Defense makes day easy as Generals reach final

Just in case the ball didn't come loose, Dinwiddie defensive tackle Corey Marshall tried to stay in position to wrap up the Liberty-Bealeton running back.

But he was focused on the football in Shaheem Jones' hand. After taking the second-down handoff in a tied Group AAA Division 5 playoff, Jones came face to face with Marshall behind the line of scrimmage at the Liberty 32.

"He had a tight grip on [the football]," Marshall said. "I pulled at it, the first time it didn't come out. I yanked at it, and the second time I was able to pop it free."

It may have taken two tries, but Marshall made the play in an instant. The sophomore snatched the ball loose and rumbled for the go-ahead touchdown as Dinwiddie pulled away to a 42-21 victory.

"I ripped it out and I just took off down the sideline," he said. "I turned around, there was nobody trailing me, and I went to the sidelines to celebrate it with my teammates."

Adam Morgan threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Quintaze Jackson on the Generals' next possession, padding the lead and giving the Dinwiddie quarterback a third Virginia High School League record. With the scoring pass, Morgan surpassed the career passing yards mark set by Vic Hall at Gretna in 2004.

Morgan's résumé also includes the career completions and touchdown passes records. In setting those marks, he's become almost as much team mascot as team leader -- as synonymous with Dinwiddie football as the Generals nickname. But as he played for the last time in front of his home crowd, the senior quarterback was more than willing for Marshall and the defense to shine.

"I kind of look up to him, even though I'm a senior," Morgan said.

Marshall earned plenty of admirers yesterday. In addition to the scoring play, the sophomore had a fumble recovery and an interception.

Dinwiddie (12-1) picked off Liberty quarterback Nick Potts on the Eagles' first two possessions. Morgan and the offense went 30 yards for a touchdown after Brandon Parson intercepted Potts on the first play of the game.

On the Eagles' second possession, Potts tried to throw the ball away while teetering at the edge of the goal line with Dinwiddie tackle Deonte Chambliss wrapped around him. Marshall cradled the pass and returned it to the 4-yard line, where Morgan immediately threw a touchdown pass to Terron Adams.

"He picked me off one time in practice, too," Morgan said. "So I know the feeling and it's horrible. Getting picked off by a lineman, it really gets into your head. That kind of boggled their offense from the start."

Eagles standout running back Corey Lillard ran 15 yards for a touchdown with 59 seconds left in the first quarter. Fourteen seconds into the second quarter, Potts connected with Derrick Lee for a 74-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14.

But Marshall stripped Jones for the go-ahead touchdown, and the Generals never trailed. Trailing 28-14 early in the third quarter, Liberty (10-3) was poised to score on third and goal from the 5 when Marshall recovered a fumble by Ryan Burroughs at the 4.

Morgan took the offense 96 yards, highlighted by a 64-yard strike to Jackson and ending in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mark Beville.

"Defense won this football game," Mills said. "We put up 42 points, but a lot of that was hand-delivered by what our defense was doing."

After the game, Morgan looked around at his home stadium as the last few fans gathered their coats and blankets and filtered out. Dinwiddie's stadium is less grand than Virginia Tech's, where the Generals play Phoebus for the Group AAA Division 5 title Saturday. But as Morgan looked around the battered and frost-bitten patch of grass he's grown up on, it was filled with memories for him.

"I just see a community that loves each other and loves their football team," he said. "We've earned the respect of the community around and the region. I've been playing on this field for longer than four years. I've been playing on here since rec league. This field means so much to me. I've got many memories on this field. And this is probably the best one, to go out."

Liberty ------------------------- 7 7 0 7 -- 21
Dinwiddie ------------------------- ) 14 14 7 7 -- 41

D -- White 7 pass from Morgan (C. Jones kick)

D -- Adams 4 pass from Morgan (C. Jones kick)

L -- Lillard 15 run (Hunter kick)

L -- De. Lee 74 pass from Potts (Hunter kick)

D -- Marshall 25 fumble return (C. Jones kick)

D -- Jackson 56 pass from Morgan (C. Jones kick)

D -- Beville 5 pass from Morgan (C. Jones kick)

L -- De. Lee 6 pass from Potts (Hunter kick)

D -- Morgan 1 run (C. Jones kick)

RUSHING

Liberty -- Lillard 14 carries, 96 yards, Dodson 7-38, Potts 2-20, Jones 2-15, Carter 2-11, Burroughs 3-8, De. Lee 1-(-2)

Dinwiddie -- Morgan 25-62, Beville 8-33, Hall 2-5

PASSING

Liberty -- Potts 9 completions, 17 attempts, 3 interceptions, 182 yards

Dinwiddie -- Morgan 18-28-0-217

RECEIVING
Liberty -- De. Lee 4-122, Lillard 3-50, Tapscott 1-8, Burroughs 1-2

Dinwiddie -- Jackson 5-140, White 5-27, Beville 4-30, Haskins 1-6, Hall 1-5, Adams 1-4, Vaughn 1-(-1)