Thomas Dale 36, Cosby 6 Just when doubt clouded the Knights’ season opener and first few weeks of the season, the Dark Zone arrived. Thomas Dale turned two turnovers into touchdowns, amassed eight sacks, and held Cosby’s standout running back (Joe Hunt-put in if it is?) to just 31 yards on the ground en route to a 36-6 victory. Quarterback Gabe McCollin finished 6-18 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown toss to A.J. Lazaro. Running back Max Oxendine scored two touchdowns and freshman Chris Tyree had a solid debut, catching three passes and gaining 57 total yards. Defensive end…
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A sign of an excellent program, one that has reached dynasty levels, is an 11-1 season being considered an off year. That’s exactly what L.C. Bird did last year, falling short of its fourth consecutive 5A state championship as they fell to Hermitage in second round. The Skyhawks have a consistently strong defense, and last year they set a school record, posting seven defensive shutdowns and allowing just 46 points all season. That broke the previous mark held by the 2001 team that gave up 100 points. Rayshard Ashby (6-0, 220, Virginia Tech commit) and Isaiah Moore (6-3, 215, North…
A senior-laden group pushed Thomas Dale to their best playoff performance since they won the 2009 state championship under head coach Vic Williams. The Knights won three playoff games, defeating Woodbridge, C.D. Hylton, and Cosby before falling to Oscar Smith in the 6A state semi-finals. “These guys had lots of experience and lots of reps,” said coach Kevin Tucker. “The guys knew what to expect, knew how to get to December football. Senior leadership is hard to replace.” There’s a lot of talent to replace on the defense, which saw seven players move onto the next level. Linebacker Sam Stark…
Meadowbrook, under the direction of Bill Bowles, had long been a consistent winner and contender, bringing home a state championship in 2006. After several successful years under Troy Taylor, former Amelia coach Adam Tiller took the reins in 2015. The result was another 5A South playoff berth that ended at the hands of top-seeded team and eventual state champs Highland Springs. The Monarchs were 2-4 six games into the season. After a tough loss to Hopewell, emotions were boiling. That could have been the point where the wheels came off, but Meadowbrook made a 3-1 rally to finish the regular…
First year head coach D.L. Johnson entered his first season with a goal of achieving a .500 record. His team outperformed that goal, finishing the regular season 7-3 and earning a playoff berth in an ultra-competitive 5A South. While they fell to then three-time defending state champions L.C. Bird in the postseason, the Warriors brought back excitement in the program. They scored three quality victories, defeating Thomas Dale, Dinwiddie and Cosby on a Hail Mary from quarterback Justin Ford to wide out Terrence Whitfield. “Beating Thomas Dale was a big win for the program,” explained Johnson. “But winning the Cosby…
Before he’s even stepped on a high school football field, his name is already known. If one hasn’t heard, here’s your chance. Chris Tyree. More importantly, college recruiters have already learned his name. As a result, the rising freshman at Thomas Dale picked up his second offer this past week, and it was a big one from the Atlantic Coast Conference: Virginia Tech. “Chris has a tremendous talent and a work ethic that is unheard of for such a young athlete,” said Thomas Dale coach Kevin Tucker. “He puts in a ton of time perfecting his craft and making sure…
A leader is someone who demonstrates what’s possible. Thomas Dale’s Matt Lawton emerged from a two-quarterback system early last season and came out on the other side as a team leader. That leadership has been rewarded, as the Knights quarterback received his first offer from Chowan University, in Murfreesboro, N.C. The Hawks, coached by Tim Place (10th year), are a NCAA Division II team that plays in the CIAA. Chowan went 6-4 overall last season and 4-3 in their conference. Amid a Knights program that has always loved to run the football, Lawton found success through the air, and with…
By Thomas C. Dozier Paul “Bear” Bryant once said, “If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride – and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards.” Well, Meadowbrook rising senior Jordan Jeter is starting to feel his rewards. Jeter, just like his Monarchs teammate Matt Hodges before him, picked up his first offer, and it happened to be from University of Virginia-Wise, the same school that gave Hodges his first offer. UVA-Wise, led by fourth-year coach Dane Damron, plays in NCAA Division II‘s Mountain East Conference. The Cavaliers…
By Harrison Louis If you want to get better, sometimes you need to take a step outside your comfort zone, get some fresh air, and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be. Mariel Jennings has taken stock of his life and now knows where he needs to be. Jennings, a 6-4 wide receiver who graduated from Thomas Dale declared he would play football at Fork Union Military Academy. The 170-pounder looks to make a huge impact and handle business for Fork Union. “What I like about the program is they are all about business up…
By Thomas Dozier Some people come into your life and you just know you will never be able to replace them if they left. Shedrick McCall III, a rising senior at L. C. Bird, knows this all too well. After his recruiting train had left the station with an offer from Old Dominion University, he received two more offers – Norfolk State and Morgan State – it was then he realized he was happy with the first offer he received from the Monarchs and decided to do something about it. On Monday, even though he had to work his summer…