2009 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMARIES
WALLACE-ROSE HILL NIPS MOUNT AIRY IN OVERTIME FOR 1-A CHAMPIONSHIP
WINSTON-SALEM — Omar Carr ran in the two-point conversion in overtime to lift the Bulldogs of Wallace-Rose Hill to a dramatic 38-37 victory over previously unbeaten and defending champion Mount Airy in a wild North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-A football championship game at BB&T Field.
Mount Airy had taken a 30-27 lead early in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run by Andy Temoney, but the Granite Bears missed the extra point. That left the door open for a game-tying 38-yard field goal by Jose Flores with 2:08 to play that tied it at 30.
Mount Airy went first in the overtime and Ben Hinson hit tight end Stephen Hart for six yards and a score and Dylan Wright booted the point after. W-RH countered with Dawan McKenzie scoring on fourth-and-goal from the one, and then the Bulldogs made the decision to go for the win right there and Carr’s conversion run clinched the crown.
Carr and Devonta Herring each ran for 117 yards for the winners, who had 296 yards rushing. Luke Wheeler had 80 yards in 12 carries and scored twice for Mount Airy while also catching five passes for 58 yards.
Mount Airy had a 31-game winning streak snapped as the Granite Bears finished 15-1 overall, while Wallace-Rose Hill closed at 14-2.
Outstanding Player Awards: Mount Airy–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Stephen Hart; Outstanding Offensive Player, RB Luke Wheeler; Wallace-Rose Hill–Outstanding Defensive Player– DB Torrey Hall; Outstanding Offensive Player–RB Devonta Herring. Wendy’s MVP–RB Omar Carr, Wallace-Rose Hill.
ALBEMARLE PULLS AWAY FROM SOUTHWEST ONSLOW AS BULLDOGS SCORE 45-21 TRIUMPH IN 1-AA FINAL
WINSTON-SALEM — A.J. Little rambled for 214 yards in 19 carries and scored twice, once on a 94-yard touchdown scamper, to lead Albemarle to a 45-21 victory over Southwest Onslow for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 1-AA football championship at BB&T Field.
It was a battle of unbeatens, with Albemarle completing a 16-0 season and Southwest ending 15-1. The Bulldogs rushed for 340 yards and held the Stallions to nine first downs and 161 yards in total offense, with Shontigo Parker in on 15 tackles for Albemarle.
Albemarle led just 10-7 when Little scored his first TD on a one-yard burst, but then Chanda Hall took the ensuing kickoff 83 yards for a score to cut it to 17-14 with the 6:20 left in the first half.
Albemarle responded with Little’s 94-yard scoring run with 2:35 remaining in the first half to make it 24-14, and then got a pair of third-quarter rushing touchdowns by Rusty Parks, capping relatively short drives, to put the Bulldogs firmly in control.
A 61-yard TD run by Simeon Marshall for Southwest closed the scoring in the final minute of play.
Parks rushed for 101 yards in 19 carries for the winners, who captured their fourth NCHSAA football title in the last nine years.
Outstanding Player Awards: Albemarle–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Shontigo Parker; Outstanding Offensive Player, RB Rusty Parks; Southwest Onslow–Outstanding Defensive Player–LB Kevon Jordan ; Outstanding Offensive Player– RB Simeon Marshall. Wendy’s MVP– RB A.J. Little, Albemarle.
TARBORO DOWNS MOUNTAIN HERITAGE 28-3 FOR NCHSAA STATE 2-A FOOTBALL TITLE
CHAPEL HIILL — Tarboro had a pair of running backs top the 100-yard rushing mark as the Vikings downed Burnsville Mountain Heritage 28-3 for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-A football championship at Kenan Stadium.
Chris Lane, named the Wendy’s Most Valuable Player, rushed for 110 yards in just five carries and a pair of touchdowns while Damarius Harper picked up 113 yards and scored a TD as the Vikings rallied from an early 3-0 deficit.
Mountain Heritage actually had possession of the ball for 11:07 of the first quarter but managed just a 29-yard field goal by Hector Martinez to take a 3-0 lead.
Harper then capped an 85-yard drive in seven plays with a four-yard scoring run to put the Vikings up 7-3, followed by Lane’s first TD on an 18-yard run that capped a 60-yard march for a 14-3 halftime advantage.
On the first place of the fourth quarter, Lane broke loose for a 40-yard TD to move the count to 21-3, and then Chris Cabbagestalk picked off a pass and ran it in from 42 yards out to close the scoring.
Mountain Heritage, seeking its first state team championship in any sport, capped the most successful year in school history with a 13-3 record. Casey Randolph rushed for 106 yards in 30 attempts for the Cougars and also had four tackles.
Michael Graham had 15 tackles and Brandon Richardson 13 for the winners, who finished 15-1 overall.
Outstanding Player Awards: Mountain Heritage–Outstanding Defensive Player, DB Clay Parker; Outstanding Offensive Player, RB Casey Randolph; Tarboro–Outstanding Defensive Player–DE Chris Cabbagestalk; Outstanding Offensive Player–RB Damarius Harper. Wendy’s MVP–RB Chris Lane, Tarboro.
REIDSVILLE KEEPS WINNING STREAK ALIVE, BEATS NEWTON-CONOVER FOR 2-AA TITLE
CHAPEL HILL — Tyrell Houghton passed for 291 yards and three touchdowns to lead Reidsville to its 48th consecutive victory, a 28-6 decision over Newton-Conover in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 2-AA football championship at Kenan Stadium.
Houghton earned the Wendy’s Most Valuable Player honor as he helped the Rams engineer four long scoring drives, ranging in distance from 63 to 80 yards, and he also led the Rams in rushing with 49 yards in 13 tries. Reidsville rolled up 432 yards offense for the Red Devils.
Houghton’s first scoring toss to Denzel Blackwell covered 17 yards and then he completed the two-point conversion pass to Lyshod Graves for an 8-0 lead with 5:26 left in the opening period. The Red Devils came back and cut it to 8-3 on a 20-yard field goal by Spence Linquist,
It appeared the Red Devils had stopped the Rams on the next drive and forced a Reidsville punt, but a roughing the kicker penalty kept the drive going, ultimately ending in a two-yard scoring run by Denzel Blackwell for a 14-3 lead. Then less than three minutes later Houghton connected with Kenzel Doe for 31 yards and a touchdown for a 22-3 margin.
Graves caught seven passes for 110 yards for the winners, while Octavius Harden ran for 58 yards in 17 tries and Sam Royal had 46 yards in 11 attempts for the Red Devils. Ty Brown and Jordan Gibbs had 10 tackles each for N-C and Paul Forney was in on eight stops.
Newton-Conover, which had won the 2-A title a year ago, finished 14-2 overall.
Outstanding Player Awards: Newton-Conover–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Paul Forney; Outstanding Offensive Player, QB Sam Royall; Reidsville–Outstanding Defensive Player–FS Kenzel Doe; Outstanding Offensive Player–WR Lyshod Graves. Wendy’s MVP–QB Tyrell Houghton, Reidsville.
WEST ROWAN BUILDS BIG LEAD, THEN RALLIES TO SLIP PAST EASTERN ALAMANCE 28-21 IN 3-A
RALEIGH — West Rowan built a big lead, saw Eastern Alamance come roaring back, and then scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to earn a 28-21 victory in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A football championship at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Kevin Parks, the NCHSAA’s all-time leading career rusher, scored all three West touchdowns and ran for 154 yards in 29 carries, although Eastern limited him to his season low.
The Falcons spurted to a 20-0 lead in the game’s first 13 minutes on scoring runs by Parks of three, four and 54 yards, but Eastern struck twice before halftime to slice the intermission lead to 20-14.
Lamar Ivey hit Donald Mattocks with a 54-yard touchdown pass and then Elliott Powell capped a seven-play, 73-yard march with a three-yard TD run for the Eagles. Then Eastern took the second half kickoff and moved 60 yards in eighth plays, culminating in a one-yard TD run by Ivey as Eastern took the lead 21-20 when Tripp Hupman hit the PAT.
An interception by Dominique Noble of West gave the Falcons the ball at the Eastern 29 late in the third quarter, and from there it took West Seven plays to score with Parks going in from the seven and then B.J.Sherrill passing to Jon Crucitti for the two-point conversion.
Ivey led Eastern with 49 yards rushing in 29 carries and also threw for 169 yards. However, the West defense sacked him nine times.
Eastern Alamance finished the year 14-2 while West won its second straight NCHSAA football title and its 30th game in a row.
Outstanding Player Awards: West Rowan–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Chris Smith; Outstanding Offensive Player, WR Jon Crucitti; Eastern Alamance–Outstanding Defensive Player– DB Donald Mattocks; Outstanding Offensive Player– QB Lamar Ivey. Wendy’s MVP– RB Kevin Parks, South Rowan.
SOUTH POINT RALLIES TO BEAT SOUTH JOHNSTON BEHIND FIVE TOUCHDOWNS BY CRUMBLEY
CHAPEL HILL — Aaron Crumbley scored five touchdowns and earned the Wendy’s Most Valuable Player award as South Point rallied to beat South Johnston 42-28 in a wild North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-AA football championship at Kenan Stadium.
Crumbley carried the ball a whopping 38 times for 122 yards, although his longest run was an 11-yard scoring run with 3:26 to play to break a 28-all tie. Quarterback Josh Justice then put the game on ice, after the Red Raider defense held, when he broke loose on a 42-yard scoring run with just 38 seconds remaining.
The ball-control South Point offense overcame five turnovers and had a whopping 33:47 time of possession to 14:11 for South Johnston while rolling up 27 first downs.
South Johnston led 28-14 at halftime primarily on the strength of big plays by wide receiver Dee Williams. He caught a pair of touchdown passes from Patrick Dunnigan and returned a kickoff 87 yards for a score, all in the space of about 10 minutes of action. He finished with eight receptions for 96 yards, giving him 101 catches for the year.
The other Trojan score came on a 40-yard scamper by Anthony Crumity, who led South Johnston’s rushing with 84 yards in 13 carries.
Justice ran for 107 yards for the winners, who captured their third NCHSAA football title in posting a 14-2 record. South Johnston, enjoying its best football season in school history, ended 14-2.
Outstanding Player Awards: South Johnston–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Josh Barbour; Outstanding Offensive Player, WR Dee Williams; South Point–Outstanding Defensive Player–LB Jordan Forney; Outstanding Offensive Player–QB Josh Justice. Wendy’s MVP–QB Aaron Crumbley, South Point.
A.C. REYNOLDS NIPS HARNETT CENTRAL 14-13 TO EARN 4-A CHAMPIONSHIP
RALEIGH — In a dramatic finish, A.C. Reynolds held off Harnett Central 14-13 to win the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-A football championship at Carter-Finley Stadium.
A.C. Reynolds had built a 14-0 halftime lead and then saw the Trojans come back on a pair of touchdown passes from Brian Taylor to sophomore receiver Kendrick Baker. The second of those scoring tosses came with just 48 seconds left to play to cut the Rocket lead to 14-13, capping a rapid eight-play, 90-yard drive.
Harnett Central elected to go for two for the win, but the Rockets’ defense stopped Jarrod Spears short of the goal line.
However, it wasn’t over as Harnett Central recovered an onside kick and had a couple of other chances. One came on an option pass where the receiver was open but the Trojans couldn’t make the connection. Harnett Central advanced the ball to the 26-yard line where the Trojans lined up for a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the game.
But the kick by Taylor was blocked by Reynolds’ Ben Councell to end the game.
Caleb Pressley ran for one touchdown and threw for another for the Rockets, earning the Wendy’s Most Valuable Player/ He rushed for 65 yards in 13 tries and threw for an additional 115. Spears had 101 rushing for Harnett Central and Taylor was 187 of 29 through the air for 194 yards.
A.C. Reynolds posted a 14-2 record while Harnett Central, playing in its first ever NCHSAA football final, lost for the first time in 16 outings.
Outstanding Player Awards: A.C. Reynolds–Outstanding Defensive Player, LB Patrick Blalock; Outstanding Offensive Player, QB Caleb Pressley; Harnett Central–Outstanding Defensive Player–LB Dylan Kinton; Outstanding Offensive Player–QB Brian Taylor. Wendy’s MVP– QB Caleb Pressley, A.C. Reynolds.
BUTLER EXPLODES PAST JACK BRITT TO CLINCH 4-AA CHAMPIONSHIP 48-17
RALEIGH– Christian LeMay fired three touchdown passes and Matthews David Butler blew open a close game to down Fayetteville Jack Britt 48-17 in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 4-AA football championship at Carter-Finley Stadium.
LeMay threw for 189 yards and finished the season with 44 touchdown tosses against just two interceptions as he won the Wendy’s Most Valuable Player award for the game.
Britt and Butler battled on equal terms throughout the first half. The Buccaneers scored on the second play from scrimmage on an 80-yard scamper by Greg Bryant and Eric Johnson tallied on a seven-yard run, around a pair of LeMay touchdown passes, and it was 14-14.
Vaughn Bandy of Butler kicked a 37-yard field goal with five seconds left in the first half to make it 20-17, and then Britt fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Dominique Brewer scooped up the loose ball and ran it in to put the Bulldogs suddenly ahead 27-17 and with all the momentum.
Butler then put it away with three second-half TDs.
Jahwan Edwards finished the night with 154 yards rushing in 18 attempts for the Bulldogs. Britt had a pair of rushers top the 100-yard mark, with Johnson picking up 139 in 23 tries and Bryant rushing for 108 in 11 carries. Britt was able to complete only three passes on the night.
Butler won its first ever NCHSAA football crown and completed a perfect 15-0 record while Britt wound up 15-1.
Outstanding Player Awards: Butler–Outstanding Defensive Player, DB DiMikael Burse; Outstanding Offensive Player, RB Jahwan Edwards; Jack Britt–Outstanding Defensive Player– DB Michael Edwards; Outstanding Offensive Player–RB Eric Johnson. Wendy’s MVP–QB Christian LeMay, Butler.
