HAMPTON, Va — HAMPTON, Va. (WTKR) — As Saturday's Class 4 VHSL state championship game looms near for Phoebus, the memories of last year's title tilt start flooding back for Maurikus Banks.
It's hard for them to fade away, given that most people who meet him immediately ask about "the play."
"I hear stuff about it all the time. Like, literally all the time," Banks said with a smile.
That's for good reason. Banks' 86-yard touchdown pass to Keyontae Gray with one second left helped Phoebus beat Salem in a 21-14 thriller and claim a third straight state crown. A freshman at the time, his poise in a massive spot also confirmed what those around him already believed.
"I knew he'd be special from the jump," said senior wide receiver Noah Jefferson. "We've always held our hats on Rik. We always thought that no matter what, Rik could come in and produce at that level."
"It's been special to watch this kid. He's really committed to the process; he stays extremely level, and he's a humble young man," said Phoebus head coach Jeremy Blunt. "Just the way the kid carries himself. He's going to be one of the first ones here and the last ones to leave."
Banks went 11-of-17 passing for 165 yards in that title game, which was just his third start after being thrown into the fire in the Region 4A title game due to an injury to starter Adonis Stowers.
His title-winning throw is one that would usually become the legacy play for most in his position. Instead, he wanted to use it as his arrival moment.
"Remain humble, be the same guy," Banks said. "I don't want this to define who I am my whole high school career. I want to keep winning, keep doing things like that, keep making plays, and keep being special."
That mindset has shown itself throughout the Phantoms' 2024 campaign. Banks has helped guide the team to a 14-0 season, one that's seen the group extend their lengthy winning streak to 48 straight games and punch their ticket to a fourth straight state championship game.
His flair for the dramatic has also proven vital for Phoebus. Against Warwick in a Peninsula District title game, Banks completed a massive fourth-down conversion backed up to Phoebus' own 22-yard line with a pass to Romeir Smith for 56 yards. That led to what would be the game-winning touchdown pass to Mhakyi Hill, helping the Phantoms hold off the Raiders in a 27-17 contest.
Those moments didn't faze him in his first starts as a freshman, and they don't now that he has some experience under his belt.
"I'm just confident in the work I put in. I work all week in practice; I put in work on the weekends with my quarterback coach, Coach Carson, and the receivers," he said. "That's really it; you just got to be confident in the work you put in."
"Rik is a special kid. People don't understand, but Rik is a genuine kid," Jefferson said. "I was proud of him; that's all I could be. He really shows up when we need him."
Phoebus goes for that fourth state crown in a row against Varina on Saturday evening at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg.
Banks will return to the scene where he put his name on the map with more confidence and appreciation for what can happen in that moment.
"It really felt like a movie. Like something that happened in a Disney movie," he said. "I'm gonna keep going and making it a show for everybody."
