While wearing a shirt in tribute to his late mother, Phoebus Head Football Coach Jeremy Blunt and the 2021 edition of the Phantoms exorcised demons that had been haunting them.

The last two times they have matched up in the postseason, Hopewell had bounced Phoebus out of the playoffs. Each time, in 2017 and 2019, the Phantoms scored just six points as the offense sputtered and they watched Hopewell go on to victory on their way to Class 3 State Championships.

But that was rectified a bit Saturday at Darling Stadium as Phoebus scored two touchdowns within the game's first three minutes, thanks to their defense, and sent Hopewell home in a 28-7 decision that allowed them to breathe easy in the closing minutes.

The game was the first for Phoebus in three weeks.

"We were out the past three weeks due to COVID-related issues with our opponents and COVID-related rescheduling issues," Blunt said. "We reeled it back in and started focusing on all the little things. We were geared up on this matchup. We figured this is how the cards would play out with everything, so the boys were keyed up."

Within the first three minutes of the game, Phoebus went up 14-0 off two Kymari Gray pick-sixes and that would be all the Phantoms would need in the end.

Gray caught another touchdown, the final points with 2:03 left.

"I knew I had to come out here and ball on defense," said Gray, who holds offers from such FBS programs as Liberty, Michigan, Old Dominion and Pittsburgh. "The last touchdown, I knew the game wasn't over. We had to keep fighting, so that's what I did."