Poquoson Islanders Sports

Meet your Bull Islanders

 

 

Name: Eric Dahl   

Grade: 12

 

1. How many years have you been playing basketball for PHS?

 I have been playing basketball for 10 years now. Since 3rd Grade.

 

2. How do you think the team will do this year?

 I think we will do very well in the district once we get our chemistry together. I also think that we will go to regionals and get the school's first win in a regional game.

 

3. Besides yourself, who are some key returning players this year, and what are their strengths that the bring?

 Royce Bowden brings an outside threat and is capable of driving to the hole.

Jeremy DiGennaro and Tee McConnell bring the ability to drive at will and leadership to the team.

 

4. What newcomers to the team do you think will make a significant contribution and why?

Well we don't have any real newcomers to the varsity team except a sharpshooter in Daniel Fisher, but I think 2 guys that will get much more playing time this year are Travis Carlton and Joe Swofford. They will bring their aggressive defense on whoever they guard. 

 

5. Which team(s) do you believe will be the toughest ones in the BRD this year?

 Well Tabb returns half of their team from last year when they went to the state playoffs, but Grafton and Lafayette are looking good this year and can make a run at Tabb. I believe we will also be in the running to win this district.

 

6. Besides basketball, do you play any other sports at PHS?

 I played varsity soccer last year and really enjoyed it, and I'm hoping that I will make the team again this year and contribute more.

 

7. In your spare time, what do you like to do to relax?

 I absolutely love just sleeping and will do it at any time in the day, but I just like playing the guitar or drums and listening to music on my laptop.

 

8. What song(s) get you pumped up before a game?

 I listen to Heroes of Our Time by DragonForce and Goonies Never Say Die by Set Your Goals before every game.

 

9. Who is your role model and why?

 I would have to say the late Yugoslavian basketball star Drazen Petrovic, because he proved that patience and hard work will pay off eventually in one way or another.

 

10. After graduation, where do you plan to go to college? And do you plan on continuing your basketball career?
I plan to either attend North Park University in Chicago or Virginia Tech. I plan on playing basketball at North Park University if I attend there.

Duty named Va Preps AA Division 3 Coach of the year

See Va Preps story below

 

Duty named Coach of the year

 

 

 

 

 

PHS football year in review

 

POQUOSON FOOTBALL

YEAR IN REVIEW

 

THE POQUOSON HIGH FOOTBALL TEAM OPENED THEIR SEASON WITH A NON DISTRICT GAME AGAINST THE DINWIDDIE GENERALS. ALTHOUGH THE FINAL SCORE WAS 30-10, THE BULLS PROVED TO BE A LOT TOUGHER THEN WHAT THE SCORE INDICATED. THOMAS GARRIS SCORED THE ONLY ISLANDERS TOUCHDOWN IN THE GAME WITH JOSH FORREST BLOCKING A PUNT FOR A SAFETY. IN WHAT WAS A PREVIEW OF THINGS TO COME, THE ISLANDERS PLAYED STOUT DEFENSE THROUGHOUT THE GAME.

 

TWO WEEKS LATER, THE BULLS TRAVELED TO JAMES CITY COUNTY TO TAKE ON THE LAFAYETTE RAMS.  CODY HUTCHINSON RUSHED FOR 111 YARDS AND A SCORE IN THE GAME. TEE MCCONNELL ADDED 63 YARDS RUSHING AND A SCORE WITH LUKE HILL PITCHING IN 62 RUSHING YARDS AND A SCORE. THE FINAL SCORE WAS 29-9.

 

THE FOLLOWING WEEK ON A WINDY NIGHT, THE ISLANDERS RECORDED THE FIRST OF 5 SHUTOUTS ON THE YEAR, WINNING 7-0 AGAINST THE GRAFTON CLIPPERS. LUKE HILL SCORED THE ONLY TOUCHDOWN OF THE EVENING AND WILLIAM HASKINS RECORDED ONE AND HALF SACKS IN LEADING THE STELLAR DEFENSIVE EFFORT.

 

WHEN THE ISLANDERS PLAYED JAMESTOWN NEXT, THE ROUT WAS ON EARLY. MCCONNELL FOUND TIGHT END WILLIAM HASKINS FOR THE FIRST SCORE ON A 12 YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS. HUTCHINSON ADDED TWO SCORES ON PASSES FROM MCCONNELL. THE DEFENSE RECORDED THEIR SECOND SHUTOUT, AS THE BULLS WON 45-0.

 

AGAINST YORK, THE DEFENSE PROVED AGAIN HOW TOUGH IT WAS IN A 28-0 ISLANDER WIN. LUKE HILL SCORED ON A 55 YARD FUMBLE RETURN. HILL ALSO HAD AN INTERCEPTION WHEN YORK WAS THREATENING TO SCORE DEEP IN BULLS TERRITORY. HUTCHINSON RUSHED FOR 165 YARDS IN THE VICTORY.

 

WARHILL WAS THE NEXT VICTIM OF THE BULLS. THE OFFENSE IMPOSED THEIR WILL AGAINST THE LIONS, AMASSING 573 YARDS OF OFFENSE AND SCORING 9 TOUCHDOWNS. LUKE HILL HAD THREE OF THEM AND JAY DIGGS ADDED TWO. LUKE HILL RUSHED FOR 195 YARDS AND THOMAS GARRIS ADDED 101 IN THE 58-21 VICTORY.

 

NEXT UP WERE THE BRUTON PANTHERS FOR HOMECOMING. REVENGE WAS THE WORD OF THE WEEK. WANTING TO AVENGE A PLAYOFF LOSS TO THE PANTHERS FROM 2009, THE BULLS STIFLED BRUTON, WINNING 40-0. IT WAS NEVER CLOSE. THE DEFENSE HELD BRUTON TO 48 YARDS OF OFFENSE ALL NIGHT WHILE AMASSING 375 YARDS THEMSELVES.

 

LONG TIME RIVAL TABB GAVE THE BULLS ALL THEY COULD HANDLE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE NEXT GAME, PHS CLINGING TO JUST  A 7-0 LEAD IN WHAT MANY PREDICTED WOULD BE A BLOW OUT. THE BACK BREAKER WAS A 55 YARD SCORING RUN BY HUTCHINSON IN THE SECOND HALF. DEFENSIVELY, GARRIS AND JAY DIGGS LED THE WAY, WITH GARRIS NOTCHING 17 TACKLES AND DIGGS ADDING 13.

 

The much anticipated match up between New Kent's running game and the Islanders vaunted defense became a one sided affair, with the Bulls shutting down Storm Parker and the Trojan's allowing only 42 yards of total offense for the game. When the night drew to a close, the Bulls walked off the Poquoson Middle School field with a 41-0 victory, a Bay Rivers District Championship wrapped up, and a number 1 seed for the Regional playoffs. As long as the Islanders are winning in the post season, they wouldn't have to travel anywhere until the State Finals. Luke Hill lead the Islander's defense with 13 tackles, followed by his little brother Dylan who had 12 and Jay Diggs who had 10. The defense swarmed all night, only allowing New Kent 3 first downs the entire evening. Offensively, 5 Islanders scored running the ball. Cody Hutchinson, Tee McConnell, Luke Hill, Jay Diggs and Thomas Garris all rushed for touchdowns and Hutchinson also scored on a screen pass from McConnell.

 

IN THE FINAL SEASON GAME, POQUOSON RAN PAST SMITHFIELD 42-13. JAY DIGGS SCORED TWICE FOR THE BULLS. THE DEFENSE WAS AGAIN STOUT, SHUTTING DOWN THE PACKERS.  THE ISLANDERS WERE NOW POISED TO BEGIN THEIR PLAYOFF RUN, HAVING A HOME GAME THROUGH THE STATE SEMI-FINALS AS LONG AS THE KEPT WINNING.

 

THE FIRST OPPONENT IN THE REGION I FINALS WAS NOTTOWAY. AGAIN REVENGE WAS THE WORD OF THE WEEK. THE ISLANDERS WANTED TO AVENGE A 2008 PLAYOFF LOSS TO THE COUGARS AND DID JUST THAT. ALTHOUGH NOTTOWAY WENT INTO THE BREAK UP 6-0, THE BULLS HAD CONTROLLED THE PLAY IN THE FIRST HALF. IN THE SECOND HALF, THE BULLS FLEXED THEIR MUSCLE, WITH HUTCHINSON AMASSING 216 YARDS AND TWO TOUCHDOWNS.

NEXT UP FOR THE BULLS WAS JAMES MONROE. THE ISLANDERS HAD MET THE JACKETS IN THE PLAYOFF BEFORE, NOTCHING A 14-7 UPSET IN 2007. THERE WOULD BE NONE OF THAT THIS TIME AS POQUOSON SMASHED JAMES MONROE IN THE MOUTH. THE BULLS TOOK THE OPENING KICK OFF, DROVE DOWN THE FIELD AND SCORED FIRST. THIS WAS THE TONE ALL NIGHT AS THE ISLANDERS WON THE REGION I CHAMPIONSHIP BY THE SCORE OF 42-7. HUTCHINSON’S 102 YARDS DURING THE GAME VAULTED HIM OVER THE 1000 YARD MARK FOR THE YEAR.

IN THE STATE SEMI’S IT WAS YET AGAIN ANOTHER REMATCH FOR THE BULLS, AS THEY PLAYED THE HANDLEY JUDGES FROM WINCHESTER. THIS WAS THE SAME TEAM THEY PLAYED IN 2004 WHEN THE BULLS WON AND MADE  THEIR ONLY PREVIOUS STATE FINALS APPEARANCE. IT WASN’T A HIGH SCORING AFFAIR LIKE THEN AS THE BULLS PREVAILED 10-3.

THIS SET UP A MATCH UP OF TWO OPPOSING FORCES IN THE STATE FINALS. POQUOSON’S DEFENSE THAT WAS ALLOWING 5.6 POINTS A GAME AGAINST THE RICHLANDS BLUE TORNADO’S WHO WERE AVERAGING OVER 50 POINTS A GAME. THE TONE WAS SET EARLY AS BAXTER BRISTOW DELIVERED A SMASHING HIT ON THE OPENING KICKOFF. THE MUCH ANTICIPATED HIGH SCORING AFFAIR WENT INTO THE HALF WITH RICHLANDS AHEAD 3-2. AFTER THE BLUE STORM SCORED ON A LONG PASS TO GO AHEAD 10-2, THE BULLS TOOK OVER. THEY SCORED THREE STRAIGHT TIMES TO GO AHEAD 23-10. AFTER RICHLANDS CLOSED THE GAP TO 23-17, THE BULLS KILLED THE CLOCK, WINNING THE SCHOOLS FIRST STATE FOOTBALL CROWN IN THE 100 YEARS OF EXISTENCE.

 

 

 

 

 

Poquoson Football wins Division 3 AA State Title in Football

 

 

 

 The Poquoson High Football team squared off against Richland's High on Saturday December 11, 2010 at Liberty University in the State divsion 3 AA title game. When the dust settled on a very good football game, the Bulls prevailed by the score of 23-17. While it was a hard fought game throughout, the score was much closer then the game indicated, as PHS had two touchdowns called back on penalties.

The stout Islander defense played like they had all year against  the high flying Blue Tornado's of Southwest Va, shutting them down and never really letting them get on track. From the opening kickoff, when Baxter Bristow LEVELED  Cody Thomas of RHS. On the opening possesion on 3rd and 8 from the Richlands 14 yard line, Dylan Hill, William Haskins and Thomas Garris pressured Richland's QB Cody Lockart in the end zone and Lockhart threw the ball away, drawing an intentional grounding penalty, which resulted in a safety. And just like that, with only 2:12 gone in the game, PHS led 2-0.

On the ensuing Poquoson drive after a free kick, the Bulls got down to the Richlands 20 yard line but on 4th down turned it over when they failed to convert on 4th and 19.

Lockhart then led the Blue Storm down the field. Facing a 3rd and goal from the six yard line, Haskins sacked Lockhart, forcing Richlands to kick a 26 yard field goal to take a 3-2 lead.

Poquoson drove again after the field goal  but failed to make a first down on the 8th play of the drive and ended up punting. Richlands took over on their own 9 and on a 3rd and 1 from the 18, Luke and Dylan Hill stuffed Devon Johnson, forcing a punt.

The Bulls took over on their own 49 and got as deep as the RHS 19 yard line before turning it over on downs.  The Blue Storm  then ran out the quarter, and what was predicted  to be a high scoring affair was a 3-2 defensive contest.

Poquoson got the ball to start the second half, but was unable to mount a drive. After punting,  Richlands took over on their own 5 yard line. On the 7th play of their first drive, Austin Johnson got past PHS cornerback Austin Smith and hauled in a Lockhart pass, going 53 yards to paydirt. After the extra point, the Blue Storm led 10-2.

That lead was short lived as on the second play of the Islanders next possession, Austin Smith caught a Tee McConnell pass, tangled his feet briefly with the Richland's DB, kept his balance and scampered 79 yards to the end zone. After a drag route pass to Haskins from McConnell for the two point conversion, the score was knotted at 10-10. It was a sign of things to come for the Bulls, as they started imposing their will on the Richland team.

The Blue Storm got one first down on the next drive, and then were forced to punt the ball away after two stellar pass defenses. The first was on second and 11 when Evan Lemon batted the ball away from Cody Thomas. Then on third and 11, Jay Diggs leaped and knocked the pass away that was intended for Johnson.

The 3rd quarter ended with  the teams tied at 10 apiece. On a key 3rd and 6  early in the 4th quarter, Luke Hill broke up a pass that was meant for Bradley Strong and the Islanders took over on the Richlands 44 yard line with 11:17 left in the game.

On a 3rd and 6 from the Blue Storm 23 yard line, McConnell threw a swing pass to Cody Hutchinson. Hutch broke a tackle, then did a 360 spin to avoid another tackler and went the distance, putting the Bulls ahead to stay. 17-10.

After a Richlands 3 and out, Hutchinson broke free on the first play, going 55 yards to the Blue Storm 5 yard line. Dylan Hill then bulled into the end zone, and after a mixed extra point the Islanders were up 23-10.

Richland's  Cody Thomas then returned the kickoff 89 yards to the Islander's 9 yard line, giving the Blue Storm some life. A minute later, Reece Strong scrambled in  from 6 yards out, pulling the Tornado's within 6 with 5:47 to play. Richland's then recovered the ensuing onside kick.

However, two holding penalties and two incomplete passes and RHS had to punt. With 3;14 left in the game, and starting from their own 7 yard line, all PHS needed was 3 first downs to seal the victory. Hard running by Thomas Garris netted two of those three first downs and with 26 seconds left, McConnell took a knee. With that knee, the Poquoson Islanders won their first State Title in the 100 year history of the school.

Dustin Edwards, Luke Hill make 1st team All-State

All state blog by Marty O'Brien

 

 

Radio Interview with Richlands head coach about State title game

Run the bar to just before the 8 minute mark if you want to hear Richlands Head Coaches take on this weeks game.

http://thesportsbuffet.mypodcast.com/2010/12/2010_High_School_Football_Greg_Mance_Reviews_Richlands_at_Brookville_Previews_RichlandsPoquoson-335524.html

 

Listen to State Championship game on radio

Poquoson's own Henry Ayer and George Yeager will call the action live on WHKT AM channel 1650 on AM radio

Can't make it to the game today?

Listen to it here:

 

LISTEN THIS SATURDAY BEGINNING AT 1:10PM FOR FULL LIVE COVERAGE OF THE POQUOSON/HANDLEY GROUP AA DIVSION 3 STATE SEMIFINAL GAME ON LINE AT www.sportstalk1550.com. ONCE ON THE WEBSITE JUST CLICK "LISTEN LIVE"