ROANOKE -- Don't say Ian can't.

Ian Cann.

After two scoreless quarters in the VISAA Division II Football Championship game Saturday, the North Cross senior took the second-half kickoff and pulled off an OMG-how-did-he-do-that 84-yard return for a touchdown to lift the Raiders to a 13-0 victory over visiting Atlantic Shores Christian.

The final was a rematch of the high-scoring 2021 final won by Atlantic Shores 36-26, but both teams' defenses kept points off the board for 28 minutes Saturday.

That was until the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Cann fielded the kickoff at his 16, dodged bodies, broke tackles, stayed upright, sped up the visitors' sideline, cut back across the field and outraced the pursuit to the end zone.

If Cann played tag in a broom closet, he would never be 'It.' How on earth did he run through the entire Atlantic Shores team?

"I guess it was just the will to win, the will to stay up," he said. "That's what got me to the end zone."

So when did Cann feel he would score?

"As soon as I touched the ball," he said. "As soon as I went on that field, I knew I was going to score."

North Cross (11-1) added an insurance TD with seven minutes, 1 second to play when senior Zach Morgan caught a 15-yard pass from Connor Lange, and the Raiders held on for a shutout, avenging last year's setback in the championship game.

"Last year it really hurt when we lost," Morgan said. "We embraced that every day in practice, every day in the weight room."

Atlantic Shores (9-2) had three scoring opportunities deep in North Cross territory.

The first ended when placekicker Jonathan Hilton slipped while planting his foot on a 30-yard field goal attempt that misfired.

The Seahawks turned the ball over on downs at the North Cross 26 midway through the second quarter.

The Chesapeake team's last thrust was thwarted on a fourth-down play from the Raiders' 28. Freshman quarterback Micah Lance aimed over the middle but North Cross freshman Tristan Lange intercepted the pass.

Cann caught a 53-yard heave from Connor Lange on the next play, setting up the clinching TD.

Raiders defensive coordinator Shannon Taylor, a former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and ex-University of Virginia star, directed a defense that allowed just 196 total yards on 63 snaps, an average of 3.1 yards per play.

"S.T. put a great game plan against their offense," said Cann, who intercepted a pass in the third quarter from his defensive back position. "It led to this. As you can see, we're celebrating right now."

Atlantic Shores (9-2) graduated its top three skill players and several linemen off the 2021 team, but the Seahawks posed a stout threat up front led by Kent State commit Kaden Beatty, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound wrecking ball in the middle.

"He's unbelievable, almost unblockable," North Cross Coach Stephen Alexander said. "He creates a heck of a lot of havoc.

"It's not the same [Atlantic Shores] team as last year, but it's still a physical, powerful team. They were running the ball all year like a freight train."

Emmanuel Williams led Atlantic Shores with 74 yards rushing on 24 attempts.

Freshman quarterback Micah Lance passed for 95 yards.

The Raiders' defense was led by 6-foot-7, 285-pound Virginia Tech recruit Hannes Hammer, senior linebacker Chase Daniel and freshman defensive backs Jaziel Hart, Antonio Mack and Jase Rhodes.

North Cross managed just 152 yards of total offense with 53 coming on the completion to Cann. Junior running back Kamden Johnson picked up 39 yards rushing on 11 carries, sitting out the middle two quarters with a knee injury.

Morgan provided the game's only offensive score when he snagged Connor Lange's 15-yard throw as he fell to the end zone on his back between two defenders, drawing flags for interference on the Seahawks.

"I didn't really understand how the ball was coming or how it was going to fall down," Morgan said. "I just kept with the play. It just dropped down and I caught it. I just stuck with the play. That's the best thing you can do.

As he held the runner-up trophy, Atlantic Shores Coach Wayne Lance praised his team, which bused to Roanoke on Friday rather than make the long trip on game day.

"A lot of people felt like we [would not] be back," the coach said. "With some early-season injuries, the next guy stepped in and we kept fighting. Here we are with a lot of people who wrote us off.

"[North Cross is] a good defense. We moved the ball and had our chances. If the field conditions were a little better, maybe we get a field goal early and swing some momentum."

The victory gave Alexander his third state title, adding hardware to crowns won in 2011 and 2019.

The veteran coach lauded his players, particularly Eason Zhou, a student from China who was a wide receiver until 6-foot-4, 240-pound offensive lineman Moritz Schmoranzer's season ended with a knee injury two weeks ago.

"He was tough as nails the last two games," Alexander said "What a selfless, tough, great example of what football is all about, switching jerseys, getting his head in there and mixing it up with some of the best D-linemen in the state."

Best in the state is an honor North Cross can claim. It sounds good to Cann, a standout on North Cross' championship boys lacrosse team and a member of the state-winning 400-meter relay team in outdoor track and field last spring.

His 2021 football ended early when missed the second half of last year's final with an injury.

"I didn't get to finish the game," he said. "I've never been able to finish a state championship game. This means the world to me right now."

North Cross senior Ian Cann chats with Robert Anderson from VirginiaPreps.com following his team's 13-0 win over Atlantic Shores in the VISAA Division II State Finals on Saturday, November 19, 2022.

Cross had an 84-yard kickoff return that sparked the victory for the Raiders.

Atlantic Shores Christian;0;0;0;0;--;0

North Cross;0;0;7;6;--;13

Third quarter

NC -- Cann 84 return (Cornett kick)

Fourth quarter

NC -- Morgan 15 pass from C.Lange (kick failed)

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TEAM STATISTICS

;;ASC;;NC

First downs;;13;;7

Rushes-yards;;38-101;;24-48

Yards passing;;95;;114

Comp-Att-Int;;14-25-2;;7-12-0

Fumbles-lost;;2-0;;1-1

Penalties;;9-65;;10-88

Punts;;4-40.0;;4-42.3

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Atlantic Shores Christian, Williams 24-74, Ali 6-39, Lance 8-(minus 2). North Cross, Johnson 11-39, Rhodes 6-16, Cann 2-1, C.Lange 5-(minus 8).

PASSING -- Atlantic Shores Christian, Lance 14-25-2--95. North Cross, C.Lange

8-13-0--114.

RECEIVING -- Atlantic Shores Christian, Ali 7-36, Malone 4-40, Hilton 2-13, Fisher 1-6. North Cross, Hart 3-30, Mittendorfer 2-13, Cann 1-53, Morgan 1-15, Johnson 1-3.