Five times previously Dinwiddie and Hanover had faced off in the playoffs with the Hawks coming out on top in three of those meetings. On this crisp Saturday afternoon in front of a packed house that is Navy Nation, the Generals evened the series and punched their ticket to the region finals for the first time since 2019.

The Generals fell behind early in this one but they did not stay down long. The Generals had the lead by the time we got to the first quarter and never relinquished it. It was much of the same as we saw two weeks ago against Thomas Dale... once Harry Dalton got rolling, there was no stopping him.

The sophomore quarterback was tough to stop accounting for 6 of the Generals 7 touchdowns in this game. A 14-6 lead at the half was 28-6 by the time we got to the fourth quarter.

As much as Dalton and Dinwiddie dominated the run game, the Hawks never relented. Their jerseys stained by the end of the game, particularly Beau Sahnow who took lick after lick from the defense. A defense that feasted on the Hawks passing game with three interceptions; two from Christian Drumgoole and another by Quentin Mankin.

The Hawks defense which has been a strength all season was no match for this offense and a run game that saw Dalton and Raphael Tucker combine for 356 yards and 7 touchdowns on the day!

The start of this contest was a bit interesting to say the least.

Harry Dalton got things going early with 16 yards on 4 carries. With the Generals facing 3rd & 11 Dalton attempted just his third pass of the game and that is when disaster struck. Dalton was intercepted by Cole Elrod, the ball then fumbled and Malachi Madden recovered the loose ball for the Hawks.

Hanover took advantage of the early opportunity with Beau Sahnow mirroring Dalton's play with 4 carries of his own for 29 yards. Then the Hawks caught Dinwiddie off guard with Sahnow dropping back, hitting Elrod with the pass who then launched it down field to Austin Howze for a 45-yard touchdown. The score brought the Hawks fans who made the hour drive to life and stunned the Generals sideline.

The two teams exchanged punts with both defenses stepping up to the challenge and forcing 3 & outs for each. With 4 minutes remaining in the quarter Dinwiddie would end the Hawks shutout putting together a 48-yard drive that saw Raphael Tucker rumble 44 yards falling short of the end zone by 4 yards! Four plays later Harry Dalton punched it in from a yard out and with Jackson Van Meter's PAT, the Generals took a lead they would not relinquish.

Penalties would foil the Hawks chance at matching the Dinwiddie score. After Beau Sahnow picked up 13 yards on a carry, the Hawks were penalized for holding on the next play. Three plays later Hanover was called for intentional grounding. The Hawks could not recover from 3rd down & 31.

The Generals appeared poised to go up another touchdown as the second quarter got underway. On two straight carries Raphael Tucker pushed ahead for 27 yards. 1st & goal from the Hawks 9, Dalton called his own number four straight times but give it up to the Hawks defense for standing tall in the shadow of the end zone and denying the Generals who would turn it over on downs.

The flip side to this is the Hawks offense would be playing from the shadow of the end zone from their own 1 yard line. The Hawks could muster just six yards before another Hawk punt.

The Hawks defense would shine in this second quarter with a goal line stand, forcing the Generals to another turnover on downs and on their third possession of the quarter, only 15 yards.

For as well as the Hawks defense played, the Hawks offense could not make the big play when it mattered the most. Covering 41 yards in 3 plays, the Hawks offense went cold behind two incomplete passes and stopped for no gain for their own turnover on downs.

Their third possession of the quarter saw the Hawks Beau Sahnow sacked for a loss of 15 forcing a Hawks punt. The Hawks could not capitalize on the play of the defense and it would come back to bite them in the closing minutes of the first half.

The Hawks punt returned to their own 38 paved the way for Harry Dalton to punch it in from 30 yards out to follow-up Raphael Tucker's 8-yard run on first down. Just like that the Generals extended their lead.

The Hawks got the ball back with under a minute to go but it would be Dinwiddie's defense who would step up this time around with Beau Sahnow taking a shot at the end zone but Christian Drumgoogle getting to the ball first to end the half with the Generals up 14-6.

Hanover took a little over 5 minutes off the clock with their opening drive of the half but back-to-back penalties doomed a promising drive. What started from their own 15 was taken to the Generals 22 with Beau Sahnow and Cole Elrod working their magic. With the Hawks facing a 3rd & 10 the Hawks were called for a false start and on the next play they were called for intentional ground.

Dinwiddie wasted no time putting a little more distance between them and the Hawks. After a holding call backed up the Generals to their own 8, Harry Dalton carved up the field and the Hawks defense and raced 92 yards to tag the end zone! In less than 30 seconds the Hawks had gone from being within a score of the Generals to down 15.

This wouldn't be the only score of the quarter for the Generals. The Hawks defense forced the Hawks to a turnover on downs and two plays later the Hawks were back in the end zone with Harry Dalton's 4th touchdown of the game!

At the start of the quarter Dinwiddie was lead 14-6, by the end of the quarter that score was now 28-6.

The Hawks coming into the fourth had a solid drive forming. Beau Sahnow had 19 yards on the ground, Cole Elrod, Malachi Madden, Grady Fahed all were in the mix as the Hawks spread the ball out more. A pass interference call against Dinwiddie did certainly helped the Hawks but as had been the case all game... when the Hawks got something going, there was always that step back. Jalen Copeland was hit for a loss of 10 yards from Alex Elmore on 1st & 10 at the Generals 17. Two plays later Elrod was backed by Chris Bowles for a loss of 6. Just that quick the Hawks found themselves 4th & 18 and turning it over on downs with an incomplete pass.

Jalen Copeland who has had made noise in recent weeks on defense for the Hawks did it again. Raphael Tucker was at the Generals 45 taking the handoff and picking up 3 yards but then the fumble came and Copeland was there for the recovery.

The Hawks down 28-6 appeared to be on their way to a score. Cole Elrod rushed for 13 yards, Grady Fahed caught a 25-yard pass from Beau Sahnow. The Hawks were sitting pretty at the Dinwiddie 14 when disaster struck with Beau Sahnow intercepted by Christian Drumgoole for a second time!

Christian returned this INT 79 yards to the Hanover 17 setting up Harry Dalton's 5th touchdown of the day with an 11-yard carry on second down. The Generals were now up by 4 touchdowns.

The Hawks got a late spark when Malachi Madden returned the kick-off 25 yards and the combo of Beau Sahnow & Cole Elrod covered 61 yards on 2 passes. The latter, a 23-yard shot that saw Elrod tag the end zone for the Hawks second TD of the day. With over 7 minutes to go, down 23 the Hawks needed a big stop on defense to have any hope of a comeback.

It was not to come. In 14 seconds the Generals were in the end zone yet again with Harry Dalton's sixth touchdown, a 43-yard run that brought Navy Nation to their feet. A win was now somewhat inevitable even with a little over 7 minutes to go.

Sahnow and the Hawks continued to stretch the field knowing they needed big plays to just get close. With the pass comes an inherent danger of an interception, especially on a day where the Generals defense had two to their credit. Enter Quentin Mankin intercepting Sahnow's at the 45 and returning it 45 yards, nearly scoring himself!

Mankin didn't find the end zone but Raphael Tucker did, tasting the end zone for the first time all day for the Generals 7th touchdown overall in just 3 plays and 7 yards.

The game in hand, the Hawks would turn it over on downs on their next possession, held to four downs yet again. The Hawks best season in 7 years came to an end while the Generals punched their ticket to the region finals for the first time since 2019.

Dinwiddie Generals

Harry Dalton was dominating with 229 yards on the ground on 18 carries for 6 touchdowns!

Raphael Tucker with 18 carries of his own for 127 yards and a touchdown to his credit.

Christian Drumgoole with a pass break up and interception in the second half in addition to two tackles and another interception.

Hanover Hawks

Beau Sahnow with 112 yards on 23 carries with 81 yards passing completing 10 of 27 passes. Also threw three interceptions. Add another 61 yards on 2 catches and a touchdown.

Cole Elrod was 4/5 passing for 112 yards and 2 TD's. Added 50 yards on the ground 12 carries.

Carlito Kinney with 4 tackles, 1 for a loss and a sack as well.

The Hawks had more first downs (20-13), was right there with Dinwiddie for total offensive yards (340-391) and controlled the time of possession (29:47-14:58) including 11:15 of the third quarter and fell 49-12. That speaks to the quick strike ability of the Generals offense.

Dinwiddie has now beaten Hanover in their last two meetings; 2016 and 2022. This would be the first time Dinwiddie has won in back-to-back meetings against the Hawks.

With the win, Dinwiddie is now 4-4 all-time against Hanover; 3-3 in the playoffs.

Dinwiddie is 12-0 for the first time since the 2017 season and 5th time under Coach Billy Mills.

Hanover finishes the season 9-3 for their second winning season in 3 seasons under Coach Sam Rogers.

9 wins in a season is the most for the Hawks since 2015.