It was just another night at the office for Warhill’s Devonte Dedmond Friday.
The star junior ran for over 150 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone before finishing with 224 yards and four TDs as the Lions rolled to a 27-0 victory over cross-town rival Jamestown at Wanner Stadium. The effort put him over 1,300 yards for the season while breaking former running back Randall Owens’ single-season rushing record.
For Dedmond, it was one of many superb performances so far this season. Just last week he scored five touchdowns in a key 32-19 win over Tabb at Bailey Field. In the Lions’ third game of the season back in mid-September, Dedmond amassed 200 yards on the ground and four touchdowns in a 32-14 victory over Poquoson.
“All summer coach worked with me on hitting holes,” Dedmond said after the game. “The lines have done a great job opening the lanes and I’ve just been trying to explode them. That’s my job as a running back.”
Warhill entered the game having already clinched a Division 4 playoff berth while Jamestown needed a victory to have any chance of moving on. It was the Lions, however, who appeared to be playing with the higher sense of urgency on the field.
While it was a vintage performance from Dedmond, it was a night of firsts for the Lions’ defensive unit. The Lions held Jamestown under 175 yards of total offense en route to earning the first shutout in Warhill’s five-year history.
On the ends, Virginia Tech commit Parker Osterloh and Evan Goff were menaces in Jamestown’s backfield all game. Warhill coach Billy Jarvis also credited his secondary of Dedmond, Reggie Lipscomb, Charlie Broaddus and Keron Dedmond with keeping the Eagles’ playmakers in front of them.
“I’m real proud of the guys,” Jarvis said. “To get our first shutout tonight on senior night is a pretty big deal.”
After Jamestown fumbled the opening kickoff near midfield, Dedmond took Warhill’s first snap of the game to the right side, shed one tackle, and didn’t stop until he crossed the goal line 44 yards later.
After a Jamestown punt, Warhill marched 10 plays down the field before Dedmond ran in his second touchdown of the opening quarter from five yards out to give the Lions a 14-0 lead.
Nearing the end of the second quarter, Jamestown put together its best drive of the half to get inside Warhill territory, but on third and long, Eagles’ quarterback Tyler Doane was picked off by Lions’ safety Charlie Broaddus just inside the 20 with 2:25 left in the half.
That was plenty of time for Dedmond & Co., as the Lions drove 88 yards downfield before Dedmond cashed in on his third touchdown of the half from 17 yards out, cushioning Warhill’s lead to 21-0 heading into the half following Evan McCoy’s extra point.
Dedmond finished the half with over 150 of Warhill’s 180 total yards in the first two quarters.
The one-man show continued into the second half after Dedmond capped off a 10-play drive late in the third quarter with a one-yard plunge up the middle for the touchdown to put Warhill ahead 27-0.
Dedmond’s only mistake of the game came with a little less than eight minutes left in regulation after he burst up the middle for a 30-yard gain before coughing up a fumble on the 10-yard line.
Behind Stas Szczepanski and Daivon Turner, Jamestown’s running game showed signs of life throughout, however the Eagles were often forced into passing situations as penalties plagued the offense all game. Jamestown was flagged 13 times for an entire field’s worth of yardage.
Warhill 27 Jamestown 0
Warhill- 14 7 6 0 – 27
Jamestown- 0 0 0 0 – 0
First Quarter
Warhill- Dedmond 44 yard run (McCoy kick)
Warhill- Dedmond 5 yard run (McCoy kick)
Second Quarter
Warhill- Dedmond 17 yard run (McCoy kick)
Third Quarter
Warhill- Dedmond 1 yard run (kick failed)
TOTALS
War;Jam
First downs: 16;8
Rushes-yards: 45-271; 31-132
Passing yards: 0; 81
Comp-att-int: 0-1-0;7-13-1
Penalties-yards: 2-10; 12-94
Fumbles-lost: 2-1; 1-1
INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS
Warhill
Devonte Dedmond (29 carries, 222 yards, 4 TDs)
Reggie Lipscomb (10 carries, 47 yards)
Jamestown
Stas Szczepanski (13 carries, 64 yards)
Tyler Doane (7-12, 81 yards, INT)
