HAMPTON — Hanover won the first half of its Virginia High School League Group AAA Division 5 semifinal game with Phoebus of Hampton.

  Phoebus, ranked No. 2 in the final Associated Press state poll and No. 25 nationally by ESPN/Rise, won the second half, and because of that, the Phantoms were 10-7 victors in Saturday’s game at Darling Stadium before a chilled, wet crowd of about 800.

  The victory landed Phoebus in the Division 5 final for the second year in a row. The Phantoms have won 29 games in a row and have never lost in the championship game. They won back-to-back titles in 2001-02 and also won in 2006 before grabbing another championship last year. They will play Stone Bridge, which defeated Massaponax 23-20 in a semifinal that was postponed to Sunday because of snow.

  The Phantoms’ status as one of the best teams in the nation had little effect on the Hawks, who were playing in their second semifinal in three years.

  “The other regions in the state think the Central Region is weak, and they take us lightly,” Hanover defensive standout Blake Jones said. “We came out and punched them in the mouth. They took a step back. We took it to them.”

  Hanover (9-4) controlled the ball on the muddy field for 15:02 of the first half. Phoebus (14-0) had the ball 8:58, ran just 14 plays, had one first down (on its first play from scrimmage) and didn’t advance past its 40-yard line. The Phantoms’ biggest play was an interception by Chaz Robinson off a tip by DeQuan Romero that halted Hanover’s opening drive at the Phoebus 17.

  “Our heads weren’t in it in the first half. We didn’t think they were that good,” Romero said.

  A series of punts that gave Hanover field position on the Phoebus 36-yard line led to the Hawks’ score. Deane Cheatham (21 carries, 76 yards) scored from 1-yard out on fourth and goal to end a 10-play drive. Matt Palmen kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 3:20 remaining in the first half.

  Hanover defensive back Xavier Crocker intercepted a Paul Morant pass on the first play of Phoebus’s next possession, but the Hawks failed to convert a fourth-and-one at the Phantoms’ 26.

  “I thought they were playing our game in the first half,” Phantoms running back and defensive back Colby Goodwin said.

  Goodwin, who came into the game with 1,697 yards rushing, carried five times for zero yards in the first half. The Phantoms have trailed at halftime in recent games.

  “For us to get fired up, we have to get behind,” Goodwin said.

  The Phantoms made adjustments on both sides of the ball that paid off. They didn’t let Jones, who was in on 14 tackles, including three for losses, be as effective.

  Goodwin found room to run inside and piled up 121 yards.

  He scored the game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard run with 8:36 remaining after an exchange of fumbles (Shreve Rohle recovered for Hanover; Dontrell Jones for Phoebus) gave Phoebus the ball on Hanover’s 15-yard line.

  The turning point, however, came on the Phantoms’ opening possession of the second half.

  They faced a third-and-7 at the Hanover 40. Morant threw an incomplete pass, but the Hawks were flagged for an eyebrow-raising pass interference penalty.

  The Phantoms went on to score their first points on a 30-yard field goal by Eric Enderson (his 12th this season).

  “We had a great feeling all week,” a disappointed Hanover coach Josh Just said. “The only thing we are surprised about is that we didn’t win the game.”

  Arthur Utley is a staff writer for the Richmond Times Dispatch.
 
Hanover….....................0 7 0 0 — 7
Phoebus….....................0 0 3 7 — 10
H —Cheatham 1 run (Palmen kick)
P—FG Enderson 30
P—Goodwin 2 run (Enderson kick)
RUSHING Hanover — Cheatham 21-76; Rogers 14-35, Morris 1-0. Phoebus — Goodwin 32-121, Robinson 5-23; Morant 5-3, Lee 3-5.
PASSING Hanover — Rogers 3-7-2-34. Phoebus — Morant 3-5-1-37.
RECEIVING Hanover — Underdown 1-23, Morris 1-8, Yorke 1-3. Phoebus—Robinson 2-16, Romero 1-21.