"1998 Moving the Mountain" Pt-3
The 1998 Playoffs Begin
Round#1
Kannapolis vs Fred T Foard Tigers
Kannapolis-42 Fred T Foard-18
"The TV-13 Game of the Week"
The first round begins as captains Nick Maddox, Paul Allen, Danny Jenkins, and Nick Gill take the field for the coin toss. Wonders would win the toss and elect to receive the opening kick.
On the second offensive series of the game for the Wonders Nick Maddox takes a pitch from QB Justin Hardin and proceeds to break off the most sensational run of his career. After weaving his way through several tacklers he bolts up field sixty nine yards for the first score of the night with 7:54 left in the first half. Wonders-7 Tigers-0
(Footnote)
If you look cloesly the editor for FIK is the guy holding the letter "R" in the crowd while wife holds the letter"E"
(Footnote)
If you look cloesly the editor for FIK is the guy holding the letter "R" in the crowd while wife holds the letter"E"
Not to be outdone the Foard Tigers score on fourth and two on this B.J. Walton forty three yard touchdown run with twenty six seconds left in the first period. The PAT would be blocked making the score Wonders-7 Tigers-6
All for naught Justin Hardin connects with fullback Paul Allen on a playaction pass for a forty two yard touchdown, but Justin Chambers would get called for a clip negating the points.
On second and six Justin Hardin pitches out to Nick Maddox for a 31 yard touchdown run. PAT would be good Wonders would go up
With 7:04 left in the first half the Wonders score on this three yard run to put the Wonders up 21-6 over the Tigers.
B.J. Walton scores on this two yard TD plunge with fifty six seconds remaining before the half. The Tigers would attempt a two point conversion to no avail. Wonders-21 Tigers-12
Justin Hardin completes two passes to put the Wonders into Foard territory. The first completion is to split end Danny Jenkins for a first down and the second is to twin brother Blair for twenty six yards giving the Wonders excellent field position.
Three plays later Justin Hardin connects with Nick Maddox on this thirty six yard touchdown reception with 7:16 left in the third period. Wonders-28 Tigers-12
The Wonder defense gets in on the action as Foard RB Anthony Dula takes a pitch on a reverse fumbles the ball into the hands of Wonder defender Demarcus Rivens who takes off seventy two yards for the touchdown with 2:32 left in the third period. Wonders-35 Tigers-12
"And the Price of Victory Gets Even Higher"
Injuries Mount as Wonders Begin to Battle More Than Adversity
As if the Wonders needed one more injury to a key player: QB Justin Hardin is picked off by a Foard DB on a pass intended for Justin Chambers. In the area is split end Danny Jenkins who takes an awkward hit to his left arm separating his already injured shoulder. This injury would cause Jenkins to see limited duty for the remainder of the playoffs. A loss that the Wonders would feel down the stretch.
QB Justin Hardin executes a perfect read option and jets seventy yards to the endzone for the Wonders last score of the contest. The PAT would be good and with 8:34 left in the game the Wonders would lead 42-12 over the Tigers.
Fred T Foard gets a gratuitous touchdown courtesy of Wonder DB Tramaine Robinson with 3:32 left in the contest. Foards two point conversion attempt would be no good and the Wonders would be content to run the clock the rest of the way sending then to the second round. Wonders-42 Tigers-18
An obviously frustrated and discontent Bruce Hardin talks with Steve Gantt after the game. Hardin conveys his displeasure with Gantt citing a total lack of execution on the part of his team. Hardin makes clear you don't "Dance and Prance" in the playoffs and that he must come back and do a better job coaching the following week.
Round #2
Kannapolis vs East Rutherford Cavaliers
"Lesson Learned from First Round Woes"
Kannapolis-45 East Rutherford-20
"The Assassin"
Nick Gill
Round #3
Kannapolis vs Kings Mountain Mountaineers
Kannapolis-21 Kings Mountain-26
What Would Become of the Mountaineers?
"From the Kings Mountain Herald"
"Moving Forward"
"Catawba gets Dirty"
Danny Jenkins Takes Next Step
"The Much Anticipated Announcement"
"Nick's Final Appearance as a Wonder"
A Legacy Never to be Duplicated
"The 1998 A.L. Brown Wonders"
Epilogue
And so the 1998 Wonders dream of back to back state titles comes to a bitter end on a cold night in November to the Kings Mountain Mountaineers. The Wonders who fought courageously, but who were outweighed by sixty pounds per man on the offensive and defensive lines were unable to dig any deeper to pull out that one last drive to win the chance to meet the Concord Spiders in the semi finals a week later. The mountain fell on the Wonders, and fell in a manner that was too unreal to comprehend. The question at the beginning of the year as to whether or not the lack of size would come into play for the Wonders titles hopes were answered on that night. Through sheer heart and determination the Wonders kept the game close, and were never out of the game at any point during the contest, but as the fourth quarter dragged on size prevailed. Had the game come down to nothing but heart the Wonders would have played the Spiders that following week, and more than likely returned to Chapel Hill.
Is perfection in the eyes of the beholder? Though the Wonders missed the mark by two games can it or should it be said that the Wonders failed? I don't think so. It could be argued that the 1998 Wonders were equally as good if not better than the state champs of 1997. Now there may be some opposition to this assessment by the 1997 team, but on the everage that is the consensus. So how do you measure the success of this year? Does it even need to be measured or can we accept it for what it is and for what it was? In the grand scheme of things and in human nature we measure success by lack of failure. Some say the cracks in the armor of the 1998 Wonders began to show in the Fred T Foard game, but then the following week you had the total dismantling of a fine East Rutherford team 45-20 whose only loss was to Kings Mountain earlier in the year.
Some will say the loss of Evar Johnson, and Danny Jenkins limited roll in the Kings Mountain game was a direct result in the loss. Could two players make that much difference in the outcome? Some will even say it was poetic justice for the 97-0 waylaying of Northwest Cabarrus. For whatever you might believe I don't think the third round end to the 1998 Wonders season can be pin pointed to any one thing. Fact is the Mounties were big, and every bit as talented in certain areas and in the end the better team won. That's the bottom line, and you don't get any points added to your score, and your season doesn't continue on a great effort alone. The 1998 Wonders proved in the end that they were human after all, and even the heroics of Nick Maddox could not alter the outcome.
The 1998 Wonders are far from being considered a second tier team, and they will hold one of the top spots of all Wonder teams who have competed for the grand prize throughout the decades. Though they were unable to repeat as champion, and the mountain did fall upon them, they forever cemented their place in time as one of the greatest if not the greatest Wonder football teams of all time. The 1998 Wonders set a standard for all future teams to follow and it's just possible that this standard may never be duplicated.
(Footnote)
Is perfection in the eyes of the beholder? Though the Wonders missed the mark by two games can it or should it be said that the Wonders failed? I don't think so. It could be argued that the 1998 Wonders were equally as good if not better than the state champs of 1997. Now there may be some opposition to this assessment by the 1997 team, but on the everage that is the consensus. So how do you measure the success of this year? Does it even need to be measured or can we accept it for what it is and for what it was? In the grand scheme of things and in human nature we measure success by lack of failure. Some say the cracks in the armor of the 1998 Wonders began to show in the Fred T Foard game, but then the following week you had the total dismantling of a fine East Rutherford team 45-20 whose only loss was to Kings Mountain earlier in the year.
Some will say the loss of Evar Johnson, and Danny Jenkins limited roll in the Kings Mountain game was a direct result in the loss. Could two players make that much difference in the outcome? Some will even say it was poetic justice for the 97-0 waylaying of Northwest Cabarrus. For whatever you might believe I don't think the third round end to the 1998 Wonders season can be pin pointed to any one thing. Fact is the Mounties were big, and every bit as talented in certain areas and in the end the better team won. That's the bottom line, and you don't get any points added to your score, and your season doesn't continue on a great effort alone. The 1998 Wonders proved in the end that they were human after all, and even the heroics of Nick Maddox could not alter the outcome.
The 1998 Wonders are far from being considered a second tier team, and they will hold one of the top spots of all Wonder teams who have competed for the grand prize throughout the decades. Though they were unable to repeat as champion, and the mountain did fall upon them, they forever cemented their place in time as one of the greatest if not the greatest Wonder football teams of all time. The 1998 Wonders set a standard for all future teams to follow and it's just possible that this standard may never be duplicated.
(Footnote)
Kings Mountain would go on to defeat the Concord Spiders 20-7 in the AAA Semi Finals at Kings Mountain.
The Mounties would fall in the state 3A title game the following week to Winston Salem Carver 33-28.
The Mounties would fall in the state 3A title game the following week to Winston Salem Carver 33-28.
Kannapolis 24 Statesville 0
Kannapolis 48 South Rowan 0
Kannapolis 44 Sun Valley 12
Kannapolis 28 North Rowan 14
Kannapolis 55 Central Cabarrus 14
Kannapolis 75 Piedmont 0
Kannapolis 54 West Rowan 6
Kannapolis 42 Harding 0
Kannapolis 35 East Rowan 0
Kannapolis 97 Northwest Cabarrus 0
Kannapolis 28 Concord 10
1st Rnd Kannapolis 42 Fred T. Foard 18
2nd Rnd Kannapolis 45 East Rutherford 20
3rd Rnd Kannapolis 21 Kings Mountain 26
13-1
Kannapolis 48 South Rowan 0
Kannapolis 44 Sun Valley 12
Kannapolis 28 North Rowan 14
Kannapolis 55 Central Cabarrus 14
Kannapolis 75 Piedmont 0
Kannapolis 54 West Rowan 6
Kannapolis 42 Harding 0
Kannapolis 35 East Rowan 0
Kannapolis 97 Northwest Cabarrus 0
Kannapolis 28 Concord 10
1st Rnd Kannapolis 42 Fred T. Foard 18
2nd Rnd Kannapolis 45 East Rutherford 20
3rd Rnd Kannapolis 21 Kings Mountain 26
13-1