Football: News and notes from Hampton Roads

By Jami Frankenberry
Larry Rubama
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 23, 2011

Familiar spot for Oscar Smith

For the past eight seasons, football fans could count on two things during this time of year: Thanksgiving and an Eastern Region Division 6 championship game featuring Oscar Smith.

The Tigers make their eighth consecutive appearance in the championship when they meet Salem at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.

“It proves that we’ve been the most successful and most consistent team in this area,” said Oscar Smith coach Richard Morgan, who led the Tigers to region titles in 2007, ’08 and ’09. “I think the consistency is something to be proud of.”

The only thing Morgan dislikes about the streak are the losses. The Tigers lost to Landstown and Percy Harvin in 2004 and ’05, to Salem and Kevin Whaley in 2006 and to Bayside and Demetrious Nichols last season.

“Even though we’ve won it three times, I spend more time being mad about the four times we didn’t,” he said. “So hopefully we can even it up on Friday.”

Oscar Smith is Division 6’s top seed, but Friday’s game is at the Sportsplex because the site was approved by region officials before the season.

He said it

“We’ve been in this situation coming from behind, but I thought we played hard for four quarters.” - Norcom coach Larry Archie, after the Greyhounds’ come-from-behind 20-14 victory over Hampton last week. Norcom plays Phoebus for the Eastern Region Division 5 title at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Darling Stadium in Hampton.

Eastern Region ticket info

Oscar Smith and Salem will pre-sell tickets to their Eastern Region Division 6 showdown. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Oscar Smith is selling tickets from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today. Salem is selling tickets from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. today.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $3 for ages 11 and under.

Elsewhere in Group AAA football

Winners of this week’s Eastern Region championship games play Northwest Region foes in the Group AAA state semifinals Dec. 3.

In Division 5, Brooke Point (9-3) visits North Stafford at 2 p.m. Saturday for the Northwest title. In Division 6, Battlefield (9-2) visits C.D. Hylton (11-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday for the Northwest crown.

C.D. Hylton topped Osbourn 54-26 on Monday night. Osbourn lost in the region quarterfinals to Gar-Field, but Gar-Field on Friday was ordered by the Virginia High School League to forfeit three games for using an ineligible player during the regular season. That sent Osbourn back into the playoffs, scrambling to prepare to play C.D. Hylton on three days notice.

N-SA’s Lamm gets Wendy’s honor

Nansemond-Suffolk’s Bobby Lamm, a senior running back and strong safety, was named the Virginia winner of the Wendy’s High School Heisman. The award recognizes performance in the classroom, on the field and in the community.

Lamm was a first-team All-Tidewater Conference pick on offense and defense. He rushed for 1,138 yards and 16 touchdowns, helping the Saints finish the season on a six-game winning streak.

By the numbers

1993: The last time Norcom won an Eastern Region Division 5 championship. Peninsula teams have won 15 of the 17 titles since then.

Live championship game updates

Visit www.757teamz.com on Friday and Saturday night for live updates throughout the Eastern Region Division 5 and Division 6 games. And find us at www.twitter.com/757teamz and www.facebook.com/757teamz.

– Compiled by Larry Rubama and Jami Frankenberry

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Highest Seed = Home Field Advantage

Submitted by brianwaller on Thu, 11/24/2011 at 11:05 am.

The highest seed should get home field advantage. Using the Sportsplex gives a Beach District team home field advantage without them having to earn it.

SportsPLex Playoff Venue

Submitted by billb72054 on Wed, 11/23/2011 at 6:16 pm.

I agree! I don't believe there's a significant issue with the playing surface but the venue is terrible for a football game. If they are going to continue scheduling play-off games here then they should at least be required to install bleachers on the visitor's side of the field (a la UFL). Putting opposing fans side by side is just asking for trouble and it's hard to support the visiting team from 70 yards away. Furthermore, it's not exactly a neutral field.

Sportsplex

Submitted by kathyd12055 on Wed, 11/23/2011 at 8:27 am.

Sportsplex stinks. The lighting is horrible. On a cold night, all the concrete makes it even colder, and the athletes arent accustomed to playing on the artificial turf, increasing the likelihood of injuries. Seating the fans of both teams side by side is another minus. There just has to be a better venue. Vote for somewhere else next year, please.