YORK — The Charlie Hovis Trophy is returning to Tabb, where the Tigers’ late coach won three state championships with teams hardened annually by their bruising battles with York County archrival York.
The Tigers earned the trophy marking York County supremacy with a 17-14 win over the Falcons in their Bay Rivers District battle Friday in front of a large crowd at Bailey Field, worthy of their great matchups in the Hovis era and beyond. It took a time-consuming, ground-and-pound fourth-quarter drive Hovis would’ve appreciated to give the Tigers the lead late, then a stop on York’s final possession.
Kahlil Outlaw’s 3-yard touchdown run with 1 minute, 52 seconds remaining capped Tabb’s 14-play, 76-yard drive that consumed 8:06 and gave the Tigers the three-point lead. The Falcons marched from their 20 to the Tabb 23 following the kickoff, but lost 13 yards on a snap over quarterback Anthony Custis’ head. Custis’ desperation pass on the final play was batted down by Tabb defensive back Josh Guthinger.
“What a rivalry game,” Tabb coach John Byron said. “That was four quarters of two teams battling it out, and somebody had to win.
“I’m glad it was us.”
Tigers quarterback Corbin Eckert launched the winning drive, beginning at the Tabb 24 with 9:58 to play, on a 14-yard run up the middle. The play was typical of Tabb’s 12 runs on the series.
“I think we were our most vanilla on that series,” Byron said. “It doesn’t happen without the offensive line’s blocking and Corbin’s leadership.”
York had taken the lead with a similar drive (12 plays, 67 yards and 7:20 in duration) to start the second half. Custis connected with Brayden Lemonds on a 23-yard pass and finished the sequence with a 7-yard TD run.
The Falcons never played like a two-touchdown underdog, striking first with a nine-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead on their first possession. The key play was Custis’ 34-yard pass to Prince Farrow, whose layout stretch on the diving reception was accurately labeled “ESPN highlight-worthy” by York public-address announcer Stephen Fisher.
Custis capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Tabb (5-2) retaliated with an 11-play, 67-yard touchdown drive.
Eckert’s 6-yard pass to David Brooks on fourth-and-4 to the York 18 was big. Two plays later, Micah Marbra swept 14 yards to the end zone around left end as the Tigers tied the game at 7 on the first play of the second quarter.
It appeared the Falcons would enter their homecoming halftime tied after stopping Eckert for no gain on fourth-and-1 late in the first half. But the Tigers got the ball back at their own 42 with 22 seconds remaining, and Eckert passed for 29 yards to Guthinger and 26 yards to Domani Arizpe on consecutive plays.
That set up Brooks’ 20-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to give Tabb a 10-7 lead. The three points proved crucial in a struggle not decided until the clock showed triple zeroes.
