HAMPTON — Hampton High won its first Peninsula District football title in nine years, but had to work mightily for it in beating rival Bethel 49-35 Thursday at Darling Stadium in one of the most entertaining games the storied rivalry has produced.
The Crabbers (9-1 overall, 8-0 district) appeared to be cruising to a blowout victory early in the third quarter, when diminutive Casey Lassiter (5-foot-5, 140 pounds) gave them a 20-0 lead with his 45-yard touchdown run. Turns out, that was only the first in a series of haymakers the Crabbers and Bruins (6-4, 5-3) threw at each other in a second half that produced remarkable numbers.
In addition to a combined 71 points over the final 24 minutes, the rivals totaled 664 yards in that span. Inevitably individuals thrived, but surprisingly, Bethel running back Amari Pryear (15 carries, 43 yards) — who entered with school season records of 1,789 yards rushing and 31 touchdowns — was not one of them.
Bethel quarterback Alex Lewis threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns. The first was for 71 yards to Antonio Cummings (three receptions, 104 yards) to cut the Hampton lead to 20-7.
Three plays later, the Bruins recovered a fumble by Lassiter, the only blemish on a night when the Crabbers running back netted 177 yards rushing and three touchdowns. That set up the one big moment in the game for Pryear, his 11-yard touchdown run that pulled the Bruins to within 20-14 with 5:01 to play in the third quarter.
Scoring accelerated at a frantic pace from there. Crabbers receiver Davion Perry made a spectacular diving catch of a pass from quarterback Marcus Chapman for 42 yards to the Bruins’ 2 yard line. That set up a 2-yard touchdown run by by Chapman, who also ran in the two-pointer as the Crabbers led 28-14.
Cummings retaliated by returning the kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown as Bethel sliced the lead to 28-21. Chapman, who passed for 265 yards and ran for 109, completed passes of 23 and 40 yards but fumbled at the end of a 9-yard run and the Bruins recovered at their 5.
That slowed the Crabbers only temporarily as Chapman made it 35-21 on a 10-yard touchdown run with 8:21 remaining. Lewis remained hot the next series, completing three passes for 45 yards to Kasyn Campbell (five receptions, 94 yards) — the latter for a 28-yard touchdown — as Bethel closed to within 35-28 midway through the fourth quarter.
But another long Chapman-to-Perry hookup (48 yards), and Lassiter’s 33-yard touchdown run with 4:18 to play, was more evidence that Hampton — which led 13-0 at the end of a comparatively quiet first half — would answer every Bethel punch.
“That was really fun, I really enjoyed that game,” Lassiter said of all the scoring. “We had to fight hard and keep making plays, and I was there to make them.
“(Winning the district title) is great, but it’s just the start.”
