5 Takeaways: Virginia High School Football Crowns 2024 Champions as Maury, Phoebus, and Graham Shine

Maury dominates without Ari Watford, Essex ends its title drought, and Oscar Smith wins a thriller as the “757” region celebrates three state champions.

Maury completed a dominant run through the 2024 Virginia high school football season, going 15-0 for a second straight year, and winning a second straight Class 5 state championship. / Maury Football Instagram/Scenes by Steph

The 2024 Virginia high school football season is officially in the record books. The public state postseason concluded Saturday with six title games.

Essex (Class 1), Graham (Class 2), Liberty Christian Academy (Class 3), Maury (Class 5), Oscar Smith (Class 6), and Phoebus (Class 4) claimed championships. 

Here’s five takeaways from Championship Saturday.

The “757” reigned Saturday

The Southeast Virginia region - also known as the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area - is one of the most fertile  in the country for college football recruiters. Three teams - Phoebus, Oscar Smith and Maury - hoisted trophies.

No. 1 Maury completed a second straight 15-0 run to the Class 5 title with a win over Briar Woods, while No. 2 Phoebus (15-0) made It four straight in Class 4 with a 23-6 decision over Varina. 

In the best game of Championship Saturday, fourth-ranked Oscar Smith won its first title since 2021, outlasting James Madison, 21-20, in the Class 6 final.  

It’s the first since 2008 (Franklin, Phoebus and Oscar Smith) three teams from the 757 brought home state championships. 

At least one school from the area has won a title since 2019.

Championship angst ends for Essex

There were finally tears of joy for Essex Saturday. The Trojans defeated Grayson County, 22-0, at Salem Stadium for the Class 1 crown. 

A year ago in the final, Essex scored on its first possession and its defense didn’t give up a touchdown. But Galax, aided by a pair of safeties, hit a 42-yard field goal with 12 seconds left to ruin Essex’s perfect season.

The Trojans (14-1) scored on their first possession Saturday, but two Zay Bundy second half scores helped end a year of heartache, especially for coach Todd Jones. 

After consoling his players following last year’s loss, Jones found out his uncle suffered a heart attack during the final seconds of the game. 

He passed away. 

“It’s just good to come back and finish it,” said Jones, who missed his oldest daughter’s graduation from James Madison University (hosted the Class 5 and 3 title games Saturday). “It just means a lot.”

It was Essex’s first title since 2009 (Class 2). The Trojans lost in their previous four championship game appearances (2023, 2018, 2013, 2012).

Without Ari Watford, Maury put a stamp on its historic season

After surviving in the semifinals, top-ranked Maury left little doubt about its place among the all-time best teams in Virginia public football with its 46-0 dissection of Briar Woods at James Madison.

Autori Newkirk threw for 311 yards and five touchdowns, and junior Elijah Moss had three receptions for 104 yards and a score. Indiana recruit LeBron Bond finished with three catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

The Commodores’ defense stifled Briar Woods’ dual threat quarterback Brady Carmical, who will play for the Naval Academy next season. Carmical, who had more than 3,000 all-purpose yards this fall, finished with a season-low 52 Saturday.

Maury did it without Clemson-bound Ari Watford, who suffered an ankle injury during last week’s hard-fought 21-14 win over Green Run. 

Commodores coach Dyrri McClain said Watford’s absence highlighted his team’s depth. 

Maury outscored its opponents, 785-88, this season.

“It’s never a one-man show. Ari not being out there was tough. But he’s happy that he’s a back-to-back state champion,” McClain said to The Virginian-Pilot.

Said Watford: “I’m glad my guys finished the season and now we’re going down in history. It’s just a great feeling.”

Thrill and agony for James Madison

In 2021, James Madison was blown out by Oscar Smith in the Class 6 state final. It was a different story in the rematch Saturday with an unlikely - and painful - conclusion for the Warhawks.

Down 21-14. James Madison quarterback Cael Yates threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Knicely with no time remaining in regulation, setting off a wild celebration. 

The Warhawks were flagged for excessive celebration, moving the ball to the 18-yard line for an extra point kick or two-point conversion attempt. 

James Madison opted for the latter. Yates went back to Knicely, but the pass fell incomplete.

Final score: Oscar Smith 21, James Madison 20.

Madison coach Justin Combs told The Washington Post he opted for the two-point conversion because starting kicker Julian Hopewell got injured on the first point after try in the first half.

“When we got that penalty there, I thought that it might be a little bit out of [our backup kicker’s] range,” said Counts. “Frankly, I said: ‘You know what? I’m going to put the ball into our two best players’ hands and we’re going to take a shot at it. If we make the play, we make the play. And if we don’t, I can live with that for the rest of my life.’”

The No. 5 Warhawks didn’t blink Saturday against Oscar Smith, leading 14-7 with less than two minutes remaining. But the Tigers got a 27-yard touchdown pass from Lonnie Andrews to Travis Johnson and Brandon Nesbitt’s two-yard plunge - drive set up by a Madison fumble - with 19 seconds to play for the lead.

James Madison answered with the “Hail Mary” score, keeping its hopes for a first state championship alive. 

The Warhawks were unable to make one more play.

“We came out short today, but that doesn’t hide the fact that I love Madison football, I love the community and I still love the boys,” said Knicely, a Coastal Carolina recruit who finished with 256 total yards and scored all three Warhawk touchdowns. “That’s going to live on forever.”

Another A-day for the Graham G-Men

Graham joined Phoebus and Maury on the 15-0 championship season-mountain Saturday with a 31-8 win over Strasburg in the Class 2 final at Salem.

Dalton Roberts threw for 183 yards and two scores for Graham. Gabe Lilly added a rushing score.

It’s the third championship for the Bluefield, Va. school under coach Tony Palmer, who played on the G-Men’s 1989 Class 3 state championship team. 

Graham’s previous title was 1995. Parker, who returned to his alma-mater in 2015, won Class 2 crowns in 2018 and 2022.

Parker has instilled a blue-collar mentality that reflects the small Southwest Virginia town.

“We are thankful for the Town of Bluefield, Virginia. Our kids understand that they are playing for more than themselves when they play football and … put that helmet with that G-star on it.,” said Parker to the Cardinal News. “They know they are playing for their community. For a school the size of ours, [playing for a state championship] does a lot for the community. We just want to give [them] something to be proud of.”