Back To Back For Phantoms
The Phoebus defense had a bend don't break strategy against Stone Bridge in the title game at Scott Stadium. Although the Bulldogs could move the ball against the Phantoms, they managed to keep them from the endzone for the most part...
Presented By Dannys Glass
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - It certainly wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Phoebus Phantoms prevailed over the unexpected Stone Bridge Bulldogs to claim their third Division 5 state title in the last four years.
After leading 9-3 at halftime, the Phantoms opened up the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Colby Goodwin. That proved to be the only score of the second half, but it was enough to hold the Bulldogs off for a 15-10 win.
The Bulldogs started the game with the ball on their own 45-yard line. Runningback Marcus Harris immediately began making his impact, carrying the offense down all the day to inside the Phantoms' 35-yard line. However, on 3rd down and 7, quarterback Brian Rody was forced to drop back under intense pressure. He let go of the ball, and cornerback Dontrell Jones returned it 65 yards to the Bulldogs' 10-yard line.
It only took two offensive plays for the Phantoms to find the end zone. Both plays were 5-yard runs by Goodwin. The Phantoms nailed the extra point to put themselves up 7-0 with 7:32 left in the first quarter.
Following the Phantoms' score, the Bulldogs again began to move the offense behind the carries of Harris. Harris set a state championship record with 47 carries in the game.
"I told Marcus before the game that he was getting 50 [carries]," Bulldogs' head coach Mickey Thompson said. "And he was fine with it."
Behind Harris, the Bulldogs were able to advance to the 36-yard line of the Phantoms. But on 4th down and 7, Harris' run was stopped short, giving the ball back to the Phantoms.
After the turnover on downs, the Phantoms went to work themselves. A big run by
Goodwin put the Phantoms inside Bulldogs' territory to the 43-yard line. However, a holding penalty, followed a 10-yard loss on a toss play forced a 3rd down and 33 for the Phantoms. On the third down, the Phantoms chose to punt, which ended up being a smart play, as no one was back to return the punt for the Bulldogs, allowing the ball to roll to the Bulldogs' 3-yard line. That punt sent the game into the second quarter.
Misfortune again struck Rody on their first offensive play. As he dropped back to pass in the end zone, he was leveled by Breon Key. The ball popped out of Rody's hands, and proceeded to roll back out of the end zone for a safety, putting the Phantoms up 9-0 with 11:06 left in the half.
On the ensuing Phantoms' drive though, the Bulldogs were finally able to find a spark. Quarterback Paul Morant's pass was intercepted by Kyle Gouveia, who then took it all the way to inside the Phantoms' 10-yard line. However, a holding call against the Bulldogs on the return pushed the spot of the ball back to the 43-yard line.
From there, the Bulldogs again proved that they could grind it out on offense. Harris slowly but surely moved the offense down the field. However, on a 3rd down and 6 from the 15-yard line of the Phantoms', Harris' run was stopped one yard short. The Bulldogs elected to go for it, but were then called for a false start, forcing kicker Abdul Shaban to attempt a 32-yard field goal. His kick split the uprights, giving the Bulldogs their first points of the game. With 4:40 left in the half, the Bulldogs trailed 9-3.
The Phantoms took over on their own 31-yard line following the field goal. The Bulldogs only allowed one first down before forcing the Phantoms to punt. Another great punt though put the Bulldogs on their own 9-yard line with 1:23 to go.
Harris opened up the drive with an 11-yard run. An attempt to go down and score late was thwarted though after Harris fumbled on a 2nd down run. The Bulldogs maintained possession of the ball after the Phantoms fumbled on the same play. That convinced Thompson to kneel out the clock and send the game to halftime.
Arguably the play of the game by the Phantoms is what opened up the second half. On the kickoff, Goodwin took the ball while running backwards, coming close to touching the goal line, meaning an automatic touchback.
"I was maybe a hair or less short from stepping on that line," Goodwin said.
Goodwin then proceeded to run in between defenders virtually untouched before breaking it free for a 98-yard touchdown return for a touchdown. Goodwin tried to run the ball in for a 2-point conversion but was stopped, putting the score at 15-3 with the Phantoms in control. That score though proved to be the last for the Phantoms for the rest of the game.
On the ensuing Bulldogs' drive, the success that the Bulldogs had been looking for finally came. Starting the drive from their own 40-yard line after a good return from Spenser Rositano, the Bulldogs continued to go to Harris. He opened the drive with a 24-yard scamper down the sideline to put them on the Phantoms' 36-yard line. Two more runs by Harris gave the Bulldogs another first down. On 4th down and 2 from the 15-yard line, Harris found a seam and got the first down. After picking up 9 yards on three runs, the Bulldogs were faced with a 4th down and 1 from the 2-yard line. Harris picked up the first down on the run, but was stopped short of the goal line. He was not denied on the next play though, as he punched the ball in for the touchdown. Shaban nailed the extra point to put the score at 15-10 with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter.
The two squads simply began trading possessions for the rest of the game. The Phantoms were able to pick up only one first down off a 14-yard run from Goodwin before being forced to punt. The Bulldogs then went three downs and out prior to Rositano stepping onto the field back to punt the ball. That punt put the Phantoms on their 26-yard line. A run by Goodwin to start the drive ended the third quarter.
The Phantoms went three downs and out, and the Bulldogs got the ball back on their own 35-yard line this time. After three plays, the Bulldogs were faced with 4th down and 1. Rositano took the carry and appeared to have been stopped short. However, a second effort propelled him past the first down marker. On their next set of downs though, the Bulldogs were again faced with a 4th down, this time with four yards separating them and the first down marker. Harris took the ball down the middle, and was stopped one yard shy of the first down, giving the ball back to the Phantoms.
"We didn't always stop them on fourth down, but stopping them there was the biggest one," Phantoms' first year head coach Paul Sexton said.
The Bulldogs defense again came up big on the next drive, forcing another three-and-out. A nice punt by the Phantoms gave the ball to the Bulldogs at their own 17-yard line. The Bulldogs had one timeout, 4:42, and 83 yards to go to win the game.
Rody opened up the drive with a 20-yard pass to Rositano to put the ball on their own 34-yard line. However, a false start penalty, followed by a no gain from Harris forced a 3rd down and 12 from the 32-yard line. Rody then threw and interception to Morant, sealing the victory for the Phantoms.
"We came up big at the end," said Sexton.
This marks the third time in the last four years that the Phantoms have won the state title. The victory was also their 30th in a row, with their last loss coming to the Bulldogs in the 2007 state semifinals.
"It's really hard to maintain a win streak like that. But we took it one game at a time this year and stayed focused, and we found a way to win."
As for the Bulldogs, their season miraculous season, a season which many predicted as an off-year for the Bulldogs, sadly ended in a loss in which Thompson believed should have been a game in which they won.
"I blame myself for the loss. This is the hardest loss of my career," said Thompson.
The Phantoms will lose their two star players, Morant and Goodwin after this season. However, the Bulldogs will return many marquis players, including Marcus Harris and Kyle Gouveia, who are predicted to lead the Bulldogs to success next season.
Player of the Game
Presented by Advanced Restorations
Senior Running Back Colby Goodwyn
