Playoff football: Hampton 28, Norcom 0

NORFOLK

Hampton quarterback David Watford proved too slippery in an Eastern Region Division 5 quarterfinal at Powhatan Field.

Watford ran for 119 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as the Crabbers rolled to a 28-0 victory over Norcom on Saturday.

Hampton will next play at Lake Taylor in a semifinal match-up Friday.

The Crabbers (8-3) dominated the line of scrimmage, allowing the fleet-footed Watford time in the backfield to wait for receivers to get open or decide to pull the ball down and run for it.

Watford had a scoring run of 16 yards and connected with Monte Haney on a 4-yard touchdown pass as the Crabbers took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

“We didn’t tackle well at all,” Greyhounds coach Larry Archie said. “We got some containment on him, but he’d run around and scramble. He made some big plays with his feet and his arm.”

On the other side of the ball, the Crabbers harassed quarterback Deandre Lamb, sacking him six times.

“They came off the ball harder than our line did,” said Lamb of the Hampton pass rush. “It was off and on – sometimes they’ll stay back and sometimes they’ll come.”

With a pedestrian running game that totaled five yards, Hampton could focus on Lamb dropping back. Lamb finished 12 of 18 passing for 167 yards and two interceptions.

“We couldn’t get anything going with consistency,” Archie added. “The passing game was OK. But when you can’t run the ball, they’re going to tee off on him.”

Watford added a 4-yard touchdown run and hit Dion Futch with an 11-yard scoring pass as the Crabbers extended the lead to 28-0 by the end of the third quarter.

Norcom (8-3) turned the ball over three times.

“I felt like we could establish something,” said Archie of his halftime address. “We had some penalties, missed tackles and turnovers – all those little things add up.”

Hampton 7 6 15 0 — 28

Norcom 0 0 0 0 — 0

Ham—Watford 16 run Cass kick)

Ham—Haney 4 pass from Watford (kick failed)

Ham—Watford 4 run (Watford run)

Ham—Futch 11 pass from Watford (Hutcheson kick) Hampton; Norcom

First downs 16; 6

Rushes-yards 27-193; 23-5

Passing yards 69; 147

Passing 7-12-0; 11-17-2

Punts-average yards 2-36; 5-19

Fumbles-lost 1-1; 1-1

Penalties-yards 6-45; 6-27