Highland Springs WR Quanye Veney lowers his shoulder (Photo: Lance Hinton/recruit757)
Highland Springs shuts out the defending state champs
by Byron Jones, recruit804
Highland Springs has now won 10 straight contests against 757 teams since 2015. On Saturday, the Springers shut out the defending Class 5 champs from Maury 13-0. Springers wideout Latrell Sutton hauled in three catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the winning effort. After the game, Sutton stated, “It feels great to know that you can make an impact for your team and that you can come out and do something to help your team win.”
When asked about his receivers break-out performance, Head Coach Loren Johnson stated, “Latrell is a guy! I told him a couple of weeks ago he could definitely be an NFL football player. He kind of asked me do you think so? I said I know so just because of his athletic abilities and what he can do with the ball in his hands and without the ball in his hands. He does a better job blocking than he does playing receiver.”
At no point in Saturday’s contest did the Maury offense come close to threatening the Springer defense. The Commodores were held to just 122 yards passing and just 41 yards rushing on the day. Oklahoma signee Kelvin Gilliam, and Rashaud Pernell, who holds double-digit power five offers, lived in the backfield and forced Maury into uncomfortable situations.
The defensive secondary led by Damond Harmon (Oklahoma), Jamareeh Jones (Boston College), Jabari Parker (Virginia Tech), and Daquan Giles strapped up the Commadore receiving corps, making it nearly impossible to throw. Giles turned in a key interception in the first half that suppressed Maury’s best drive of the game.
“I’m glad Coach Simmons coaches with us,” explained Coach Johnson. “When I first got to Highland Springs, he (Simmons) wouldn’t even coach. When he came on staff, he was just the defensive back coach and when he had the opportunity to become defensive coordinator, we became better as a football program.”
Q3 11:28 @DentJuwan finds @trellgocrzy1 once again! PAT GOOD! @gohshsfootball 13 @MauryCommodores 0 @byronsjones pic.twitter.com/SdUUKnuxqx
— Recruit804 (@804football) April 24, 2021
Coach Simmons’ defense has been nothing short of impressive this season as his group has given up just 31 points in eight contests thus far.
The Springers will now turn their focus to a familiar foe in next week’s state championship matchup. They will host Stone Bridge who dispatched William Fleming 46-13 on the other side of the Class 5 Bracket. Stone Bridge and Highland Springs have met in three state finals (2015, 2016, 2018) with the Springers emerging victorious each time.
Since 2014, Highland Springs is 10-0 against opponents who hail from Northern VA and they’ve outscored them 368-159 in the process.
IMPACT PERFORMERS
Latrell Sutton: 3 receptions 98 yards 2 TD’s
Juwan Dent: 12/23 187 yards 2 TD’s 3 INT’s
Michael Hodge: 3 receptions 51 yards
Quanye Veney: 5 receptions 33 yards
Jordan Jackson: 23 carries 87 yards
FINAL: Highland Springs 13, Maury 0
– Byron Jones
