VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WTKR)- It's not often that two neighboring schools meet in the state semifinals when it comes to high school football. With the regional realignment that took place prior to this school year, the stage was set for a 757 clash in the final four.
Green Run is having its best season ever, coming in at 13-0, while Maury is looking for its second state championship in the last three seasons. While most high school football fields in the area have gone silent for the offseason, the Stallions and Commodores are two of the few teams still practicing as the calendar turns to December. Both head coaches saw their teams here before the season even began.
"When we start in late-January, February, it's always all the way until mid-December," said Maury head coach Dyrri McCain. "That's always been our goal, that's always been our plan."
"We decided to do this journey way before the pandemic started," Green Run head coach Brandon Williams said. "We definitely had our eyes on this point and we're glad we're here and looking forward to keeping it going."
The Stallions and Commodores are two of just five 757 teams left standing and will square off in the Class 5 state semifinals on Saturday. Maury has become a mainstay late in the postseason, but Green Run, coming off of its first ever regional championship, is new to this big stage.
"It means everything," Stallion senior quarterback Xavier Davis said. "There are a lot of teams that are home right now and don't get a chance to play, don't get a chance to practice. You've just got to take advantage of it and work as hard as you can and prepare for the game."
"I think we only graduated maybe six seniors in the spring," noted McCain. "A lot of these guys played in that state semi last year. They're back, they're ready to go- want another shot at a title."
Teams who reside right down the road from each other rarely meet at this stage of the postseason. The winner of Saturday's game won't just get a shot at a state championship, but claim Hampton Roads gridiron supremacy as well.
"It's a lot of animosity. There's been a lot of talking," smiled Maury sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Davontae Floyd. "We're just going to try to shut them up. It's that simple."
"This is big for the area," added Williams. "Looking forward to a packed house on Saturday and the kids deserve it on both teams, so we're looking forward to having a good show on Saturday."
"We're always looking for the match-up," said McCain. "We're always looking, ready for the challenge. I'm pretty sure that they are, too, but somebody's gotta win and somebody's gotta lose."
It's setting up to be a heavyweight fight on Saturday with one team moving on and the other going home for the winter.
"To play for a state championship would mean a lot for a lot of us," said Floyd. "Only a couple guys on this team were on the [2019] team that won a state championship, so we all want to get our own one."
"I love this senior class," Williams said. "We've been through a lot together. They started their career 1-9 and now here we are playing in a state semifinal so I couldn't ask for more."
Green Run and Maury kick off on the Stallions' home field on Saturday at 2:00 PM. The winner gets either Stone Bridge or Highland Springs on December 11 in the Class 5 state championship game at Old Dominion.
