HAMPTON — The Phoebus Phantoms stormed to their 33rd straight win, as well as the Class 4 Region A title, Saturday with a 41-13 rout of previously unbeaten Warhill.
The contest was a contrast in styles for Phoebus, which will face King George in a state semifinal next weekend at Darling Stadium. In the first half, the Phantoms’ offense rushed to a 27-0 lead. In the second half, a stout defense took over, forcing four takeaways, two by Markus Hopson.
“We knew that defensively, we would have a tall task,” Phoebus coach Jeremy Blunt said. “We played a worthy opponent.”
Anthony Reddick was on fire for the Phantoms, chalking up two sacks and four tackles for a loss. Kaleb Tillery and Nijay Gay forced fumbles, and the defense as a whole kept Lions quarterback Liam Francisque on the run all afternoon.
“I was impressed by the way we kept him in the box,” added Blunt, whose team also allowed just 37 rushing yards (on 30 carries) to Warhill.
Freshman quarterback Maurikus Banks, in his first start, kept the Lions’ defenders at bay with pinpoint accuracy. He completed his first seven passes before having one dropped and finished with nine completions in 14 attempts for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
“He has been primed for this moment since he was in eighth grade,” Blunt said. “The team rallied around him.”
The Phantoms were never threatened. The first drive, which covered 70 yards on 12 carries, chewed off more than seven minutes and set the tone for the game. Paul Stephen Davis hauled in a 16-yard scoring pass from Banks.
Davis almost scored again two minutes later. Warhill (12-1) managed one first down on its opening drive, but was forced to punt from its 30. Davis, who caught the ball at his 27, followed a three-player wall of blockers down the left sideline but fell one yard short of the end zone after stumbling over a Warhill player. Davion Roberts (18 carries, 121 yards) scored on the next play, with Farriss Knight connecting on the extra point to give the Phantoms a 14-0 lead.
A 47-yard completion from Francisque to Taylen Eady gave the Lions their best first-half scoring opportunity as they drove to the Phoebus 14. But the drive fizzled as Francisque got stuffed on two runs and threw a short incompletion on fourth-and-6.
The Phantoms’ defense was electric, with Reddick constantly in the Lions’ backfield. Phoebus extended its lead to 27-0 at the half, with Roberts scoring on a 14-yard run, followed by a 12-yard TD pass from Banks to Keyontae Gray.
The momentum carried into the second half. Warhill received the kick, but on its first play, Francisque dropped back to pass, was spun around and had the ball stripped from him by Hopson, who rumbled 18 yards for a touchdown.
Warhill found its way onto the scoreboard. A 52-yard reception by Henry Houberg set up a 16-yard scramble by Francisque, who then pushed in behind his line from the 1 for a touchdown.
Phoebus countered with a 10-play, 69-yard drive, punctuated with a 1-yard push by Banks.
Jim McGrath, 757-813-3809, james.mcgrath@virginiamedia.com
