Preview: Phoebus vs. Dinwiddie
PHOEBUS PHANTOMS VS DINWIDDIE GENERALS
WHERE: LANE STADIUM, BLACKSBURG
WHEN: DECEMBER 6TH, 2008
PREGAME: 11:30AM
KICKOFF: 12:07PM
MEDIA COVERAGE: GAMEDAY RADIO NETWORK ONLINE AT WWW.GAMEDAYMAGAZINE.COM
BROADCAST TEAM:
GRANT PAULSEN - PLAY-BY-PLAY
JUSTIN WADDLE - COLOR COMMENTARY
DEREK GOODE - SIDELINE COLOR COMMENTARY
The Phoebus Phantoms and the Dinwiddie Generals will kickoff the Group AAA state championships this Saturday at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg on the campus of Virginia Tech. The Phantoms enter the game with a perfect mark of 14-0, while the Generals enter the contest with a 12-1 mark. The lone loss for the Generals came all the way back in week 1 against Clover Hill. Phoebus got revenge just one week ago against the Stone Bridge Bulldogs; the team that knocked them out of the state semi-finals just one season ago.
Both teams enter with an impressive cast of characters and this game should be a good one to watch for all in attendance. Both teams come into the game averaging well over 30 points per contest for the 2008 season. Dinwiddie's defense is giving up slightly more points per game than the impressive Phoebus defense that is giving up less than a field goal per game at 2.8 points per contest. Last week both squads used imposing defenses to set themselves up in good offensive positions in order to get to Saturday's championship game.
KEY PLAYER WATCH
Presented By: Fuddruckers of Ashburn
PHOEBUS PHANTOMS
-- QB, Tajh Boyd - Boyd is one of the best quarterbacks in the entire country, not just Virginia. Boyd competed this summer in the NIKE Elite 11 combine and has led his team to their impressive 14-0 mark. Boyd has been battling a lingering knee issue for most of the season, but it has not kept him from being one of the most talented athletes on the field. The Phoebus offense does not have to ask Boyd to throw 30-40 times a game, but his big strike ability is always a threat against any opponent.
-- RB, Shawne Alston - The West Virginia University commit topped the 2,000 yard mark for the season last week against Stone Bridge. Alston is a powerful inside runner who can take a small opening and turn it into a big gain for the Phoebus offense. At 6'0" 210 pounds Alston is a bruising back who has gotten the job done all season long for the Phantoms.
-- TE/DE, Daquan Romero - Romero is just a sophomore but shows his maturity on both sides of the football for Phoebus. Romero stands at 6'2" and he is able to use his size and ability to his advantage, whether he is coming off the end on defense or going up for a Boyd pass. Romero has shown flashes all season long of the player we can expect to see in the coming years.
-- LB, Demetrius Ward - Ward is one of the quickest players on the defensive side of the football for the Phantoms. He has the ability to blitz on any play, but also has very good coverage skills in the middle of the field. Ward is one of the leaders of the Phoebus defense that has recorded 9 shutouts this season.
-- DB, Paul Morant - Morant is just a junior, but he can cover anybody on the field. Morant has a knack for finding the football and his quickness allows him to break on any pass attempt. Morant can also come up and blitz from his secondary position to pressure offenses from the outside.
DINWIDDIE GENERALS
-- QB, Adam Morgan - Morgan is a 4-year starter for the Generals and is well versed in the offensive scheme. Morgan also has the ability to spread the ball around to his receivers and backs out of the backfield. Coming into the game Morgan holds VHSL records for touchdown passes, completions, and total passing yards for a career. He also holds the VHSL single-season record for touchdown passes.
-- WR, Jerrell White - White is a returning all-state receiver for Dinwiddie. He is at the top of the list of talented wide receivers for the Generals. Even though White's production was limited last week in the win over Liberty he is still a threat at anytime and can find the end zone when the Generals need him to.
-- WR/DB, Terron Adams - Adams is another talented wide receiver for Dinwiddie. He is a leader on both sides of the football and almost never comes off the field. Adams is a very precise route runner and his ability to get open has been key to the Generals success this season. Adams has the ability on the defensive side of the ball to lock-down his man in coverage.
-- LB, Bradley Johnson - Johnson is easily the best defensive player for Dinwiddie and one of the best linebackers in the entire state of Virginia. The Maryland commit has the size and speed to cover the entire field on the defensive side of the ball. Johnson is also a hard hitting linebacker that can blitz at any moment and wreak havoc on offenses, as he has done all season long.
-- DE, Corey Marshall - The 6'2" defensive end for the Generals is just a sophomore, but plays beyond his years. Marshall has been able to create turnovers for Dinwiddie this season and has been able to get enough pressure on the quarterback from the edge to record over 10 sacks this season. He is already garnering attention from some top Division I football programs.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Presented By: Fractured Prune
PHOEBUS DEFENSIVE LINE VS DINWIDDIE OFFENSIVE LINE
The Phoebus defense was able to create pressure a week ago against a very good Stone Bridge team and will look to do the same in order top disrupt the Generals offensive game plan. Dinwiddie's offensive line will have the tough task of trying to give Morgan the time he needs to go downfield effectively out of the spread offense. Dinwiddie likes to throw the football and if the offensive line can hold off the Phoebus rush Morgan and the Generals should be in good shape. ADVANTAGE: PHOEBUS
DINWIDDIE LINEBACKERS VS PHOEBUS GROUND ATTACK
Dinwiddie features a very talented corps of linebackers that have the ability to shut down the run. The Generals will have the tough task this weekend of stopping Shawne Alston who is headed to West Virginia next season. Alston's bruising running style and ability to pull away from defenses will put a strain on the Generals 2nd line of defense. If Phoebus can establish their running game it could be a long afternoon for the linebackers for Dinwiddie. The Generals will have to rely on the speed and quickness of their linebackers in order to beat Alston to spots and force him to run laterally instead of downfield. ADVANTAGE: PHOEBUS
PHOEBUS SECONDARY VS DINWIDDIE RECEIVERS
Dinwiddie features 4 wide receivers with over 40 catches a piece and can attack any part of the field with this threat. Morgan has faith in his receivers' ability to get to their spots when running routes, which allows him to get rid of the football just a split second sooner than most quarterbacks. Phoebus sports a very athletic secondary that has the ability to jump routes and make plays against any type of offense. Phoebus will be tested by Morgan and the Dinwiddie receivers, as the Phantoms have not played against a quarterback this talented with this many receivers all season long. ADVANTAGE: DINWIDDIE
KEYS TO VICTORY
Presented By: Moe's Southwest Grill
FOR PHOEBUS
--Finish your business. The Phantoms are on the verge of their 4th state title in this decade and do not want to let anything get in their way of what could have been a year ago.
--Playmakers have to make plays. The Phoebus roster is full of playmakers and each of them will have to contribute in this game for the Phantoms to take home the championship trophy.
--Keep up the emotion. Last week Phoebus came out of the gates like a team on a mission, forcing turnovers at will against the Bulldogs, if that emotion can be carried over to this week no team will stand in the way.
FOR DINWIDDIE
--Stick to the game plan. Dinwiddie got to the title game by running the spread offense, and they cannot afford to let Phoebus get them out of that scheme.
--Protect Morgan. Adam Morgan will have to have time to throw the football if the Dinwiddie offense is going to excel in this game.
--Make the Phantoms throw the football. Tajh Boyd has not "had" to throw the football this season, and if the Generals can be effective in stopping Alston they may force the Phantoms into situations where Boyd "has" to throw the ball.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Presented By: Atlanta Bread Company
Phoebus enters the state championships averaging 48.8 points per game while giving up just 2.9 points per game. The Phantoms have also recorded 9 shutouts this season and have only given up 10+ points one time in the 2008 season. The Dinwiddie Generals enter the state championship contest averaging 42.5 points per contest while giving up 16.1 points per game. Dinwiddie has recorded just 2 shutouts in 2008.
PHOEBUS RECORDS SINCE 2000
2000: 7-3
2001: 13-1**
2002: 14-0**
2003: 10-2*
2004: 9-3*
2005: 11-1*
2006: 13-1**
2007: 13-1*
2008: 14-0* (TO DATE)
DINWIDDIE RECORDS SINCE 2000
2000: 12-2*
2001: 0-9
2002: 1-9
2003: 1-9
2004: 2-8
2005: 1-9
2006: 3-7
2007: 9-2*
2008: 12-1* (TO DATE)
* - Playoff Appearance
** - State Title
EXPERT ANALYSIS
Phoebus comes into Saturday's game a team on a mission. The mission is yet another state title for the program and they are not going to let anyone stand in their way. Dinwiddie is a team with many stars and big play potential, but they might not have enough to overtake the Phantoms in this game. Phoebus has the talented athletes and the desire to take the trophy back to Hampton. This game could be over in the first few minutes, or it could be one of the better title games we have seen in a long time. Phoebus is hungry, but the Generals do not want to play second fiddle to anyone after making it back to the state title game since 2000. One of these teams will walk out of this game holding the big trophy, while the other is left to wonder...What If. It should be yet another great state championship game with the winner earning the right to call themselves the true champions in the state of Virginia.
