The Peninsula District turns 60 this season and Warwick, one of the original members, has yet to win its football championship.
The Raiders have been excellent the past three seasons, with 33 wins and a (2022) Class 4 Region A title. Phoebus, however, has been an obstacle to a district championship breakthrough, winning closely contested showdowns for the title the past two seasons.
The Raiders are more than just a trendy pick among some to end the Phantoms’ streaks of 66 district victories, eight district titles in a row and 26 victories in their series. Three senior linemen, Division I prospects all, highlight a talented roster.
And Phoebus’ graduation losses were massive: 31 seniors, 15 of them all-district, with a mind-blowing 12 occupying 14 first-team spots. But Phantoms coach Jeremy Blunt is as masterful at program-building as he is at winning state championships (four consecutive), with his second-stringers rotating regularly and his third-stringers seeing ample time in blowouts.
Old Dominion recruit Maurikus Banks’ first two seasons moved him nearer than most to the PD quarterback Mount Rushmore occupied by Ronald Curry, Michael Vick and Allen Iverson. His skill weapons and offensive line will be more than adequate, so if the defense rebuilds quickly — and it will — the Phantoms are capable of turning back the Raiders.
The PD heavyweights will face more competition in a district resurging beyond the top. Hampton and Bethel are more talented and Denbigh is vastly improved, while Menchville and Woodside are solid.
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1. Phoebus Phantoms
Classification: Class 4 Region A
Coach: Jeremy Blunt, 148-19 in 12 seasons
Last season: 14-0 overall, 9-0 district
On the field: With 49 consecutive wins, Phoebus is stalking the state record of 52 it already shares with Staunton-area Riverheads. Even as they gain experience, the Phantoms should get the first two (against Denbigh and Kecoughtan) with little problem. Beating Warwick (Sept. 27 at Todd Stadium) to tie it, and then state power Highland Springs (Oct. 2 at Darling Stadium) will be no easy task. But Banks (6-1, 174), who threw for 2,600 yards and 34 touchdowns a year ago, showed with his remarkable completions against Warwick last year (58 yards on fourth down to Norfolk State recruit Romeir Smith), and in the final second of the 2023 state championship game against the Salem Spartans (86 yards to Keyontae Gray for the victory), he is made for such moments. Mhakyi Hill — who caught the go-ahead TD pass against Warwick last year — and Jayden Javier give him two good receivers. Three offensive linemen graduated, but all-district pick Troy Solomona (6-1, 250) and sophomore Jordyn Hill (6-3, 230) are returning starters. The new starters all saw significant minutes a year ago. Solomona, first-team all-district on both sides of the line last year, leads the defensive front after a monster postseason there. Two all-state first-team linebackers graduated, but Kameron Tillery moves into the spot brother Kaleb Tillery (now at Norfolk State) occupied and should shine. Hill, Javier and Brandon Diggs, a leading candidate to replace Davion Roberts’ nearly 2,000 yards rushing, give the Phantoms an athletic defensive backfield. Whatever happens in the district, or with the Virginia High School League winning streak, don’t be surprised if Phoebus plays for a fifth consecutive state title come December.
Phoebus head coach Jeremy Blunt, right, holds the winning plaque during the Class 4 State Championships at Williams Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (Courtesy of Paige Dingler)
2. Warwick Raiders
Classification: Class 5 Region B
Coach: Thomas Sykes, first season
Last season: 10-2 overall, 8-1 district
On the field: If the axiom that games are won in the trenches holds true, the Raiders will win a lot. The defensive front is led by three-star Delaware commit Christian Corbin (6-3, 290) and Du’Wuane Skipwith (6-2, 265), who are entering their fourth year starting beside Antwone Vazquez (6-2, 245). Throw in junior Avion Rodriguez, who, like Skipwith, is fielding his first FBS offers, and the front four’s talent is impressive. The Raiders do have to replace two all-state linebackers, but junior Terius Brown moves into the lineup with two FBS offers, Sykes said. Zyire White-Epps, yet another Raider drawing big-time interest, brings athleticism to the defensive backfield. Quarterback is a question as all-district all-purpose second-teamer Saeed Williams Jr. and backup Alex Lewis, both college prospects, transferred. The newcomer, junior Zymehr Hawkins (6-2, 170) is talented, though, and he has Corbin, Vazquez and lots of other good ones protecting him. Brown and White-Epps are among numerous athletic targets on the talented-but-inexperienced receiver corps. Keep an eye on freshman Avione Tucker (5-10, 185), penciled in as a starting running back already. The Raiders will push Phoebus for the district title, same as the past two years. Can they finally prevail?
Warwick High School head football coach Thomas Sykes during practice Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Newport News. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)
3. Hampton Crabbers
Classification: Class 4 Region A
Coach: Woodrow Wilson, 19-17 in three seasons
Last season: 9-4 overall, 7-2 district
On the field: Wilson is not a man given to overstatement, so when he expresses confidence these Crabbers will be better than his first three — last year’s nine-win bunch included — take note. It helps to have Marcus Chapman (6-5, 195). As physically gifted as any quarterback in a district with lots of good ones, Chapman, with offers from five ACC schools already, has added savvy and maturity to his arsenal. He already had a steady target in all-district receiver Davion Perry. He might have two more gifted and big ones in 6-7 Gavin Kay and 6-3 Abraham Taft, standouts on the Crabbers’ 2024 basketball state champs who are giving varsity football a first-time try as seniors. Small but mighty first-team all-district running back Casey Lassiter (5-5, 140) will get the ball in his hands in a variety of ways. Two starting offensive linemen transferred and Wilson isn’t blinking as a group led by Gene Jones (6-4, 270) — with three ACC offers of his own — looks good. Lassiter was also first-team all-district in the defensive backfield, where another senior from the ’24 basketball state champs, Jawaun Tucker, will also give varsity football a first-time try. Linemen Nate Chitwood and Jaydon Ott, the latter drawing D-I interest, are part of a Hampton defense with plenty of tacklers.
Hampton quarterback Marcus Chapman winds up a throw for a receiver downfield during a drill on the first day of football practice at Hampton High School in Hampton, Virginia, on July 31, 2025. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
4. Bethel Bruins
Classification: Class 5 Region B
Coach: David Porter, 13-19 in three seasons
Last season: 6-5 overall, 6-3 district
On the field: The Bruins’ best season in eight years finished with a surprisingly competitive 14-6 playoff loss to Nansemond River — a team they lost to by 32 points in the season-opener. The Bruins possess a set of skill players among the elite in the district. Junior Derek Fisher (6-0, 185) — with Virginia Tech, Virginia and Duke already among his growing list of suitors — gets to move back to wide receiver after a season as a fish out of water as a quarterback. That’s because senior Alex Lewis (6-2, 175), with several Division I offers himself, transferred from Warwick and will handle signal-calling duties. The mainstay will be Amari Pryear, who committed to Hampton University after rushing for 1,580 yards and 24 touchdowns in sharing PD Offensive Player of the Year honors. Ethan Wiggins, TJ Ricks and Carnell Sheriff are starters on an offensive line averaging about 260 pounds. Most of safety Fisher’s offers are to play defense, where he intercepted four passes last year, running one back for a touchdown, and forced six fumbles. Up front, the Bruins have a four-year starter in O’Dell Pinkney (6-0, 240) along with another in the secondary in Aaron Hall. LB Gavin Womack and Jamal Christian are also returning starters, so the Bruins should be competitive on defense.
Bethel running back Amari Pryear, a 5-foot-6, 190-pound rising senior, announced his commitment to play for Hampton U. (Courtesy photo)
5. Denbigh Patriots
Classification: Class 4 Region A
Coach: Raymond Malone, first season
Last season: 2-9 overall, 2-7 district
On the field: Optimism hasn’t been this high at Denbigh — which hasn’t won as many as three games in any season in a decade — in a long time. Junior quarterback Kevin Parker begins his third season as a starter not only with growing talent and Division I interest, but with some talent around him. Foremost is Woodside transfer Callen Morrison, an elite athlete and D-I prospect who was first-team all-district as a sophomore at two spots (punt returner and kick returner) and second-team at another (receiver). Maury transfer Jyran Evans (6-4, 184) will combine with Morrison to give the Patriots one of the most dynamic receiving duos in the area. The transfer bounty includes defensive end Jashon Smith (Heritage), ball-hawking safety Malik Greenhow (Lafayette), linebacker Josiah Thompson (Lafayette) and two-way lineman Jeremiah Thompson (Lafayette, 6-4, 271). Peyton Eckel (6-4, 279) and Julius Farris (6-2, 291) join Jeremiah Thompson on a line larger than it’s been for Denbigh in a while. LB Derrick White, DE Caleb White and CB Troy Winston lead a defense that should be much improved on a team much improved. Denbigh is about to leap up the district standings. The question is “how high?”
Denbigh High School head football coach Raymond Malone during practice Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in Newport News. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)
6. Menchville Monarchs
Classification: Class 5 Region B
Coach: Rodney Taylor, 28-31 in five seasons
Last season: 5-6 overall, 5-4 district
On the field: When Menchville went though a string of six consecutive one- or two-win seasons not too long ago, five or six wins a season would’ve felt like Valhalla. But with the Monarchs reaching six victories in consecutive seasons, and five a year ago, Taylor said those numbers are becoming “too routine” and need to be improved. With seven offensive and seven defensive starters returning, it’s no given the Monarchs can do that, but they have a fighting chance. It helps that they have two quarterbacks — junior Chace Janus (6-0, 185) and sophomore Adrian Wilson (5-11, 165) — capable of manning the position and competing for snaps. They’ll be protected by a line with two huge blockers in Jhase Wright (6-5, 350) and Juan Carlos Rivera-Henderson (6-4, 335). Cameron Drew gives the Monarchs power and balance at running back, where Tiavon Banton is elusive. Three of Elius Graham’s 11 catches went for touchdowns last year. The Monarchs have good talent at every level of the speedy, physical defense: ends Timothy Cook (6-0, 245) and Ryan Ross (31 tackles, six sacks), and lineman Rivera-Henderson (three sacks); linebacker Thomas Alston (6-3, 225); and cornerbacks Graham (two interceptions) and Michael Singletary.
7. Woodside Wolverines
Classification: Class 5 Region B
Coach: Alonzo Coley, 5-6 in one season for Woodside; 42-53 in nine seasons
Last season: 5-6 overall, 4-5 district
On the field: Perennially in the top two or three in the district under longtime coach Danny Dodson, the Wolverines won just one game in the season following his departure, but rebounded to win five a year ago under Coley, a longtime Kecoughtan head coach and state championship-winning defensive coordinator for Phoebus. Losing Callen Morrison to Denbigh stings, but the Wolverines start 11 seniors on offense, always a good thing. The returning offensive starters are QB Terris Bowen, RB Daniel Young, OT Jaymir Jones, G Jahel Ferreira, C Chris Haskins, G Lakhi Randall-Epps, WR Isaiah Foye and WR Isaiah Minor. Linemen Jones, Haskins and Randall-Epps are three-year starters. DT Jones, CB Foye, LB Keshawn Brogdon (38 tackles), LB Kingston Joyner (43 tackles) and S Jaylen Campbell give the fast defense five returning starters from last year. “We should be above average (on defense) and possess good team speed, experience and leverage up front (on offense),” Coley said.
8. Heritage Hurricanes
Classification: Class 3 Region A
Coach: Shomari Wright, first season
Last season: 3-8 overall, 3-6 district
On the field: Wright comes to Heritage young and enthusiastic, with good work on his résumé in the program, as defensive coordinator at Woodside and on the middle-school level. But he inherits little experienced talent on the roster, so 2025 could be a challenge. Quarterback James Barge has good size (6-3, 200) and, with a year as a starter under his belt, is a confident leader. Senior Rayshawn Malone-Pierce already had eclipsed his 400 yards rushing for the ’23 region finalists in three games last season before he was lost to an ankle injury. WR Elijah Brown (5-9, 160), who doubles as a running back, and WR Sean Weekes (6-0, 180) give Barge speed and athleticism at wide receiver. Both will start in the backfield on a defense led by hard-hitting linebacker Kaleb Mitchell (6-3, 260). Wright said the offensive and defensive line talent is better than expected. If they, and an assertive young group, develop quickly, the Hurricanes will exceed preseason predictions.
Shomari Wright is the new football coach at Heritage High School in Newport News. (Marty O’Brien / The Virginian-Pilot)
9. Kecoughtan Warriors
Classification: Class 5 Region B
Coach: Zecharie James, 0-10 in one season
Last season: 0-10 overall, 0-9 district
On the field: In an era of lessened participation and increased player movement, the bottom can drop out on a high school program fast. The Warriors went from eight wins in 2022 to none a year ago with an offense that didn’t score a point in the first seven games. James, a Kecoughtan graduate, is determined to rebuild. In Jordan House (5-11, 150), he has a quarterback who persevered through those trials as a freshman and has gotten better. He, and the rest of the offense, are buoyed by the return of running back James Vinnie (5-10, 208), a standout on the Warriors’ 2024 state track champs who was sidelined by injury a year ago. Center Paxton Ward (6-2, 280) and guard Riley Griffin (6-3, 325) give the offensive line size and experience. Earl Tatum, a Warriors basketball player, adds speed at receiver, while Quinn Starling is one of the district’s better kickers. Vinnie, an aggressive defensive end, leads the defense.
Marty O’Brien, mjobrien@dailypress.com
