The Dinwiddie Generals started the 2008 playoffs with a bang Monday night by defeating Douglas Freeman 38-7.
Offensively, the Generals were virtually unstoppable all night while racking up 482 yards of total offense against an overmatched Douglas Freeman defense. Defensively, Dinwiddie wore down the Rebels by shutting down their running attack and flying to the football, putting together a collection of highlight-reel-worthy hits all game long.
Early on though, the lead belonged to the upset-minded Rebels when Robb Blanchard rumbled into the endzone from 13 yards out to give Douglas Freeman the early 7-0 lead. An early Dinwiddie fumble set the Rebels up with a short field and they capitalized with the score.
It was pretty much all Generals after that.
Dinwiddie responded quickly to the early Douglas Freeman TD by going 75 yards on 6 plays in just 53 seconds. Dinwiddie QB Adam Morgan connected with WR Jerrell White for 37 yards on the first play of the drive and then scampered for 18 yards up the middle on the second play. A 19-yard strike to Tarron Adams two plays later left the Generals at the 1-yard line. Morgan’s 1-yard plunge a play later, followed by Chad Jones’ extra point, tied the score at 7.
Both offenses sputtered a bit through the first half, although the Generals used their defense and superior special teams to win the field position battle. That would pay off with just over 5 minutes left in the first half when the Generals would take possession at the Douglas Freeman 46-yard line. Following a big 4th down run by Morgan to keep the drive going, the Generals would strike again with a big play when Morgan found Adams deep down the middle for a 38-yard TD to put Dinwiddie up 14-7.
The Generals defense would answer again late in the half by forcing another Freeman punt. The fast-paced Generals offense would take advantage.
Morgan connected again with White for 31 yards to put the Generals inside the red zone. The Generals weren’t able to come away with a touchdown, but a 22-yard Chad Jones FG extended their lead to 17-7 going into the locker room at the half.
Following the break, Douglas Freeman tried to answer with a drive of their own, but when their long drive sputtered out, they had to settle for a 41-yard FG attempt. The kick was short and a fired-up Dinwiddie offense came out firing on all cylinders marching 80 yards to the endzone on just 6 plays. Morgan found White from 22 yards out to finish the drive and push the Dinwiddie lead to 24-7.
Forced to throw the football, Douglas Freeman struggled. Interceptions by Andre Thweatt and Tarron Adams helped thwart two 3rd quarter Douglas Freeman drives. Following the Adams INT, the Generals marched 88 yards on just 8 plays for another Morgan-to-White TD. It looked for a moment like penalties would kill the drive as the Generals faced a 2nd-and-30 from their own 42 yard line. A 12-yard catch by Sam Haskins on 2nd down and a 38-yard pass to Quintaze Jackson on 3rd down would give the Generals the unlikely first down that helped set up the touchdown.
With the TD, Morgan’s 3rd of the game, Morgan became the VHSL career leader in TD passes with 106. Fittingly, the record-setting pass ended up in White’s hands - it marked the 35th time the QB-WR combo has connected for a TD.
It was the second VHSL record Morgan broke on the night. Earlier in the game Morgan also shattered the VHSL record for passing completions when Tarron Adams made an acrobatic catch over the middle. The Dinwiddie QB is also the verge of breaking a 3rd VHSL passing record as he is now just 283 yards short of the career passing yardage mark of 8,731.
A late 11-yard TD run by Chris Hall would finish the scoring on the night and secure the Generals 38-7 playoff win.
The Douglas Freeman defense had few answers for the Dinwiddie offense on this historic night. Morgan finished the evening 19-29 for 338 yards and 3 TDs. He also added 36 yards on the ground and a rushing TD. White led the wideouts with 5 catches for 140 yards and 2 TDs, while Adams finished with 6 catches for 96 yards and a TD.
The Generals now move on to play Hanover in the Cnetral District Divsion 5 Regional final. Hanover enters the game with an 8-3 record after their 24-14 win over Monacan in the first round of the Playoffs. The win over Douglas Freeman ups Dinwiddie’s record to 10-1. The Rebels finish their season 7-4.
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