Friday football: Landstown 20, Ocean Lakes 14

VIRGINIA BEACH

Trevon Byron traded pieces of his jersey for blades of grass.

The Landstown junior rushed for a touchdown, made two key interceptions and had his jersey torn from his shoulder during the Eagles’ 20-14 victory over Ocean Lakes (7-2).

Landstown (7-2) scored the first 20 points and hung on as Byron’s interception with 45 seconds remaining clinched the upset.

Along with the victory, Landstown took home a turf trophy, with head coach Tommy Reamon plucking a few blades of grass from the Ocean Lakes end zone and holding them in the air on his way to the team bus.

“After every win we take some grass and go back and put it in a bucket,” senior lineman Jeff Branch said. “It represents our wins.”

Left behind were the Dolphins’ dashed hopes for a Beach District championship. Ocean Lakes came into the game tied with Salem atop the district with one loss each. This game was the final significant regular-season obstacle for either team.

Instead, Landstown poured Gatorade on the back of Reamon. Normally that type of display is saved for milestones or championships, but to the Eagles, a signature win was reason enough.

“We came in and everyone expected us to lose, get blown out, you know what I mean?” senior Shyheim Swinson said. “We had something to stand for. We’re a good team this year. We’re a good team.”

Landstown took a 20-0 lead early, riding a defense that allowed just one first down before halftime. Byron finished with two interceptions. Branch finished with two sacks.

“It’s not about stats,” Branch said. “Stats don’t matter.”

They haven’t all season. No Landstown player rushed for more than 60 yards or threw for more than 68. Two quarterbacks threw for touchdowns. Two running backs scored.

The Eagles’ first touchdown came on a 44-yard screen pass to Swinson, who had four blockers to take care of the only tackler who had a chance. After that came a 9-yard touchdown run by Byron.

Ocean Lakes, meanwhile, looked woefully out of sorts early. After recording their only first-half first down with 1:19 left in the half, the Dolphins took two timeouts to get a play off, and when they did, they fumbled on their own 30.

Landstown scored for the final time during the first half, the eventual game-winning touchdown, three plays later from the 15.

Kelvin Harris’ third-down pass found Kyle Dockins in the end zone and inside the left sideline with 6 seconds remaining.

Ocean Lakes rallied with quarterback Corwin Cutler connecting regularly with wide receiver Eli Harold, but the Eagles made one final stand in the final minutes, sacking Cutler twice and finishing the job when Byron came down with his final heave.

“The jersey didn’t make it,” Byron said. “We had to come out and make plays. We took it home.’

Key stats – L: Swinson 15-60 rushing and 2-40 receiving; Keanu Reuben 3-7-0 68 TD passing; O: Harold 5-60 TD receiving; Cutler 10-15-2 123 2 TDs passing.