On the eve of Warwick’s 34-20 win over Phoebus, Raiders coach Thomas Sykes downplayed his team’s 26-game losing string against the Phantoms. He pointed out the program once lost 43 consecutive to Hampton and was now competitive (having won four consecutive) with the Crabbers.
The victory over Phoebus last week puts the Raiders in terrific position to break an even longer streak — 60 years without a Peninsula District championship. Warwick is the only original member still remaining in the PD, which began play in 1965, not to at least share a district crown.
Phoebus has won the past eight district titles. The Phantoms’ PD win streak was 68 games, dating back to October 2016.
With the Phoebus demon slayed, and a decisive 35-13 win over Bethel in hand, it appears the Crabbers (3-1, 2-0 district) are the only team with a realistic shot at keeping the Raiders (3-2, 3-0) from a first district championship. They will meet on Oct. 23 at Darling Stadium.
“The Peninsula District has been one of the toughest districts to play in the past 50 years,” Sykes said. “To win the district may be small to others, but to Warwick and (the city of) Newport News, it’s a great accomplishment.
“As big is this is when the district (schedule) ends in November, we still want to be playing (in the Class 5 state playoffs) in November.”
Warhill defense shines
With four starters among six players missing from the defense in a 32-29 loss to Smithfield six days earlier, Jerome Rhodes was happy to get one starter back for Thursday’s game at York. Rhodes said that starting inside linebacker ZCarion Turner gave the defense a “huge lift” in the 35-0 victory.
Another star defensively in the first shutout of the season by the Lions (3-2 district and overall) was cornerback Christopher Donnell. He had six tackles, two for loss, and a forced fumble.
“The defense did a great job,” Rhodes said. “We were worried about about stopping their north-south running game, but York’s longest run of the night was six yards.”
Extra points
Bethel (3-2) could become the first Peninsula area team with two players to surpass 1,000 yards this season on Thursday, when it hosts Heritage (1-4) at Darling Stadium. Quarterback Alex Lewis enters with 934 yards passing and nine touchdowns, while running back Amari Pryear has 915 yards rushing and 13 TDs.
Back to streaks, Woodside had a 21-game win streak against Newport News rival Menchville before dropping the past three meetings. The most recent loss was 17-16 in overtime a year ago.
The Wolverines (2-2) turned the tables this past week, beating the Monarchs 41-21 behind a second stellar offensive performance in four games. Terris Brown passed for 100 yards and Daniel Young ran for 162 as the Wolverines averaged 9.5 yards per carry.
It is unlikely penalty records are available, but York and Warhill might have set the Bay Rivers District mark for a single point-after touchdown. Following the Lions’ first touchdown, the teams combined for five penalties on the PAT, almost all of the offsides/illegal motion variety. “That’s a first,” Rhodes said of the flags total for a PAT, noting that the refs mercifully did not call a sixth on two York players he felt were offside when his team finally made the kick.
Lafayette coach Andy Linn can make a living predicting football outcomes when he hangs up his whistle as head football coach. Following his team’s 10-7 loss in overtime to Poquoson on Friday, he said he didn’t think the outcome would much affect playoff seeding for the Rams (4-1). “I don’t think Phoebus, Hampton and Churchland will go undefeated, either,” he said of the others then still unbeaten in Class 4 Region A. All three lost last week.
