Region football highlights: King’s Fork scores three defensive touchdowns to beat Deep Creek, Oscar Smith rebounds from first loss

Staff reports

Ronald Rhodes recovered a fumble in the end zone and Denosh Rodgers returned an interception 55 yards for a score — both in the fourth quarter — as King’s Fork’s defense shined during a 24-14 home victory over Deep Creek in a Class 4 Region A quarterfinal Thursday night.

The Bulldogs’ Kaletri Boyd scored on a 25-yard interception in the second quarter as second-seeded King’s Fork (9-2) went scoreless on offense.

“Our defense rose to the occasion when we needed it most,” Bulldogs coach Anthony Joffrion said.

The teams were tied at 7 at halftime.

Deep Creek’s Brandon Nesbit rushed for 136 yards and a TD on 26 carries, and Brehon Cuffee scored on a 46-yard run.

King’s Fork’s Javon Ford finished with 127 rushing yards on 20 attempts, while D’andre Artis-Boone threw for 123 yards.

The Bulldogs host Warhill in next week’s semifinals.

— Reported by Gary Lassiter

Other Class 4 Region A games

Warhill 40, Grafton 7: Taylen Eady intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, as the Lions used seven turnovers to stifle Grafton at Wanner Stadium.

Quarterback Chase O’Neil threw three touchdown passes and ran for three scores for the Lions (8-3), who defeated the Clippers (6-5) for the second time this season.

“It’s great to win in the playoffs and not have to go home,” Warhill coach Jerome Rhodes said. “We’re excited about playing King’s Fork, which beat us last year in the region championship game.

“They are well-coached. We want the opportunity to play good teams in the playoffs and they are certainly one.”

Churchland 49, Heritage 20: The Truckers scored three touchdowns in the first eight minutes in a dominating performance at home in Portsmouth.

Churchland (8-3) scored the game’s first 27 points and led 39-7 at halftime.

Class 6 Region A

Oscar Smith 56, Kellam 7: Showing no ill effects from an eye-popping loss to close the regular season, Oscar Smith began its Class 6 state title defense with a first-round home victory.

On their first four touchdowns, the top-seeded Tigers needed just one play to score after gaining possession. Their fifth touchdown was a 71-yard punt return by Trey Jones.

Seeking its third consecutive state championship, Oscar Smith (10-1) will stay home next week for a rematch with rival Western Branch, which lost 2-0 to the Tigers late in the regular season. Oscar Smith then suffered a 56-0 loss to Phoebus, surrendering the 757Teamz poll’s top ranking for the first time all season.

Parker Lancaster completed 10 of 17 for 144 yards and three touchdowns — one to Xavier Lewis before two to Isaiah Acres. Isaac Huffman, who ran for a 69-yard touchdown on Oscar Smith’s first play from scrimmage, had 118 yards on nine carries and Nahcea Jacobs had a 44-yard TD for most of his 69 yards on seven rushes.

Alex Dyzla kicked eight PATs without a miss.

Trailing 35-0 in the second quarter, Kellam (4-7) produced its touchdown on an 88-yard interception return by defensive back Gavin Hill.

— Reported by Charlie Baumgardner

Western Branch 28, Franklin County 14: The Bruins earned a rematch with Oscar Smith by defeating Franklin County in the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Western Branch improved to 9-2.

In other Class 6 Region A games, both of which were all-Chesterfield County clashes, Manchester topped Cosby 56-15 and Thomas Dale thumped James River 42-12.

Class 5 Region A

Green Run 63, Hickory 14: The top-seeded and unbeaten Stallions scored 50-plus points for the sixth time this season with a rout at home.

Green Run (11-0) built a 49-7 halftime lead with big plays and ran its season point total to 609. Opponents have managed only 101.

The Stallions will meet Beach District rival Salem in the semifinals.

Kempsville 42, Tallwood 8: Noah Lee threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Chiefs produced 21 points in each half for their 10th consecutive victory.

Lee had a 10-yard TD run and threw scoring strikes of 25 and 37 yards to Nate Clark and Ryley McIntosh, respectively. NaiQuan Washington-Pearce scored on a 40-yard run and Justin Joyner rushed for a 30-yard score for Kempsville (10-1).

Dwight Johnson’s 50-yard interception return in the third quarter was the only touchdown for the Lions (4-7).

Cox 23, Bayside 15: Max Palmerton scored on a 3-yard run and Jordin Cooper ran 25 yards for a score as the third-seeded Falcons avoided an upset with 13 fourth-quarter points.

Cooper’s score came with 2:37 left for the final margin.

No. 6 seed Bayside (6-4) led 8-0 after the first quarter and 15-10 after three quarters. The Marlins’ Zavion Guidry had a 10-yard TD run, and Aaron Evans caught a 12-yard TD pass from Michael Myers.

Cooper hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Gage Trefry in the second quarter for Cox (9-2), which will play a semifinal next week at Kempsville.

Class 5 Region B

Kecoughtan 7, Norview 0: Kamron Jackson ran for 66 yards on the first possession, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown run for the game’s only score at Darling Stadium as the Warriors won a playoff game for the first time since 2015.

Norview got inside the Warriors’ 25-yard line in the second quarter on an interception return of more than 60 yards by Eamon Cuffee, but could not score.

Norview (4-7) also had a 91-yard touchdown called back in the fourth quarter because of a holding call. The third-seeded Warriors (8-3) will play No. 2 seed Nansemond River (7-3) in a region semifinal.

Menchville 14, Woodside 7: K’Saan Farrar connected with Amir Harrison on a 43-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter that broke a 7-7 tie at Todd Stadium and gave the Monarchs a six-win season for the first time since 1992.

The No. 5-seeded Monarchs (6-5) scored first on a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter by Ta’veon Patterson. Woodside evened the score with a long touchdown run in the third quarter before Farrar connected with Harrison.

“This is a testament to what we’ve done to change the culture of the football program,” Menchville coach Rodney Taylor said. “This is huge for the community, the program, the coaching staff and our [players].”

Class 3 Region A

Lafayette 51, Colonial Heights 20: Jaylen Pretlow rushed for two touchdowns and hauled in two TD receptions from Hayden Olesky as the No. 2 seed Rams cruised to a 10th consecutive win in a quarterfinal at Wanner Stadium.

Demarcus Lawrence rushed for three scores for Lafayette (10-1).

“Colonial Heights came out better than we thought offensively,” Rams coach Andy Linn said, “but we were clicking on all cylinders on offense and never had to punt.”

Lake Taylor 21, Hopewell 12: The Titans scored twice in the second quarter in Norfolk and held on for their seventh consecutive win.

Lake Taylor (10-1), which has allowed just 25 points in its past four games, will travel to Williamsburg to play Lafayette in next week’s semifinals.

Norcom 27, Southampton 14: Antoine Peele rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns and Nakeem Jones added 121 yards on the ground to pace the Greyhounds in Portsmouth.

QB Cam Jones rushed for 54 yards and a score to help Norcom (8-3) finish with 300 rushing yards. Jones also threw a 21-yard TD pass to Zion Thomas-Fugate.

Justin Eaton led the Greyhounds’ defense with nine tackles and a sack, while Jaden Ratliff and Kendall Hall-Edwards finished with eight tackles each.

Class 2 Region A

Poquoson 35, Nandua 0: Eli Tyndall threw two TD passes, including a 50-yarder to Ron Foskett, and rushed for another score as the host Islanders advanced to the semifinals.

Julius Pendergrass opened the scoring for the Islanders (7-4) with 3-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter before Tyndall had a hand in each of the next three scores, including a 37-yard scramble and 7-yard pass to Ryan Burke, to put Poquoson ahead 28-0 with 3:55 left until halftime.

Chase Bullard added another score before the half with a 35-yard run.

Poquoson will play Thomas Jefferson of Richmond, a 33-14 winner over Amelia County.

King William 49, Bruton 7: Trey Corbin’s 71-yard touchdown run tied the game at 7, but the Panthers couldn’t keep up with the top-seeded, defending state champion Cavaliers after that.

“Then our youth took over,” said Bruton coach Barrington Morrison, who guided the Panthers to five wins for the first time since 2013. “Going to the playoffs is going to become the norm for us.”

Greensville County beat Brunswick 18-13 in other Class 2 Region A quarterfinal.