Key play
It happened early. After taking the ball at its 10-yard line to start the game, Oxford had driven into the West Point red zone by the midway point of the first quarter. But back-to-back holding penalties and a negative running play backed Oxford up to the West Point 34-yard line, where the Chargers faced third-and-34. No problem. Quarterback Jack Abraham dropped back and tossed a 10-yard curl route to wide receiver Zach Cousar, who stopped, pivoted, and tossed a lateral to tailback Kenzie Phillips, who sprinted down the visitors’ sideline to complete the 34-yard touchdown. The score got the Chargers on the board and set the tone for a passing game that racked up nearly 400 yards.
“That was a great play call,” Abraham said.
Key drive
It happened late in the first half, when West Point was seemingly in control. After West Point senior Kadarius Forside scored on a 21-yard touchdown run to push West Point’s lead to 22-8 with a little more than three minutes remaining in the second quarter, Oxford faced the prospect of driving against a defense that had forced interceptions in three-straight possessions. But West Point’s kickoff sailed out of bounds and the Green Wave committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that gave Oxford life at the 50. Six plays later, Abraham found Cousar again, this time for a 28-yard touchdown that put all of the game’s momentum squarely on Oxford’s side.
Turning point
Trailing 22-15 at halftime, Oxford wasted little time in tying the score. The Chargers opened the half with a seven-play, 78-yard drive that covered less than two minutes. Abraham capped the drive with a 14-yard scoring pass to wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. But that wasn’t the turning point. The turning point came on the ensuing kickoff, when Oxford coach Johnny Hill rolled the dice and had kicker Liam Cooper dribble an onside kick toward the Oxford sideline. Four Chargers outnumbered one West Point defender in the area, enabling Oxford’s Dalton Markle to recover. Four plays later, Abraham threw his fourth touchdown, this one to Cousar, and the Chargers never looked back.
Unsung hero
Oxford tailback Kenzie Phillips. While Abraham and his receivers stole the headlines with 391 passing yards and five touchdowns, Phillips, a junior, rushed 12 times for 76 yards and an 11-yard touchdown. He added a 34-yard touchdown catch that opened the scoring for the Chargers.
Difference-makers
West Point built its lead on the strength of an opportunistic defense and a big-play offense. Tailback Lacequiu “Quincy” Starks lead all ballcarriers with 12 rushes for 96 yards. His big play was a 72-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter that put West Point on the board for the first time. An interception by cornerback Jalen Lee set up Starks’ run. Lee’s interception was the first of three in the second quarter by the Green Wave. All three, either directly or indirectly, led to scores. The second, hauled in by Davin Webb, was returned 24 yards for a touchdown that gave the Green Wave a 15-8 lead. Sophomore Lavarius Gunn’s interception gave West Point the ball at the Oxford 21. Two plays later, senior Kadarius Forside scored from 21 yards away to push the lead to 22-8. Interceptions weren’t the only proof of West Point’s solid defensive effort in the first half. The Green Wave defense also sacked Abraham twice, once by Tyler Logan and again by Lee.
Oxford had plenty of difference-makers. Abraham passed for a season-best 391 yards and five scores, while Metcalf caught seven passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. Zach Cousar had nine catches, including three for touchdowns. But Oxford’s defense may have provided the biggest difference in the game, limiting West Point to 179 total yards, including 8 in the second half. The Chargers forced four turnovers, including interceptions by K.T. McCollin and J.R. Anderson.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
