NEWPORT NEWS — No offense, but Warwick High’s identity during its run to success the past few years has largely been defensive.
The Raiders have a serious breakaway threat in tailback Terius Brown (907 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns). His nickname, “Downtown,” sizzles enough that defensive back Cartier Carey, with an interesting first name of his own, thinks it’s cool.
Ziyre White-Epps, formerly a receiver, has moved to quarterback and compiled passing numbers (256 yards and four TDs) that are modest, but rushing totals 623 yards rushing, five TDs) that are good. Jaron Crittenden, with kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns) gives the special teams scoring potential.
But conventional wisdom is that the Peninsula District championship hopes of the Raiders (6-2, 6-0 district) in their showdown with Hampton (6-1, 5-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Darling Stadium depend most on the defense. The unit has rarely failed the Raiders during a three-plus season run in which they’ve won 39 games.
In the 10-game 2023 regular season, the Raiders surrendered only 16 points. Their 8.5 points average this season is almost as impressive against a schedule with North Carolina power Mallard Creek, Oscar Smith and Phoebus.
The Raiders returned only four defensive starters from 2024 team, but opened eyes when they did not give up a touchdown in the season-opening 3-0 loss to Mallard Creek.
“Seeing them all get to the places they needed to be at and seeing them make adjustments erased any doubts,” said first-year head coach Thomas Sykes, the Raiders’ defensive coordinator the previous three seasons. “We were able to take seven of our junior varsity kids, home-grown kids, not get them from different schools, and put them up with the four varsity (returning starters).
“Not many people can say that. They all blended together.”
Warwick head coach Thomas Sykes walks the sideline during a game against Phoebus at Todd Stadium in Newport News on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Ted Calise/For The Virginian-Pilot)
Although senior linemen Christian Corbin and Du’wuane Skipwith, both all-state in 2024, played on the varsity as freshmen — a season ahead of safety Carey and inside linebacker Tracy Pope, both juniors — the four have played together often since youth football for new defensive coordinator Darreous Moody. Moody says their leadership and familiarity with each other helps the newcomers.
“They let the others know that, if you do what you’re asked everything will be fun, but if you go against the grain, everything will be a little tougher,” Moody said. “All of these kids grew up in ‘The Raider Way,’ so that made it easier to get them up to varsity speed.”
“Speed” is the defining word when it comes to the Warwick defense, Moody says, but adds they are also tough.
“You marry those two together, it does create the mentality they need to cause havoc for other offenses,” Moody added. “My philosophy is to put pressure on guys, and make them make the plays they think they can make with not a lot of time.”
Because of that, the defense has scored four touchdowns of its own, including three on fumble recoveries by Carey, Pope and linebacker Avione Tucker. Skipwith returned an interception for the game-winning score off of a deflection by end Supreme Payne — another cool name — to clinch the long-awaited 34-20 win over eight-time defending district champion Phoebus.
“That win meant a lot for us,” Carey said, crediting Moody, whom he calls Mr. TTP (Trust The Process). “We’ve been doing nothing but working hard, knowing one day that win (the Raiders’ first in the series in 26 games) would come.”
Pope (54 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 10 sacks) has emerged as the star of a linebacker corps with Tucker, Omari Meredith (48 tackles) and Avion Rodriguez all contributing. Corbin, Skipwith and Payne (seven sacks) comprise a formidable front.
“We’ve done a good job of pressuring quarterbacks out of the pocket, and not a lot of teams have been able to run the ball on us,” said Corbin, a Delaware signee.
Passing hasn’t been easy, either, against the Raiders, who have eight interceptions to go with 31 sacks. Izsaiah Emery (50 tackles) has been the big hitter in the defensive backfield along with Carey (33 tackles), who has combined with Gamyr Thornton for 11 pass breakups.
The unit that will have its work cut out for it against a balanced Hampton offense averaging more than 41 points, and netted more than 200 yards rushing against Phoebus while passing for 160. A first-ever Peninsula District title is the prize if the Warwick defense succeeds.
“It would mean everything for us,” Pope said. “I feel we’re going to win it and go far in the playoffs.”
