Phoebus vs Salem Class IV State Championship: Players of the Game

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What a game this was! Every game I attended this 2023 season ended up finishing with a large margin of victory, but not this game. The Phoebus Phantoms (14-0) and the Salem Spartans (13-1) met in the VHSL Class IV Championship held at Williams Stadium on the campus of Liberty University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The last five minutes of the game is what will be remembered. After going down 14-6 with 4:14 left in the game, Salem was able to complete a long pass deep into the red zone to set up a rushing TD and a converted 2-point conversion to tie the game at 14 a piece with 0:58 left in the 4th quarter. After being stopped twice, Phoebus completed an 86-yard TD pass to WR Keyontae Gray with 1 second left on the clock. They make the needed stop to seal the 21-14 State Championship victory!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are some many great players on both teams, but In this article, I feature the players who stood out to me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>View the Winners of each Class in the 2023 Virginia High School Playoff Brackets&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/va/football/playoffs/">here</a>. <br>Follow me on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GoLions1934">@GoLions1934</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Peyton Lewis","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Salem HS (Salem, VA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Peyton played his heart out this game. Phoebus was able to handle Salem's base offense the majority of the game, and they switched to a wildcat formation led by Peyton taking the snaps. This provided a spark for the Salem offense as they rode on the back of their star running back, and he finished the day with 27 carries for 84 yards and a rushing TD. Peyton is graduating and is committed to the u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/peytonlew2/status/1662504100515180549u0022u003eUniversity of Tennesseeu003c/au003e to play football. I look forward to what he will accomplish there.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/14761060/Peyton-Lewisu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/peytonlew2u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/emu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["363133"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cspan data-preserver-spaces=u0022trueu0022u003eChris played a great game as well and was all over the field. I was sitting near fans of Phoebus and they were making sure they knew where Chris was lining up the entire game. Chris got a key u003c/spanu003eu003ca class=u0022editor-rtfLinku0022 href=u0022https://twitter.com/FantomSportsNet/status/1733590051576070441u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noopeneru0022u003eu003cspan data-preserver-spaces=u0022trueu0022u003einterceptionu003c/spanu003eu003c/au003eu003cspan data-preserver-spaces=u0022trueu0022u003e late in the 2nd quarter that halted a Phoebus drive that was likely ending in points. Unfortunately, Salem was unable to score as their field goal attempt was blocked as time expired in the quarter. Chris also made a critical contested catch in the 4th quarter that set up the game-tying score for Salem. It is one thing to have a very good player, and it is another if that same player can show up in critical moments and make a play for your team. Chris has committed to play at theu003c/spanu003e u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/Chris_Cole3/status/1701020952145076677u0022u003eUniversity of Georgiau003c/au003e, and I expect to see him in the coming years making plays on Saturday afternoons.rnrnu003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/14761066/Christopher-Coleu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/Chris_Cole3u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/emu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1235195' first='Josiah' last='Persinger']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Salem HS (Salem, VA)","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I often found myself watching Josiah play CB in the game. He is one I will keep my eye on next season. He plays tight coverage and has quick hands. On one play, he jammed a WR and did not allow him off the line of scrimmage during a passing play. He has good ball skills to play through the hands of WRs and also has the ability to make interceptions. Remember his name as we head into next season.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/17891540/Josiah-Persingeru0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/btw_siahu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/emu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Keyontae Gray","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Phoebus HS (Hampton, VA)","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Keyontae made the two big plays that sealed Phoebus' victory, and that is no surprise. He was named First Team All-Region WR and DB and won All-Region Offensive Player of the Year u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/KeyontaeGray/status/1732757047194620398u0022u003efor the 2023 seasonu003c/au003e. He was responsible for the blocked FG at the end of the second quarter, and he initially blocked a PAT that was taken away due to a penalty. Hisu003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/ZStatonSports/status/1733580742465040512u0022u003e 86 yard TD receptionu003c/au003e won the game for Phoebus, and he will be remembered for a long time for this play.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16961015/Keyontae-Grayu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/KeyontaeGray?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthoru0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/emu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["363119"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"The u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/treyreddick6/status/1673152623556345862u0022u003eMaryland commitu003c/au003e was all over Salem's run game. He had a size, speed, and strength advantage on the field. He won First Team All-Region DE and TE and was also named All-Region Defensive Player of the Year u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/treyreddick6/status/1732751872774099281u0022u003efor the 2023 seasonu003c/au003e. We ranked him as the 2nd best DE in Virginia in our rankings, and he proved that to be correct.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/15733996/Anthony-Reddicku0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/treyreddick6u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/emu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Taysean Stevenson","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Phoebus HS (Hampton, VA)","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Taysean was playing the EDGE on the other side of [player_tooltip player_id='363119' first='Anthony' last='Reddick']. The size that these two provided could very well make them the best EDGE combination in Virginia. Taysean plays with very good strength and has good hand placement that allowed him to enforce his will against Salem's offensive line. He also was named u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/taystevenson7/status/1732796953086308733u0022u003eFirst Team All-Region DEu003c/au003e, and he is committed to Old Dominion to play football next year.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/15764543/Taysean-STEVEO-Stevensonu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e / u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/taystevenson7u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65753694db630"} /-->