LYNCHBURG, Va. (WTKR) — With Phoebus' backs up against the wall, Jeremy Blunt needed to make a decision.
The Phantoms were backed up to their own 14-yard line, having just seen Salem tie up the Class 4 state championship game seconds earlier. With the clock under 30 seconds, the choice was simple.
"Do you take a knee and play for overtime? Or do you trust the guys that you've been going into battle with week in and week," Blunt said. "And they've always found a way."
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Blunt elected to give it one last shot. On the next play, freshman quarterback Maurikus Banks hit Keyontae Gray down the middle of the field and the receiver scampered to the house for an 86-yard touchdown with just a second left to ultimately lift Phoebus to a 21-14 win and a third straight state championship.
It will be a play Phoebus remembers for decades. Backs against the wall, could've knelt and played for overtime.
— Zach Staton (@ZStatonSports) December 9, 2023
Then an 86-yard prayer answered. A dart from @MaurikusB and the catch and score from @KeyontaeGray.
A third straight state title for @PhoebusHS1.@WTKR3 pic.twitter.com/8ARuQbJc36
"I saw the safety come down on the quarterback's eyes, he was reading his eyes," Gray said with tears in his eyes. "I just put my hand up, trusted my quarterback."
"I didn't expect any of this," Banks said. "I thought we might get an incompletion here. He just caught the ball and Keyontae is going to be Keyontae, he's going to make a play every time he touches it."
Banks, who's started the last three games in place of the injured Adonis Stowers, threw for 165 yards in the victory.
Before the explosive game-winner, the title tilt was a tightly contested defensive slugfest. Phoebus scored on its first drive of the game to make it 7-0 on a Davion Roberts one-yard run.
Salem would counter right before the half, capitalizing on a Chris Cole interception with a Peyton Lewis touchdown run to close things to 7-6 in the locker rooms.
With 1:42 to play, Paul Stephen Davis took an end around in from nine yards out to give the Phantoms a 14-6 lead. The Spartans again had another punch, started with a dazzling catch by Cole to put Salem deep in opponent territory.
A couple snaps later, Jayveon Jones punched it in from a yard out before Josiah Moyer hauled in the game-tying two-point conversion to make it 14-14 with :58 left in the game.
Two plays later, Banks would hit the game-winner to Gray.
"Trusted our guys, I couldn't be any prouder," Blunt said. "Their identity was proven this year. These kids have played with all heart, all love all year. They've stayed together through the ups and the downs."
"It was a movie," Banks said. "It was a movie. A big moment and we really did it. This is all crazy."
Phoebus (15-0) extended its win streak to 35 games, sending off seniors like Gray with a three-peat.
"I can't describe it. It's a dream come true," Gray said. "I always been dreaming of the moment but now that it's happened, it's unbelievable."
The Phantoms have now won 10 state championships since 2001.
