Div. 5 football: Green Run 49, Grassfield 17

VIRGINIA BEACH

The sign out front welcomes fans to “Stallion Country.”

On Friday night, Green Run High School was Jeraud’s Jurisdiction.

Quarterback Jeraud Simmons threw for a season-high 352 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Stallions to a 49-17 victory over Grassfield in an Eastern Region Division 5 quarterfinal.

Simmons orchestrated the offense and Tavon Gatlin provided two interceptions and scored on an 83-yard kickoff return and a 31-yard reception as Green Run advanced to its second consecutive region semifinal. The third-seeded Stallions (10-1) play No. 2 seed Phoebus (11-0) at Darling Stadium next Friday night.

While Phoebus’ Tajh Boyd is the superstar signal-caller in that matchup, Simmons has boosted Green Run with more than 600 passing yards in the past two games.

On Friday, he completed 24 of 37 passes and threw two interceptions - one on a last-gasp pass before halftime. The senior connected on his first five passes in the third quarter to help the Stallions pull away from a 21-17 lead.

“I realized it’s my senior year and I love the game of football,” Simmons said. “During the season I was really not focused mentally, so I was having mental breakdowns and bad games. But now I know it’s crunch time and we’re in the playoffs and it’s time to roll.”

At first, it was more of a stumble.

Grassfield (7-4), making its first playoff appearance in just the program’s second season, led 10-0 less than eight minutes in.

But in a span of less than two minutes - and six plays - Dejor Simmons took a screen pass 53 yards for a TD, and a Gatlin interception set up another score. The Stallions never trailed again.

Gatlin’s 83-yard kickoff return opened the second half, and he snagged an interception - his 12th of the season - in Grassfield territory on the Grizzlies’ first play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

Five of Green Run’s scoring plays covered 30-plus yards, and Simmons threw to six receivers.

“They’ve got some kids that catch the ball and the next thing you know they’re gone,” Grassfield coach Martin Asprey said. “We knew we couldn’t go athlete to athlete with them.”

Notable stats: GR-Dejor Simmons 14-98, TD rushing; 3-72, TD receiving; Tavon Gatlin 3-57, TD receiving; Patrick Young 5-60, TD receiving; Steven Baker 6-63 receiving; Sean Jones 5-44 receiving; Grassfield-Bruce Smith 25-91, TD rushing; Terrell Johnson 4-16-2, 56 yards passing.

See a Photo Gallery from the game.

Jami Frankenberry, (757) 446-2295 or jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com