757Teamz predictions: Maury vs. Green Run showdown in Class 5 highlights state semifinal matchups

Green Run and Maury will meet for the second consecutive season in the Class 5 state semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.

The Commodores (9-1) are playing in their fifth consecutive state semifinal. They won a state title in 2019 and lost a heartbreaker in last season’s title game on the final play.

Green Run (13-0) is making its second state semifinal appearance. Last season, the Stallions lost to Maury 35-7. Now they want another crack at the Commodores as they try to advance to the program’s first state title game.

“That’s the only goal we have. Last year, we came up against the same team we’re about to play, so we can’t let it happen again this year,” Green Run wide receiver Keylen Adams said. “That was our motivation through the whole season. We had one game on our mind, and that was getting back to where we were last year. Now we’re back here, we can’t lose. We have to go all the way and finish.”

The Commodores know they have a tough opponent, and the Stallions stand in the way of their goal of another state title.

“We’re not going to let the magnitude of the game dictate or throw us off of what our biggest goal is,” said Maury coach Dyrri McCain. “Our goal isn’t this opponent. Our big goal is the big prize.”

The Commodores are led by running back and Duke commit Peyton Jones, who has 1,791 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns.

Two quarterbacks have split time for Maury: Mario Miller has completed 107 of 158 passes for 2,002 yards and 21 TDs, while Kendall Daniels has completed 39 of 51 passes for 788 yards and eight touchdowns. Josh Powell (31 receptions, 493 yards, two TDs), Fred Johnson (30 receptions, 685 yards, five TDs), LeBron Bond (28 receptions, 661 yards, five TDs) and Da’Vontae Floyd (26 receptions, 397 yards and seven TDs) are the top receivers.

Maury’s defense, which has allowed just 80 points this season, is led by linebacker Isaiah Simmons (71 tackles, eight sacks), linebacker Dylan Goad (50 tackles, three sacks), defensive lineman Nasir Spruill (42 tackles, 10 sacks) and defensive back Syncere Hawkins (42 tackles, two INTs).

Green Run, averaging 47 points a game, is led by dual-threat quarterback Kevin White Jr., who has accounted for 4,487 yards and 61 touchdowns this season. The backfield also includes Damari Palmer (1,132 yards,11 TDs) and Zyron Bacote (761 yards, eight TDs). The receivers are Adams (54 catches, 1,064 yards, 16 TDs), Dyshaun Newby (42 catches, 742 yards, six TDs), Tasean Young-Stieff (41 catches, 804 yards, 15 TDs) and Jayden Anderson (38 catches, 703 yards, 12 TDs).

Defensively, the Stallions are led by linebacker Zakai Hall (107 tackles), linebacker Jha’ire Ricks (89 tackles), defensive back Caleb Turner (86 tackles, five INTs), linebacker Anthony Rios (eight sacks) and defensive back Kaevon Blanding (five INTs, two returned for TDs).

“They’re fast, they’ve got great athletes and they’re at this stage again,” McCain said about the Stallions. “So they have some experience with this stage. We just got to come and play our game. It should be a pretty good one.”

Stone Bridge will visit Highland Springs at 2 p.m. in Saturday’s other Class 5 semifinal.

Larry: Maury 35-34. Marty: Maury 27-20.

All games are Saturday; tickets are available only online at gofan.co and through VHSL.org and the cost is $10, plus a $1.50 service fee. Note: There is no ‘m’ in gofan.co. Tickets will not be sold at the gate.

Class 6

Western Branch (12-2) at Freedom (13-0), 2 p.m.: Western Branch is in the state semifinals for just the second time in program history. The last time the Bruins won a region title was in 2002 under former coach Lew Johnston, who is now a Bruins assistant coach. That team lost to Oakton in a semifinal. Bruins coach Rashad Cook, who played for Johnston, has turned the program around. The offense is led by RB Shimique Blizzard (1,887 yards, 22 TDs), North Carolina commit Paul Billups Jr. (28 receptions, 667 yards, six TDs; 353 rushing yards, eight TDs) and QB Taquan Trotman (1,072 yards, 13 TDs with 5 INTs). Freedom, of Woodbridge, has set a Virginia High School League record for most points in a season (835) and scored 112 in a 96-point regular-season win over Colgan. The Eagles, in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, are led by junior QB Tristan Evans, a first-year starter who is one touchdown pass away from setting a state record of 55. He has thrown for 3,119 yards, while sophomore RB Jeffrey Overton Jr. (2,209 yards, 29 TDs), junior WR EJ Reid (49 receptions, 826 yards, 12 TDs), junior WR Kam Courtney (46 receptions, 758 yards, 10 TDs) and sophomore WR JuJu Preston (44 receptions, 757 yards, 19 TDs) also contribute. Defensively, they are led by TJ Bush, the Cardinal District and Class 6 Region B Defensive Player of the Year (72 tackles and 26 sacks).

Saturday’s other semifinal: James Madison at Fairfax, 2 p.m.

Larry: Western Branch 37-34. Marty: Freedom 31-24.

Class 4

Warwick (12-1) at Dinwiddie (13-0), 2 p.m.

Warwick has fashioned its best record in 100 years of football, and if it wins, it will reach a state championship game for only the second time in school history. The 1986 Raiders reached the Class 5-level final and lost to Thomas Edison 7-6. They are led this season by sophomore Messiah Delhomme — one of the program’s brightest stars since the Vick brothers, Michael and Marcus, starred for the Raiders more than two decades ago. A standout in all three phases, Delhomme (1,401 yards rushing and receiving, 15 TDs, two of eight interceptions returned for TDs), ran for 212 yards and three TDs while intercepting two passes in a 31-19 win over King’s Fork for the Region A title. Eduardo Rios Jr. (1,489 passing yards, 16 TDs) has given the Raiders a huge weapon, while Kiontae Berrian’s 15 sacks underscore the aggressive nature of Warwick’s defense. Dinwiddie has eclipsed more than 50 points in seven games and has been in the 40s all the rest. Its defense gave up more than 13 points only once prior to a 47-41 overtime win over previously unbeaten King George for the Region B title. Their quarterback, Harry Dalton, averaged more than 100 yards passing and rushing per game in the regular season and scored the winning touchdown in OT against King George.

Larry: Warwick 26-24. Marty: Dinwiddie 35-28.

Saturday’s other semifinal: Kettle Run vs. E.C. Glass (at Lynchburg City Stadium), 5 p.m.

Class 3 state semifinal

Brentsville District (12-1) vs. Phoebus (13-0) at Darling Stadium, 2 p.m.

This game is a rematch of last year’s state semifinal, which Phoebus won 43-0. Phoebus coach Jeremy Blunt says the Falcons from Nokesville, whose only loss is to unbeaten Class 4 semifinalist Kettle Run, have improved and insists his Phantoms are not overlooking them. “They’re a good team,” Blunt said. “They’re representing their region for a reason. They’re big and physical and bring back a lot of experience from last year in some key areas. We’ve got to be prepared, no doubt about it. We should have a speed advantage, but I think they’ve actually gotten a little faster.” Phoebus’ starting defense has given up just a couple of touchdowns this season. The offense is led by QB Nolan James, who has numerous games with both 100 yards passing and rushing, and RB Ty’Reon Taylor, who has rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 16 TDs. WR/DB Jordan Bass brings talent to all three phases. Brentsville counters with Region B Player of the Year Caleb Alexander, who threw for 135 yards and three of his 21 TD passes this season and ran for 66 yards in a 35-7 win over Warren County in the region championship game. RB Nico Orlando has more than 1,500 rushing yards and 24 TDs.

Larry: Phoebus 35-14. Marty: Phoebus 42-7.

Saturday’s other semifinal: Christiansburg at Heritage of Lynchburg (at City Stadium in Lynchburg), noon

Class 2 state semifinal

Poquoson (9-4) at Woodstock Central (11-2), 2 p.m.

This is something of a David vs. Goliath matchup size-wise as Central boasts 20 players on its roster weighing more than 200 pounds, while the Islanders have one. But the contest does not preview as a mismatch as Poquoson’s small-but-tough defense has limited eight invariably larger opponents to single digits. It has made big plays, too, like Khaleo Smith’s 70-yard strip-and-score fumble return late in the game to give the Islanders a 21-17 win over Thomas Jefferson in a Region A semifinal. The defense held defending state champion King William to 100 yards on 34 carries in a 14-7 win for the Region A title. Poquoson’s offense is all about ball control, as epitomized by Chase Bullard’s averages of 14 carries for 70 yards in those wins. But Julius Pendergrass has a 35-yard TD run and Adonis Stowers a 90-yard TD run. Central has outscored opponents 33-12 on average and limited Strasburg to 207 yards in a 34-7 win for the Region B title. QB Elijah Barahona ran 11 times for 85 yards and RB Tyler Forbes carried 16 times for 75 yards and three TDs in the region final.

Larry: Poquoson 20-17. Marty: Poquoson 14-13.

Saturday’s other semifinal: Appomattox County vs. Graham (at Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield, West Virginia), 2 p.m.

Last week

Larry: 2-4 last week, 226-51 overall (82%)

Marty: 5-1 last week, 241-36 overall (87%)

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Follow @LHRubama on Twitter.

Marty O’Brien, 757-247-4963, mjobrien@dailypress.com Twitter: @MartyOBrienDP