This without question was the biggest meeting in the history of this series. A series that pre-dates the addition of Matoaca to the Central District in 2003. Both programs had a lot on the line coming into this one.

For Matoaca it was rather simple... beat Dinwiddie and you are almost assured the top seed in Region 5C not to mention your first undefeated regular season in 18 years.

On the other hand there was Dinwiddie who was looking to lockup a top seed in Region 4B. A ride through the playoffs is always smoother when the road comes through you.

They came far and wide... in my many trips to Dinwiddie, I have never seen the stadium so packed. Navy Nation came out in full force but so did Matoaca fans who filled the visitor stands and lined the fences. Folks came into this one talking about 45 minute wait to move 2 miles coming in. Folks came in talking about parking a mile away. I can testify to seeing cars lined up one after another long the road.

These two programs don't have the heated rivalry that Bird-Dale or Highland Springs-Varina but it certainly had that feel lingering in the air on this night.

Then came the action on the field and boy was there action. This game checked all the boxes with momentum shifts, turnovers, comebacks, big plays on both sides of the ball and a high scoring affair that was not settled until there were mere seconds left on the clock.

Matoaca got up early and at one time even had a 19-point lead but Dinwiddie has never been a team that gives up. Matoaca who had scored at will seemingly through the first 27:47 minutes of the game with 5 touchdowns was held to just one trip to the end zone through the last 20:13. On the other hand, in those final 20+ minutes, Dinwiddie scored 4 touchdowns.

As much excitement as this game provided, there was also frustration. The two teams combined for 180 penalty yards off 29 total penalties. The Generals were flagged 13 times much to the dismay of Navy Nation who let their voice be heard with displeasure.

It should come as no shock to anyone that this game was defined by quarterback play and defense. Bryce Yates rushed for 134 yards on 6 carries scoring twice with Harry Dalton rushing for 108 yards on 25 carries and 2 TD's of his own. Through the air Yates threw for 290 yards completing 14 of 28 for 2 TD's whereas Dalton completed 16 of 35 for 198 yards and 2 TD's.

With 8 touchdowns and 730 totals yards between the two quarterbacks, fans got quite a show and it is no wonder we saw 84 points between the two teams but as elite as the level of play, it was not without errors. Dalton threw four interceptions on this night and Yates threw just two. The second from Yates proved fatal to the Warriors hopes of an undefeated regular season.

With the Warriors down by 6 they got the ball back with 27 seconds to go at their own 30. In 3 plays with Yates playing the sideline Matoaca covered 42 yards at the Dinwiddie 30. A touchdown was all that was needed to tie, a PAT to win. Yates with mere seconds fired one at the end zone but overthrew his man and almost sent it through the end zone but Nyion Mason got to it at the back of the end zone to thwart the Warriors Hail Mary effort.

It was not the start the Generals had hoped for but just the start the Warriors thrived on. Dinwiddie had the ball twice and came away with just 55 yards with a turnover on downs and a punt.

Meanwhile Matoaca could seem to do no wrong. On the very first offensive snap of the game for the Warriors, the result was a touchdown... 67 yards from Bryce Yates to Montino Williams.

After the Generals first punt of the night Bryce Yates looked to the pass again but when he couldn't find an open receiver he scrambled around finding a hole here and there but boom! 90 yards he went to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead stunning Navy Nation.

Six minutes into the second quarter Dinwiddie ended the shutout on a 60-yard drive that outside of the score was highlighted by Harry Dalton scampering on 4th & 4 to keep the drive alive.

Matoaca had scored 2 touchdowns in the first 3 offensive snaps of the night and they were still performing at a high level. Two plays into the Warriors third possession of the night they were back in the end zone. Bryce Yates & Montino Williams hooked up for 25 yards and Trevion Mills did the rest. PAT blocked, the Warriors had a 20-7 lead.

How does Dinwiddie respond to the Warriors third touchdown of the night? That would be a 5-play, 56-yard drive that saw Harry Dalton making all the plays behind his arm with two passes to Caleb Bowles and one to Mickiel Johnson. The Generals even overcame a fumble that they were able to recover for a gain of five yards. The Generals trimmed the lead to 6 when Dalton & Bowles hooked up on that second pass for a 10-yard score.

For the first time all night the Generals made a stop on defense, forcing Matoaca to a 3 & out, their first punt of the night. Two plays later the Warriors had the ball back when Caljuan Tucker intercepted Dalton.

The Generals defense was back at it holding the Warriors to another three and out, forcing another punt or so it would seem. The drive was extended by a penalty against Dinwiddie. It was one thing after another on this possession with an unsportsmanlike call against Dinwiddie, a pass disruption, a hold against Matoaca and Jeremiah Curley breaking up a pass in the end zone. Ultimately the drive ended on a turnover on downs when a fourth down pass came up short.

Dinwiddie caught a break but could not take advantage of it but Matoaca did. Mickiel Johnson and Harry Dalton both rushed for first downs but on a second down pass Bryce Yates intercepted his counterpart and took it to the house for a 55-yard pick-six.

The two defenses stepped up forcing 3 & outs before Dinwiddie would have the ball one last time before the end of the first half. For a third time in their last four possessions the Generals would throw an INT. Demarcus Sharper would be the Warrior picking off Harry Dalton this time bringing and end to the first half.

They might not have done so as quickly as in the first half but Matoaca opened up another half with a scoring drive. This one stretched 72 yards over 7 plays with a heavy dose of the Bryce Yates/Dillon Newton-Short combo platter that saw the two cover 48 of the 72 yards with Trevion Mills handling the rest. It was Short on the receiving end of a 5-yard pass, however. It was also the start the Warriors were looking for as Newton-Short had been quiet in the first half of action.

What no one knew was that this would be the only Warrior touchdown of the third quarter and that the Generals would outscore them in the quarter.

First came a 55-yard, 7-play drive that saw the ground the road to the end zone with Joshua Adams & Harry Dalton accounting for 17 yards but the punch to the end zone came from Mickiel Johnson from 28 yards out.

Disaster struck Matoaca. On the return Colin Ranson fumbled and the Generals covered. It only took the Generals 4 plays and 45 yards to tag the end zone again with the ground game the way early with Harry Dalton & Mickiel Johnson carrying for 22 yards and then it was Dalton hitting Caleb Bowles for a 33-yard score. Just like that the Generals were within three of the Warriors.

The Warriors would get the ball back with plenty of time left in the quarter and put together a 50-yard drive which appeared to be on track for another Matoaca score but the Generals would deny that.

The Warriors overcame a 1st & 29 after being hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct and holding call. Roughing the passer on a second down pass only helped the Warriors efforts. Second down at the 24 of Dinwiddie the Generals own T'Mari Buford flew in to breakup a Yates pass. The Warriors were down to 4th & 15 on the Dinwiddie 29 when Yates fired the pass and Nyion Mason picked it and took it to the house or so it would seem. The interception counted, the touchdown did not.

Dinwiddie had the ball in the fourth quarter down 3 but the pendulum of momentum was banging hard in the favor of the Generals... until it wasn't.

After a series of plays the Generals had the ball at the 20 but then they were struck with a holding call. A Harry Dalton pass was dropped before Dalton & Caleb Bowles connected for five. Next play Dalton goes to the air and his counterpart Bryce Yates plucks it out of the end zone and returns it to 6. Just like that, the momentum had been stolen as much as the Dalton pass.

For Matoaca, this meant trouble. Backed up in the shadow of their own end zone, they had little room to work and the Generals defense was bringing it.

Trevion Mills was hit for a loss of 2. Yates second down pass fell incomplete.

Matoaca caught a break when Dinwiddie was called for offsides but the next pass fell incomplete and then the Warriors had a false start go against them. The Generals declined the penalty forcing a 4th & 7 with the punt coming but the Generals came in to block the punt courtesy of Jeremiah Curley and Josh Collins making the cover for the touchdown!

Just like that Dinwiddie had their first lead of the game.

Matoaca got the ball back and covered 69 yards in 9 plays in less than 4 minutes to wrestle the lead back from from Dinwiddie. A sure fire touchdown pass went right through the hands/arms of Montino Williams on second down but on third down Yates got the ball off to Joshua Beasley for a much needed first. A loss of 2 yards, two incomplete passes later with Joshua Adams breaking up a pass was just the start.

A ricochet pass that bounced off the helmet/facemask of one Warrior found its way into the hands of Jaelen Penson for a gain of. Bryce Yates would take care of the rest with two carries for a total of 22 yards but none bigger than the shorter 4-yard run to the end zone. Matoaca had the lead back 39-37 with 4:30 to go in the contest.

Dinwiddie knew they had to act and act fast. Four minutes might feel long but it can go quick.

The Generals were backed up to their own 25, 75 yards in front of them to get the lead back.

In two plays Joshua Adams & Harry Dalton covered 25 yards, 50 yards remain.

Hampered by a false start call, Dalton picked up 12 yards on 2 carries and the Generals got more yardage when Matoaca was called offsides. Now the ball is sitting at the Matoaca 38 and Adams is rushing for 7 yards before Dinwiddie is flagged for a hold.

2nd & 13 at the 41, Dalton finds Kaevon Wiggins for a pickup of 18 yards and follows that up with a 19-yard pass to Caleb Bowles. Dinwiddie in two plays has made their way to the 4-yard line of Matoaca.

That was all Harry Dalton needed to find the end zone. Dinwiddie on top with a 2-point conversion 45-39.

Matoaca had 27 seconds and 70 yards in front of them.

Bryce Yates finds Colin Ranson for a 21-yard pass with 49 yards to go.

Cameron Hall is on the end of a 9-yard pass from Yates... now 40 yards to go.

Yates finds Dillon Newton-Short for a 12-yard pickup with Dillon going out of bounds to stop the clock. 28 yards to go for a game-tying touchdown.

Seconds left on the clock Yates takes a shot at the end zone in Hail Mary fashion but the ball appears to be headed over the head of his target and through the end zone until Nyion Mason grabs it in the back of the end zone before it has a chance to go out.

Wilson and the Generals deny Matoaca the touchdown, deny Matoaca the win, deny Matoaca the undefeated regular season.

Harry Dalton in his final regular season game as a General did not disappoint with 306 yards of offense to his credit. Two touchdowns on the ground where he carried for 108 yards on 25 carries and 16 of 35 passes for 1982 yards and 2 TD's there as well. Harry also scored the game winning touchdown with just 27 seconds on the clock.

Mickiel Johnson overcame some dropped passes early to finish the night with 3 catches for 33 yards and 5 carries for 70 yards including a 28-yard touchdown.

Nyion Mason is a face Bryce Yates would never like to see again. The junior corner brokeup two Yates passes and had two picks. One of those INT's was returned for a touchdown albeit, called back due to a penalty on the return. The other INT came at the end of the game in the end zone to thwart a Warriors Hail Mary!

Dinwiddie is now 19-16-1 all-time versus the Matoaca Warriors.

Dinwiddie has won 4 straight games at home in this series.

This was the closest game in the series since 2019 when Dinwiddie won 20-15.

This was the highest scoring meeting between the two teams since their 92-point game in 2006.

Ironically enough 39 points is the most for Matoaca against the Generals since that 2006 game when they put up 64.

Coach Billy Mills improves to 16-4 all-time versus Matoiaca.

Harry Dalton at quarterback is now 26-4 in the regular season with Dinwiddie (3 years).