Hampton is back, or at least it’s on its way back. The Crabbers were 3-8 a year ago — their first season in 52 years without legendary coach Mike Smith — but have started 2023 with four wins in five games.
They’ve outscored the opposition 173-19 in the four victories, avenging two 2022 defeats in the process. Their only loss, at King George, a top-five team in state Class 4, is no shame.
Phoebus is Phoebus. Class 3 state champions the past two seasons, the Phantoms (3-0) have been impressive in their debut season in Class 4, outscoring the opposition 99-2 in 2 1/2 games (one game was called at halftime because of weather). As the aforementioned statistic indicates, the Phantoms’ defense has not been scored on, and their total yards allowed in three games sits in the low double digits.
All of which makes the rivalry game between No. 9 Hampton and No. 2 Phoebus — long the most anticipated on the Peninsula — compelling again. The Hampton schools play for the 56th time at noon Saturday, with the Crabbers leading the series 32-23 despite Phoebus’ dominance in winning 16 of the past 19 matchups.
Most of those recent games have been competitive, even last year’s to an unexpected degree, when the Phantoms won 21-0 against Hampton’s worst team in 57 years. The 21-point margin of victory was the smallest of the season for a Phoebus team that finished 15-0 in winning the program’s ninth state title in 21 years.
Phoebus won 14-7 two years ago, when Hampton quarterback Khaioz Watford was stopped inches short of a touchdown run in the final seconds. “I thought he got in,” Smith insists to this day.
Watford is still around, now a senior, and has thrown for 564 yards and five touchdowns this season. Jamarrie Lumpkins has 19 receptions for 393 yards and two touchdowns, while Calvin Chester has run for 316 yards and four TDs and shares the team lead of 32 tackles with fellow linebacker Devan Anthony.
“It’s been a matter of maturity and experience, along with everyone better understanding their roles and maximizing their potential,” Hampton assistant coach Andre McGlone said of the Crabbers’ improvement.
With just three games to date, one the grind-it-out 16-2 win over Oscar Smith and another the two-quarter 34-0 win over Woodside, Phoebus hasn’t generated the monster statistics surely to come. The zero points allowed tells you the Phantoms’ strength, a defense where linebacker Brenden Thompson is playing as well as his first-team all-state teammates: ends Taysean Stevenson and Anthony Reddick, linebacker Kaleb Tillery and cornerback Keyontae Gray.
“There’s a culture over at Hampton, and although they got a new (head) coach (Woodrow Wilson) last year, he’s been a part of a lot of their success in the past,” Phoebus coach Jeremy Blunt said. “They have guys flying around and making big plays, so it’s exciting when you start to think about the long-standing tradition of the Hampton-Phoebus matchup.”
No. 9 Hampton (4-1) vs. No. 2 Phoebus (3-0), noon Saturday at Darling Stadium
Larry’s pick: Phoebus 35-13
Marty’s pick: Phoebus 28-6.
TODAY’S GAMES
757Teamz Top 15
Norcom (3-2) vs. No. 1 Maury (4-0) at Powhatan Field, 7 p.m.
Larry: Maury 63-13.
Marty: Maury 52-14.
No. 4 Warwick (5-0) vs. Heritage (1-3) at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Warwick 42-6.
Marty: Warwick 48-12.
No. 5 King’s Fork (4-0) at No. 13 Indian River (3-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: King’s Fork 28-26.
Marty: King’s Fork 28-20.
No. 11 Western Branch (2-2) at No. 7 Nansemond River (3-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Nansemond River 26-23.
Marty: Nansemond River 17-14.
Grafton (3-1) vs. No. 10 Lafayette (3-1) at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Lafayette 24-14.
Marty: Lafayette 27-13.
Booker T. Washington (2-2) at No. 14 Lake Taylor (1-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Lake Taylor 33-20.
Marty: Lake Taylor 28-22.
No. 15 Norfolk Academy (5-0) at Fork Union Military (1-3), 4 p.m.
Larry: Norfolk Academy 35-14
Marty: Norfolk Academy 37-6.
Bay Rivers District
Smithfield (1-3) at York (1-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Smithfield 26-20.
Marty: Smithfield 21-20.
Tabb (3-1) at New Kent (0-4), 7 p.m.
Larry: Tabb 26-14.
Marty: Tabb 28-14.
Jamestown (1-4) vs. Poquoson (2-2) at Poquoson MS, 7 p.m.
Larry: Poquoson 16-13.
Marty: Poquoson 20-7.
Eastern District
Manor (1-3) at Norview (2-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Norview 26-20.
Marty: Norview 38-8.
Southeastern District
Great Bridge (1-3) at Grassfield (1-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Great Bridge 26-23.
Marty: Grassfield 21-18.
Hickory (1-3) at Deep Creek (1-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Deep Creek 26-14.
Marty: Deep Creek 21-13.
Peninsula District
Kecoughtan (1-3) vs. Bethel (2-2) at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Bethel 28-20.
Marty: Bethel 35-20.
Menchville (1-3) at Gloucester (2-3), 7 p.m.
Larry: Gloucester 23-21.
Marty: Menchville 22-19.
Non-district
Granby (3-1) at Lakeland (0-4), 7 p.m.
Larry: Granby 34-13.
Marty: Granby 45-6.
Private schools
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy vs. Atlantic Shores Christian at Virginia Beach Sportsplex, 7 p.m.
Catholic at Isle of Wight Academy, 7 p.m.
Portsmouth Christian at Norfolk Christian, 7 p.m.
Rappahannock County at Greenbrier Christian, 7 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAMES
757Teamz Top 15
No. 12 Cox (4-1) at Tallwood (2-2), 6 p.m.
Larry: Cox 27-20.
Marty: Cox 23-20.
Beach District
First Colonial (2-2) at Ocean Lakes (2-3), 6 p.m.
Larry: Ocean Lakes 33-21.
Marty: Ocean Lakes 18-15.
Kellam (1-3) at Princess Anne (0-5), 6 p.m.
Larry: Kellam 27-20.
Marty: Kellam 32-12.
Kempsville (2-3) at Bayside (3-2), 6 p.m.
Larry: Bayside 34-20.
Marty: Bayside 27-21.
Landstown (2-2) at Salem (2-2), 6 p.m.
Larry: Landstown 27-26.
Marty: Salem 34-28.
How they fared
Larry Rubama: 16-5 last week, 87-24 overall (78.4%)
Marty O’Brien: 15-6 last week, 83-28 overall (74.8%)
Marty O’Brien, 757-247-4963, [email protected]
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, [email protected]
