VISAA D2 State Championship
North Cross wins State Championship in impressive fashion on Saturday
Willis Field, Roanoke, VA – As good as the North Cross offense was Saturday, their defense may have been better. Blue Ridge’s only score in Saturday’s state final came on a scoop and score on defense. For the third straight week, the
Raider ‘D’ didn’t surrender a point. First year Raider Head Coach Shannon Taylor was happy with their performance, “The defense today was stifling. I feel real good about our guys. They’re hard workers in the offseason and you see it today.”
Blue Ridge actuallly scored first with that previously mentioned 48-yard, ‘scoop and score’ by LB 19 Demetrius Allen at the 6:18 mark. Three plays later though, North Cross tied it up with a beautifully thrown, 71-yard TD pass from QB 11 Brock Miles to WR 1 Jaziel Hart. The Raiders made it 21-7 by halftime, on a two strong runs, first by ‘Lightning’- RB 2 Jerel Rhodes (11/72,TD) from 5 yards out, followed by ‘Thunder’- RB 4 Kam Johnson (16/113,2TDs), from the six. In the third quarter, Johnson added a 5-yard score running behind his physical O-line, led by Moritz ’Schmo’ Schmoranzer.
Coach Taylor spoke highly of his offensive tackle, “(Schmo is)… a Pitt commit, has held down the left tackle for us, hasn’t given up a sack all year, and has rallied our young guys.” The Raiders final tally was a 50-yard bomb down the left sidelines to WR/LB/K 21 Dan Skoog.
The Junior was covered well but muscled his way to the catch and motored the rest of the way to paydirt. Junior Raider QB 11 Brock Miles had a good day passing the ball, He was 10/15, for 279 yards, and 2TDs. Hart had 3 catches for 95 yards and a TD, Skoog was 2/68,TD, and WR/DB 13 Jase Rhodes had 4 grabs for 45 yards. Schmoranzer summed it up concisely after the game, “We were prepared. It’s our home field. They’re tough but we were just better.” – Cap’n Crunch
OFFENSE:
Rushing:
North Cross– Kam Johnson 16/113,2TDs, Jerel Rhodes 11/72,TD, DeShannon Reed 8/26, Jaziel Hart 2/12, Jase Rhodes 2/(-4), Brock Miles 4/(-10), Danny Phung 1/1, Team 2/(-2) Blue Ridge – Malachi Terrell 14/102, Darius Stafford 13/66, Eliott Nahon 2/0, Paul Kloberdanz 1/(-3)
Passing:
North Cross– Brock Miles 10/15,279.2TDs Blue Ridge– Paul Kloberdanz 9/18,21,INT, Noah Anderson 1/3,5, Jason Byers 0/1,0,INT
Receiving:
North Cross– Jaziel Hart 3/95,TD, Daniel Skoog 2/68,TD, Moritz Mittendorfer 1/63, Jase Rhodes 4/45, Jerel Rhodes 1/15, Kam Johnson 1/1 Blue Ridge – Tristan Fitzpatrick 3/16, Eliott Nohan 2/13, Kamren Martin 1/5, D’Myo Hunter 1/(-5), Darius Stafford 3/(-9)
Returns:
North Cross– Jaziel Hart 1/6 Blue Ridge – Darius Stafford 2/28, Malachi Terrell 2/25, Eliott Nahon 1/9, D’Myo Hunter 1/2
Punting:
North Cross– Brock Miles 3/27 yd avg Blue Ridge – Eliott Nahon 7/38 yd avg
Offense:
First Quarter-
Blue Ridge: Demetrius Allen 48-yard fumble return for TD; Dillon Schlopy PAT (6:18)
North Cross: Jaziel Hart 71-yard TD reception from Brock Miles; Daniel Skoog PAT (4:55)
Second Quarter-
North Cross: Jerel Rhodes 5-yard TD run; Daniel Skoog PAT (4:24)
North Cross: Kam Johnson 6-yard TD run; Daniel Skoog PAT (1:44)
Third Quarter-
North Cross: Kam Johnson 5-yard TD run; Daniel Skoog PAT (4:01)
Fourth Quarter-
North Cross: Daniel Skoog 50-yard TD reception from Brock Miles; Daniel Skoog PAT (11:49)