#3 PHOEBUS 49, DENBIGH 7
(as seen in the Daily Press and Virginian-Pilot)
NEWPORT NEWS --- For those who had doubts, don’t worry, the Phoebus football team is just fine, thank you very much.
In the highly anticipated season opener, the Phantoms raced to their 50th consecutive victory, with a 49-7 defeat over a pesky Denbigh squad on Friday night at Todd Stadium.
The victory also marked the 67th straight Peninsula District win for coach Jeremy Blunt and his gridiron crew, which is seeking a fifth consecutive state title. The 50 wins is just two shy of a VHSL state record which they initially earned with 52, before it was equaled by Class 1 Riverheads HS of Staunton, whose streak ended in 2022.
Tyree Diggs led the visitors with 130 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the first half. After losing 31 seniors to graduation last year, coupled with their late start (Friday was their first game), there was a veiled cloud of concern over how good the Phantoms would be in their first matchup against the Patriots, who were picked to finish in the top half of the Peninsula District.
Diggs finished with 150 yards on 14 carries.
Maurikus Banks and Jayden Javier silenced the naysayers early. After Phoebus recovered a Patriot fumble on the opening kickoff, they failed to score. However, on their next possession, Banks connected with Javier on a flare pass to the left, and the 5’8” 160-pound sophomore receiver outran the defense to the end zone to give the Phantoms a 6-0 lead, enhanced by one point with Jayden Williams’ conversion kick.
Banks threw and ran for touchdowns, while Rashaun Alston-Parrott and Mikhail Georges added second half ground scores. Banks rushing TD was set up by back Isiah Blackwell who carried the ball three times for 37 yards.
Diggs scored his three touchdowns on runs of two, five and one yard. On the second drive, Diggs carried the ball six times for 58 yards, accounting for all but 26 yards of the drive.
Between the second and third Diggs score, Denbigh showed off some of its own firepower, with quarterback Kevin Parker hitting Jyran Evans for a 63-yard scoring pass. Parker was on target for several long bombs and totaled over 150 passing yards in the first half.
Phoebus (1-0) 14,14, 14, 7 -- 49
Denbigh (1-2) 0, 7, 0, 0 -- 7
P – Jayden Javier 53 pass from Maurikus Banks (Jayden Williams kick)
P – Tyree Diggs 2 run (J. Williams kick)
P – Diggs 5 run (J. Williams kick)
D – Jyran Evans 63 pass from Kevin Parker (David Garcia-Ramos kick)
P – Diggs 1 run (J. Williams kick)
P – Rashaun Alston-Parrott 26 run (J. Williams kick)
P – Banks 6 run (J. Williams kick)
P – Mikhail Georges 3 run (J. Williams kick)
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