown pass to Roberts on a screen made it 20-7. Farriss Knight added a 40-yard field goal, and with the Phoebus front — led by Hopson, Jonathan Rogers III, Brenden Thompson and Kaleb Tillery — totally denying the Springers’ run attack, there would be no comeback.

“We had our game plan, we knew what it was and we executed on a high level,” Roberts said.

A victory would be all the more impressive because this game marks a rare time in either streak that the Phantoms are perhaps the underdog. Highland Springs has stacked up five state championships and two other finals appearances in the past decade in Classes 5 and 6, while Phoebus has played in smaller Classes 3 and 4.

The matchup is another example of Phantoms coach Jeremy Blunt — who has guided Phoebus to three consecutive state titles and another finals appearance in six seasons — seeking out the best competition when possible. With 58 consecutive Peninsula District victories, the Phantoms have rarely been challenged in their own league. However, state powers Lake Taylor and Oscar Smith have dotted the Phantoms’ regular-season schedule in recent years, while Maury has become a regular scrimmage opponent.

“The goal is always to expose our kids to the best competition,” Blunt said recently, noting win streaks mean less than preparing them for postseason play.

Although the underdog, Phoebus does not come in unarmed. Sophomore quarterback Maurikus Banks is a rising star after his 11-of-17, 165-yard passing performance in the 21-14 win over the Salem Spartans in the Class 4 state championship game in December.

Noah Jefferson is a productive receiving target and Davion Roberts (1,509 yards, 29 touchdowns rushing in 2023) a relentless ball-carrier. They operate behind an experienced offensive line led by two-way all-state pick Markus Hopson.

But running on the Springers is a tall task. So Hopson and the other Phoebus run-stoppers — including the all-state linebacker tandem of Kaleb Tillery and Brenden Thompson — will have to do some run-stopping of their own because the Springers are deep on the ground.

Quarterback Nelson Layne, a speedy transfer from James River High in Midlothian, ran for 2,611 yards the past two seasons. Eric Byrd (1,591 yards rushing and 19 TDs in 2023) and Daeron Ferguson (60 yards rushing in a 42-8 win last week against Manchester) join Layne to give the Springers three rushing threats to the edge behind an experienced line led by Mike Becton — whose older brother Mekhi plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Phantoms might ultimately need a few well-timed completions from Banks to pull off the upset. While not impossible, that might be easier said than done against a defensive backfield led by safety Brennan Johnson, a Division I recruit and son of Springers coach Loren Johnson.

No. 2 Phoebus (0-0) at Highland Springs (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Highland Springs 20-13. Marty’s pick: Highland Springs 10-7.

Friday’s games

757Teamz Top 15

Wise, Md. (0-0) vs. No. 1 Maury (0-0) at Powhatan Field, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Maury 28-13. Marty’s pick: Maury 24-10.

No. 5 Green Run (1-0) at Kellam (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Green Run 41-20. Marty’s pick: Green Run 35-13.

No. 7 Indian River (1-0) at Lakeland (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Indian River 35-0. Marty’s pick: Indian River 42-0.

No. 9 Lafayette (1-0) at Booker T. Washington (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lafayette 42-0. Marty’s pick: Lafayette 49-0.

No. 10 Granby (1-0) vs. Kecoughtan (0-1) at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Granby 33-13. Marty’s pick: Granby 31-7.

Bayside (1-0) at No. 11 Cox (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Cox 34-20. Marty’s pick: Cox 32-24.

Benedictine (0-1) at No. 15 Western Branch (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Benedictine 35-21. Marty’s pick: Benedictine 21-20.

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Beach District

First Colonial (0-1) at Ocean Lakes (0-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Ocean Lakes 28-13. Marty’s pick: Ocean Lakes 21-6.

Kempsville (0-1) at Princess Anne (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Kempsville 34-0. Marty’s pick: Kempsville 45-6.

Landstown (0-1) at Tallwood (0-1), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Landstown 27-26. Marty’s pick: Tallwood 18-16.

Peninsula District

Menchville (0-1) vs. Heritage (0-1) at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Menchville 27-20. Marty’s pick: Menchville 21-7.

Non-district

Nandua (0-1) at Bruton (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Bruton 27-13. Marty’s pick: Bruton 38-6.

Churchland (0-1) at Smithfield (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Churchland 26-13. Marty’s pick: Churchland 28-13.

Gloucester (1-0) at York (0-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: York 23-20. Marty’s pick: York 17-14.

Great Bridge (0-0) at Norview (0-1) , 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Great Bridge 21-20. Marty’s pick: Norview 13-12.

Matoaca (0-0) vs. Warhill (1-0) at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Matoaca 24-20. Marty’s pick: Matoaca 14-13.

Norcom (1-0) at Oscar Smith (1-0), 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Oscar Smith 35-21. Marty’s pick: Oscar Smith 38-16.

Friday’s private-school games

Catholic vs. Atlantic Shores Christian at Virginia Beach Sportsplex, 7 p.m.

Greenbrier Christian at Fuqua, 7 p.m.

Isle of Wight Academy at Roanoke Catholic, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s game

757Teamz Top 15

King George (0-1) vs. No. 14 Hampton (1-0) at Darling Stadium, 1 p.m.

Larry’s pick: King George 26-23. Marty’s pick: King George 20-14.

All 10 public-school games are non-district and at least three are intriguing — none more so than No. 15 Churchland at No. 3 King’s Fork. The contest features a dynamite rushing duel between the Truckers’ Dontavius Booker (1,674 yards, 23 touchdowns in 2023) and King’s Fork’s Javon Ford II (1,570 yards, 25 touchdowns).

No. 4 Oscar Smith will look to negotiate a potentially difficult opener at home on Friday against Richmond-area Hermitage. The arm of sophomore quarterback Lonnie Andrews III (1,500 passing yards and 19 TDs in 2023) will be key for the Tigers, who won last year’s meeting 39-25.

Other than the COVID seasons of 2021, Poquoson has opened every season since its Class 3 state title of 2010 with an easy victory over Southampton — 11 in all. The defending Class 2 Region A champs will face a far sterner test on Friday, when they travel to Lake Taylor in what figures to be one of the night’s best games.

Friday’s games

757Teamz Top 15

No. 15 Churchland at No. 3 King’s Fork, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: King’s Fork 28-23. Marty’s pick: King’s Fork 35-20.

Hermitage at No. 4 Oscar Smith, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Oscar Smith 36-27. Marty’s pick: Oscar Smith 31-24.

Grassfield vs. No. 6 Warwick at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Warwick 35-13. Marty’s pick: Warwick 42-0.

No. 9 Lafayette at Spotsylvania, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lafayette 27-13. Marty’s pick: Lafayette 21-6.

No. 12 Nansemond River vs. Bethel at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Nansemond River 33-13. Marty’s pick: Nansemond River 20-13.

Poquoson at No. 13 Lake Taylor, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Lake Taylor 27-20. Marty’s pick: Poquoson 21-14.

Non-district

Heritage vs. Tabb at Bailey Field, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Tabb 23-20. Marty’s pick: Heritage 20-19.

Norview at Smithfield, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Smithfield 27-23. Marty’s pick: Smithfield 27-23.

Bruton at Northampton, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Bruton 27-14. Marty’s pick: Bruton 28-21.

Friday’s private-school games

The Potomac School at Norfolk Academy, 6 p.m.

Atlantic Shores Christian vs. Roanoke Catholic at VB Sportsplex, 7 p.m.

Broadwater Academy at Greenbrier Christian, 7 p.m.

Nansemond-Suffolk at Isle of Wight, 7 p.m.

Smith Mountain Lake Christian at Catholic, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s game

Non-district

No. 10 Granby vs. Denbigh at Todd Stadium, noon

Larry’s pick: Granby 36-13. Marty’s pick: Granby 28-7.

They include No. 5 Green Run, which comes into this season riding a 33-game Beach District regular-season winning streak, including three consecutive district titles.

Green Run, which is trying to become the first Beach District team to win a state title since Ocean Lakes in 2014, plays at home against Tallwood. The Lions haven’t beaten the Stallions since 2019.

Staff writers Larry Rubama and Marty O’Brien provide their predictions, as they will through state championship week in December.

Thursday’s games

757Teamz Top 15

Tallwood at No. 5 Green Run, 6:30 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Green Run 34-14. Marty’s pick: Green Run 34-16.

No. 7 Salem at Kempsville, 6:30 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Salem 28-14 . Marty’s pick: Salem 34-17.

No. 8 Indian River at Varina, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Varina 28-26. Marty’s pick: Varina 21-20.

Landstown at No. 11 Cox, 6:30 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Cox 28-20. Marty’s pick: Cox 24-13.

No. 14 Hampton vs. Woodside at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Hampton 33-20. Marty’s pick: Hampton 21-7.

Beach District

Kellam at First Colonial, 6:30 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Kellam 23-20. Marty’s pick: Kellam 31-20.

Princess Anne at Bayside, 6:30 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Bayside 26-13. Marty’s pick: Bayside 28-14.

Peninsula District

Kecoughtan at Gloucester, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Kecoughtan 20-14. Marty’s pick: Kecoughtan 14-13.

Non-district

Booker T. Washington at Petersburg, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Petersburg 28-6. Marty’s pick: Petersburg 41-8.

Currituck County (N.C.) at Deep Creek, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Deep Creek 28-26. Marty’s pick: Deep Creek 19-14.

Manor vs. Warhill at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Warhill 20-13. Marty’s pick: Warhill 48-7.

Norcom vs. Grafton at Bailey Field, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Norcom 20-13. Marty’s pick: Norcom 35-21.

Jamestown at Nottoway, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Jamestown 14-12. Marty’s pick: Nottoway 18-14.

Western Branch vs. Menchville at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.

Larry’s pick: Western Branch 28-20. Marty’s pick: Menchville 17-16.