SUFFOLK — Two-time state Class 5 defending champion Maury reeled off 42 unanswered points in the second half and pummeled host King’s Fork 49-6 in Friday’s Class 5 Region B title matchup.
“We didn’t execute the way we needed to early,” Commodores coach Dyrri McCain said. “Credit to King’s Fork. It was two good teams playing playoff football. Every game that we play is not going to start out with us scoring 50 points in the first half. Which is why our first three games prepared us for this situation right here.”
Maury’s next situation will be next weekend’s state semifinal against Stone Bridge of Ashburn.
Following a tight first quarter, Tayshawne Branche broke open a deadlocked game midway through the second quarter, busting up the middle for a 58-yard touchdown run to give the Commodores (12-1) to a 7-0 lead.
The King’s Fork defense clamped down for a stop on fourth-and-2 at the Commodores’ 43 with 46 seconds remaining. On the next play, Isiah Gilliam tore through the line for a 22-yard gain, and then the hosts benefited from a Commodores defensive pass interference call to place the ball on the 11.
Myles Satchell then connected with D’andre Artis-Boone for an 11-yard scoring strike with 15.3 seconds remaining. An unsuccessful point-after kick attempt led to a 7-6 deficit at the half for King’s Fork (11-2).
“Once we settled in, we played our brand of football in all three phases and ended up pulling away like we did,” said McCain, whose team opened the season with tough matchups against Cardinal Gibbons of North Carolina, VHSL Class 4 power Varina and Bishop McNamara of Maryland. “We’ve played some pretty good opponents on the road and we’ve been in some games going in a half, so we were used to that situation and feeling. The kids did a good job of handling it, and the coaches did a great job making adjustments.”
The Commodores blew the game open in the third quarter on a number of explosive plays.
Jahvon Wiggins sliced through the King’s Fork coverage team for a 57-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the period.
“I knew the first half was a little back and forth, so I had to come out with some more energy and get us some momentum going,” Wiggins said. During the return “I saw a one-on-one opportunity and took it.”
On Maury’s ensuing possession following a King’s Fork punt to the Commodores’ 6, Domo Everette pitched a short pass over the middle to Elijah Moss, who baited his defender toward the center of the field and then scampered down the left side for a score.
“We just needed a little bit of cushion for our defense because they were out there just giving us cushion,” Moss said. “I felt like we needed to hype our guys up and mix them up a little.”
There was a lengthy delay following an injury on the field to Maury tight end Isaiah Simmons, but he waved his arms to the crowd as he was stretchered off. McCain said after the game Simmons was OK.
Everette fired a 37-yard TD pass to Wiggins and Javonti Hughes added a 1-yard scoring plunge to push the Commodores’ advantage to 35-6 by the end of the third quarter.
Moss hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Everette at the 9:06 mark in the fourth for a 42- 6 margin, which started a rolling clock.
With less than a minute remaining, Jaiden Avery added a 69-yard scoring dash up the middle for Maury’s final tally.
“I just think that’s credit to the work that these guys put in the offseason,” McCain said. “Most teams get slower and wear down in the second half. We were still able to be who we were in the first quarter and just executed better in the second half to make those explosive plays.”
