The much anticipated DeMatha vs Miami Central football game has gone by and let’s just say it was one heck of a game. It featured two of the top teams in the country and good amount of top prospects. There were times of pain and agony. Then there were times of excitement. Overall, it was a good game of football. DeMatha came into the game as sure underdogs but in the end the Stags showed they have capability of being the No. 1 team in the nation. With said, here’s are some takeaways from last Saturday epic matchup of two powerhouses.
Unexpected injury sparked DeMatha’s 38-14 victory
When Stags wide receiver Darryl Turner Jr. injured his ankle in the first quarter of the game, the entire football team was heartbroken. But the team knew despite not having the four star wide receiver by their side, they still had a game to win. The Stags came together to put on an amazing show offensively and defensively for national television and their fallen teammate. DeMatha scored 38 unanswered points and the defense held Miami Central scoreless until the fourth quarter.
Miami Central’s offense and defense couldn’t get anything going
The first quarter of the game was all about defense. DeMatha and Miami Central struggled to put points on the board. DeMatha found their groove in the second quarter but the Rockets still had a hard time developing any momentum. Miami Central was held to 55 total yards in the first half. Darnell Salomon is considered one of the top wide receivers and yet he had little to no impact in the game. He finished with zero catches and zero yards. But don’t blame Darnell for his performance. DeMatha’s defense pressured Miami Central quarterback Jerrod Thomas to the point where he couldn’t find any good looks. When the Rockets did score, it was in the fourth quarter and they was up against DeMatha’s second and third string defense.
On the defensive side, Miami Central looked shell-shocked by the way DeMatha was scoring in the second half. DeMatha scored 28 points in the second half and 21 points in the third quarter. Overall, Miami Central looked like they didn’t expect DeMatha to perform the way they did.
DeMatha is built to contend
At the beginning of last season there was questions of how well will DeMatha play since they lost a lot of players from the 2013 championship team. The Stags answered that question by going 9-3 and winning their second straight WCAC Championship. This season is a completely different story. DeMatha has a total of 18 returning players and they pick up new players. The Stags have three players in the ESPN 300 and 10 players that are postionally ranked. Tino Ellis, Robbie Robinson, Lorenzo Harrison, and Terence Davis are players that are their final season as a Stag. Their lost will be big but the way DeMatha is built, they can recover. 5-star running backs Anthony McFarland, defensive lineman Chase Young, and quarterback Beau English are only juniors. And defensive lineman Austin Fontaine is just a sophomore. Even when this year seniors leave, the Stags will still have enough talent to contend in 2016.
Chase Young and Robbie Robinson proved to be valuable factors to the Stags already solid defense
DeMatha already had one of the top defenses in the conference. Before this season, the Stags added defensive end Chase Young and defensive back Robbie Robinson from Phoebus. Chase came to DeMatha as the No. 18 weak side defensive end and he has offers from Maryland, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and NC State. Him and Shane Simmons were big major problems for Miami Central quarterback Jerrod Thomas. Chase recorded 8 tackles and three solo sacks and was name the game MVP. Robbie Robinson (Arizona State) is rank the No. 26 cornerback in the ESPN Recruiting and No. 14 in the state of Maryland according to 247sports.com. In his first game with DeMatha, Robinson showed that he will be a key asset as they attempt to win their third straight WCAC Championship.
The game featured a numerous amount of Division I caliber players
Watching last Saturday’s game was like watching a college football game. Both DeMatha and Miami Central had DI talent throughout their lineup. If college scouts was not paying attention to this game, they did not do their job. DeMatha’s defensive front four all have Division I offers. Shane Simmons (Penn State), Chase Young, Austin Fontaine, and Sean Oluwatimi have offers from DI schools. Then there’s Anthony McFarland, Tino Ellis, and Terrence Davis are just a few more DeMatha players. On Miami Central, wide receiver Darnell Salomon, one of the nation’s top wide receiver has offers from schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State and many others. Florida State commit and four-star safety Jamel Cook is another top-tier talent that was feature in last Saturday’s game. Before committing to play for the Seminoles, Cook was being look at by Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, and Clemson.
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