LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Salem Spartans faced off against the Phoebus Phantoms at Liberty University for the Class 4 State Championship.
Phoebus came out on top, earning the Class 4 state title, 21-14.
It wasn’t decided until the final play. Phantoms quarterback Maurikus Banks hit Keyontae Gray on an 86-yard throw and catch for the game winning score with :01 second left in regulation.
“I take full responsibility for that. You have to coach every moment of the game. Obviously they hit us down the seam on a deep pass and we should’ve played that a whole lot better and put our kids in position to be successful. Sometimes it’s not what we’re not doing it’s what they are doing,” Spartans head coach Don Holter says.
The play broke a 14-14 tie that had just been forged by Salem :57 seconds earlier, on Jayveon Jones’ two-yard td run that capped a drive led by Tennessee commit Peyton Lewis and wide receiver Chris Cole, who hauled in a 30 yard strike to put the ball on the 6.
“Pretty heartbroken about this one really, because all the hard work we put in ever since I was a freshman to now and we came up short,” Salem receiver and linebacker Chris Cole says.
Lewis finished with 84 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. Salem would hold a team that was averaging more than 43 points per game to two scores until the final play of the game.
The Spartans finish 13-2 and state runner-ups. The Phantoms complete a perfect season at 15-0, and win a third consecutive state title, but their first in the Class 4 ranks.