Essex’s Keion Hence breaks past the line of scrimmage en route to a 51-yard touchdown run in Saturday’s state championship game against Grayson County.
Another strong defensive showing and second half offensive turnaround helped propel Essex to the 2024 VHSL Class 1 state football championship Saturday in Salem.
The Trojans put the finishing touches on a nearly perfect campaign with a 22-0 domination of Grayson County.
The result polished off a phenomenal postseason run during which Essex outscored their five opponents 229-8.
“What a game this was,” remarked Essex coach Todd Jones, who now stands one victory short of 250 career triumphs. “It was a total team effort.”
The Trojans’ ground-oriented, double-wing offense ground out 246 yards.
Jaden Holmes led the way with 72 yards on 15 rushes, while Demetrius Stewart contributed 65 yards on an equal number of carries. Keion Hence contributed 60 rushing yards and a score, while Zay Bundy finished with 54-yards on 10 carries and a pair of bulldozing touchdowns in the second half.
Essex’s defense, meanwhile, put the wraps on Grayson County’s offense, limiting the Blue Devils to just 120 yards. Grayson County, which committed a pair of debilitating second half turnovers, advanced to the red zone just once all afternoon.
Essex defensive back Izaya Terpening brings down Grayson County’s Benton Wagoner.
The Blue Devils (10-4) from Independence managed just 34 total yards during the second half.
Essex bolted to an early 8-0 lead when Hence squirted through the center of Grayson County’s defense and then dashed down the Trojans’ sideline for a 51-yard touchdown. Demetrius Stewart added the two-point-conversion with the game only 55 seconds old.
But the Trojans discovered tough-sledding against Grayson’s defense for the remainder of the opening half. Essex managed just 46 yards and two first downs on its final three possessions of the opening half, each of which ended on punts.
Grayson County’s last gasp at scoring occurred on its initial series of the second half.
The Blue Devils received the second half kickoff and advanced to the Essex 38.
On second and 10, the Trojans’ Zion Darby sacked Grayson QB Maverik Goad and dislodged the ball from his grasp. The fumble was recovered by Essex’s Demonte Johnson near midfield.
Essex then embarked on a 12-play, 52-yard scoring drive that featured three third down conversions.
Stewart accounted for 40 yards during the series which was finished off by Bundy’s TD from the one-yard line with 2:26 to go in the third period.
Grayson County’s next series netted just 10 yards and ended when Bundy pirated a Goad aerial and returned it to the Blue Devils’ 27.
The Trojans’ ensuing drive bogged down at the Grayson 4-yard line and the Blue Devils blocked a field goal attempt, keeping their hopes alive.
But, the Blue Devils turned the ball over on downs at their 48 with 8:39 to play.
Essex responded with a 7-play, 43-yard TD march that sealed the victory when Bundy dove over the goal line from 2-yards out with 5:08 to go. Stewart added the twopointer to post the final score.
“When made a couple halftime adjustments,” Jones said. “We changed up a couple blocking schemes here and there and added a couple more formations. But, our defense played lights out. Even when Grayson moved the ball on us, our guys weathered the storm and stayed the course. Field position was on our side for most of the day and that’s because of our defensive performance.”
Essex finished with a 14-1 record with the state title occurring 15 years after the program’s initial championship.
The Trojans’ defense, which posted its seventh shutout, established a school-record by surrendering just 63 points all season.
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