Duke Roars Past Dukes, 34-21
Anthony Dorsey didn't mind sharing the spotlight - or, in this case, the sunlight, which beat down a triple-degree temperature on Darling Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Indeed, Dorsey, whose father nicknamed him Duke after one of the older man's favorite actors, the legendary John Wayne, led his team with 106 rushing yards and accounted for two touchdowns. But he was more than willing to step aside while Deontae Bracey was running back kickoffs and William Tate was burning around the end as Kecoughtan (2-1, 2-0) bounced back from last week's rout by Churchland with a 34-21 victory over Gloucester (0-3, 0-2).
"We had to come out and execute," Dorsey said. "We couldn't let (last week) get to us. We did better than last week, but we could always do better."
That showed at the beginning, as Jack Roane recovered a fumbled Warrior punt at the Kecoughtan seven with 6:30 left in the first quarter, and Ray Harris charged in for a 7-0 lead a few plays later. But Tate got the Warriors rolling on the ensuing drive, rushing 31 yards in two plays to reach the Duke 25. Dorsey and Bracey carried to the nine, and Bracey charged up the middle for the score.
The extra point missed, and Harris ran back the kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown. But 12 seconds later, Bracey got Kecoughtan right back with an 84-yard return of his own, and the Warriors held on to the momentum for the next two quarters.
"I was just seeing it bounce," Bracey said, "and everybody was drilling to the left. I went to the right, and saw it wide open."
The Warrior defense held, and Tate took a punt back 41 yards to the Duke 29. Two plays later, Dorsey faked a handoff, bolted through a hole on the right side of the line, and rumbled 23 yards for a touchdown. A two-point conversion missed, leaving the Warriors up 19-14 at the half.
Bracey opened the second half by roaring 69 yards down the right sideline to the Gloucester 16. The Warriors moved back two yards over the next two plays, but on third down, Dorsey hit Robert Batts at the 11, and Batts accelerated toward the right corner for a touchdown and 26-14 lead.
The Dukes finally got back on track, as Harris directed them down the field and scored on a five-yard rush. Tate lost a fumble on the next drive, and Harris took his team back into Kecoughtan territory. Then Kecoughtan's Julius Gibson fell on a Duke fumble at the Warrior 27, and Dorsey went back to work, as he and Bracey rushed 29 on the next five plays.
At the Duke 44, Tate took a pitchout and rumbled around the left end, not stopping until he crossed the goal line, ending his day with 75 yards on just four carries. Brandon Bacchus ended Gloucester's slim hopes with an interception at the Warrior 14 with just under three minutes left.
In other action, Phoebus and Hampton stayed unbeaten with shutouts, as the Phantoms trounced Woodside 44-0 and the Crabbers whomped Menchville 42-0. Bethel recovered from last week's beating by Phoebus to hang on for a 31-28 defeat of Warwick, and Denbigh beat Heritage 21-6.
The Warriors will try to stay hot in the district next week when they visit Menchville, while Gloucester goes for its first victory at Bethel. Denbigh visits Hampton, Warwick goes to Phoebus, and Heritage hosts Woodside.
