Suffolk News-Herald

Most running backs would love to have a 132-yard game. Dominque Patterson went them two better. Not only did he gain said amount of yards in the Nansemond-Suffolk Saints Pee-Wee Pop Warner football team’s 31-0 victory over the Olive Branch (Portsmouth) Bulldogs Wednesday evening at Nansemond River High School, he did so on just FOUR rushes – and scored touchdowns on each one. After charging for a 53-yard score on his team’s first offensive play, the John F. Kennedy Middle School student scored on runs of 42, 30 and seven yards.

But that wasn’t all for Patterson. His final tally of 201 yards pushed him to 966 for the season – breaking the team record of 832 set in 1999 by Brock Van Selow, now a member of the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy varsity team that went undefeated in the TCIS this season.

&uot;It’s all about the goal to win,&uot; said Patterson, who also leads the team with 72 tackles. &uot;I wanted to get us off to a good start.&uot;

Later in the game, Daryl Ricks showed own his rushing skills, hurrying 81 yards down the left sideline for the Saints’ last touchdown.

&uot;I had some good blocks from my offensive line,&uot; he said. &uot;One defender grabbed me and I shook him off, and the others were too far away to catch me. I had to catch my breath after I scored, because that was a long run.&uot;

Later Wednesday, the Bennett’s Creek junior midget team secured a berth in the Chuck Norman Invitational Bowl in Durham, N.C. on Nov. 8 with a 32-6 defeat of the Norfolk Saints, their highest point total of the season.

Dontarius Boone scored three touchdowns in the win, and Michael Mason had two. Boone opened the scoring with a 30-yard strike, then watched Mason juke for 55- and 85-yard quarterback sneaks. The Saints spoiled the Warriors’ shutout with a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half, but Boone came back to score on runs of 36 and 45 yards.

When he gets the ball, said Boone, &uot;I always think, ‘Touchdown!’ Me and the team always want to win.&uot;

After getting blown out by Smithfield in their first game, the Warriors have rebounded to finish the season at 5-3. &uot;It’s real important to come this far,&uot; Mason said. &uot;When we started 0-1, we were worried about this season. But we just finished strong.&uot;