Phillips, Meadowbrook whip Matoaca 29-0

SLIDESHOW: Meadowbrook vs. Mataoca

Matoaca was ever-so-close to the end zone once again, facing fourth and 1 at the Meadowbrook 9-yard line late in the third quarter last night.

DeQuan Turner took the handoff and followed a pulling lineman off the right side. He was cut down by Meadowbrook defensive end DeQuan Chatmon a half-yard short of the first down.

Two plays later, Domico Phillips ripped off an 86-yard touchdown run to expand a 14-point lead to 22.

That sequence symbolized Meadowbrook's 29-0 Central District victory over homestanding Matoaca. The Warriors couldn't finish off long and medium drives. Phillips, on the other hand, emphatically finished off long and medium runs.

The speedy 5-7, 160-pound junior finished with 259 yards and four touchdowns on just 14 carries. He had scoring runs of 62, 20, 86 and 21 yards as the top-ranked Monarchs (5-0, 8-0) stayed on a collision course next week with sixth-ranked Thomas Dale (5-0, 6-2).

Meadowbrook plays at Dale in a game that almost certainly will decide the district title and an automatic berth in the Division 6 playoffs.

"We just have to bring our A game," Phillips said. "We can't make the mistakes we did today. We have to get better during practice."

The score last night was not indicative of the fight the Monarchs had on their hands. Matoaca controlled the ball with its power running game and kept elusive Meadowbrook quarterback Andre Coble contained (27 yards rushing, 20 passing).

Turner, brought up from the JV three games ago, followed his pulling blockers for 89 yards on 22 carries before leaving the game with cramps.

The Warriors reached the Meadowbrook 13, 4, 24, 18, 9 and 12. The drives ended with a missed field goal, incomplete pass, intercepted pass by KeVon Wright, intercepted pass by LaDarius Link, the stopped run by Chatmon and time expiring.

"We had [several] drives, they had [several] big plays," Matoaca coach Pat Manuel said. "Theirs ended up in points, and ours didn't."

Said Meadowbrook coach Troy Taylor: "Pat Manuel had a heck of a game plan. They have a huge offensive line, and they did a heck of a job."

With Meadowbrook ahead 6-0, Coble got the Monarchs started in the second half. He fielded the kickoff, spun away from one tackler, made two tacklers collide, then zipped 54 yards to the Matoaca 35. Phillips scored on a 20-yard run to give the Monarchs some separation.

Phillips broke through the middle, veered to the left and outran everybody on his 86-yard score.

"Once he gets around the corner, it's a foot race," said Chatmon, who doubles as an offensive tackle. "For him, it's just like track season."

Matoaca (4-1, 4-4) relinquished a chance to make the Division 6 playoffs. The Meadowbrook-Dale loser will suffer the same fate next week.

"We knew it would come down to where you can't lose," Chatmon said. "We just have to control our own destiny."

Meadowbrook ------------------------- 6 0 16 7 -- 29
Matoaca ------------------------- 0 0 0 0 -- 0

Mbk -- Phillips 62 run (pass failed)

Mbk -- Phillips 20 run (Coble run)

Mbk -- Phillips 86 run (Dorsey run)

Mbk --Phillips 21 run (kick good)
RUSHING

Meadowbrook -- Phillips 14-259, Coble 12-27, Rhoades 2-15, Dorsey 5-11. Matoaca -- Turner 22-89, Driskill 11-54, Manns 3-30, Parham 2-19, Edwards 5-11, Thorne 3-11, Trotter 1-10, Thweatt 1-4.
PASSING

Meadowbrook -- Coble 1-5-1-20. Matoaca -- Driskill 2-11-2-21, Parham 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING

Meadowbrook -- Lloyd 1-20. Matoaca -- Smith 2-21.