NEWPORT NEWS, VA (WTKR)- All winning streaks come to an end at some point and for Phoebus football, Saturday was that day.
Warwick jumped out to a 13-0 lead and held off a Phantoms' charge in the second half to go on for the 34-20 victory at Todd Stadium. The Raiders' triumph snapped Phoebus's winning streak at 51 games, one shy of tying the VHSL record for consecutive victories.
The defeat is the Phantoms' first loss since November of 2021, when they fell to Oscar Smith in the regular season finale and their first loss to a Peninsula District foe since October 21 of 2016, a 15-0 defeat at the hands of Woodside.
"To get this game is something amazing for us," said Warwick head coach Thomas Sykes. "It is a big game for us, but, like I told them, we're going to enjoy it for two or three days and then we're focused on the next thing."
"They outplayed us today," added Phoebus head coach Jeremy Blunt. "It's as simple as that, but we responded with character at the end. We'll eliminate the mistakes moving forward, we'll build on it and we're going to come back and we're going to be us. Nothing will change when it comes to that."
Warwick jumped out to a 13-0 first quarter lead. Terius Brown burst for a 65-yard touchdown rush to give the Raiders some cushion, but Maurikus Banks got on the board with a quarterback keeper to trim the score to 13-7 after the opening frame.
The Raiders answered as Avione Tucker ripped off a 38-yard touchdown run in the second, helping Warwick open up a 20-7 lead at the break.
Phoebus would eat up nearly eight minutes of clock to open up the third quarter, ending in Tyree Diggs' short rushing score to make it 20-14. The Phantom defense stood tall on the ensuing drive, picking up a fourth down stop in the redzone to get the ball back.
That's when Warwick stopped the momentum and took it back. The Raiders' Jayden Singleton hit Banks' arm as he threw and Du'wuane Skipwith came up with the interception, returning it for a touchdown and giving Warwick the 27-14 lead. The home team would add another touchdown and keep the Phantoms' at arm's length for the remainder of the game.
"Eight years undefeated in the district, that's an amazing accomplishment that these guys have done," Blunt said of his team. "To be on a 51-game winning streak, that's another amazing accomplishment that these guys have been a part of."
"Shoutout to Coach Blunt for doing an amazing job," Sykes said. "He's the standard, so anytime you come in and try to play a team that has 50 wins, that means he's been doing something great and amazing."
Phoebus will look to start a new winning streak Thursday when the Phantoms host Highland Springs at Darling Stadium. Warwick will take on Menchville Friday night at Todd Stadium.
