Class 4A State Championship
Spartans fall short to Phoebus on 86-yard TD bomb with :01 on the clock
Williams Stadium Lynchburg , Va – Salem lost a heartbreaker in Saturdays State Championship with one tick left on the clock. The Spartans had just drove 75 yards and tied it up on FB 21 Jayveon Jones 2-yard run and a 2-point toss and catch from QB 8 Eli Taylor to WR/DB 6 Josiah Moyer with :58 seconds left. The score was made possible by way of a 30-yard grab on a jump ball by WR/LB 9 Chris Cole (Georgia commit) from Taylor. Phoebus took over on their own 20-yard line, and after the Spartans sacked Phantom QB 15 Maurikas Banks (11/17,165,TD,INT), the Freshman hit WR 2 Keyontae Gray for an 86-yard game winner on a post pattern down the middle of the field with :01 left in regulation.
After Phoebus started the scoring on their first drive of the day with a 1-yard run by RB 0 Davion Roberts (21/65,TD), the Spartan defense stiffened. Salem RB/LB 2 Peyton Lewis (27/88,TD) scored from 3-yards out on fourth down with 0:00 left in the half. That score was set up by an INT and 62-yard return by Cole down to the Phoebus twenty-one. Salem’s PAT was wide and Phoebus led 7-6 at the half. Looking for their third straight state title, the Phantoms added to their lead with a 9-yard, end around run by WR 4 Paul Stephen Davis with 4:14 left in the game. But that a wouldn’t hold up. Salem marched and tied it with less than a minute left. What did work for Phoebus was the last play Phantom heroics from Banks to Gray. This was the 23rd state final appearance combined between these two schools. – Cap’n Crunch
OFFENSE:
Rushing:
Salem– Peyton Lewis 27/88,TD, Jayveon Jones 10/26, TD, Josiah Persinger 2/3, Eli Taylor 1/(-1) Phoebus– Davion Roberts 21/65,TD Maurikas Banks 6/19, Payl Stephen-Davis 2/17,TD, Keyontae Gray 1/(-2)
Passing:
Salem–Eli Taylor 2/8,30,2ptr. Phoebus– Maurikas Banks 11/17,165,TD,INT
Receiving:
Salem–Chris Cole Jr 1/30, Josiah Moyer 1/3, 2ptr Phoebus– Keyontae Gray 2/87,TD, Noah Jefferson 6/69, Paul Stephen-Davis 1/9, Anthony Reddick III 1/4
Punting:
Salem–Chris Martin 2/39.5 yd avg Phoebus– Laba Thomas-Taylot 2/37.5 yd avg
Returns:
Salem–Josiah Moyer 1/0, Josiah Persinger 1/8, Peyton Lewis 1/0 Phoebus– Keyontae Gray 2/13
Defense-
Tackles: Salem–Jaelyn Allen 13 Tkls, 3.5 TFL, Chris Cole Jr. 9 Tkls, sack, 2.5 TFL Phoebus– Nathan Allen 12 Tkls, Bren Thompson 11 Tkls, Anthony Reddick III 10, TFL, Rick Underwood 7 Tkls
Scoring:
First Quarter-
Phoebus: Davion Roberts 1-yard TD run; Farriss Knight PAT
Second Quarter-
Salem: Peyton Lewis 3-yard TD run; PAT missed
Third Quarter-
Fourth Quarter-
Phoebus: Paul Stephen Davis 9-yard TD run; Farriss Knight PAT
Salem: Jayveon Jones 4-TD run; Eli Taylor 3-yard, 2 point conversion pass to Josiah Moyer
Phoebus: Keyontae Gray 86-yard TD pass from Maurikas Banks; Farriss Knight PAT