"2003 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
North Piedmont Conference Champions
2003 Season Results
Kannapolis 36 South Rowan 37
Kannapolis 42 North Rowan 27 Kannapolis 19 E.Randolph 20 Kannapolis 13 Concord 12 Kannapolis 35 Lake Norman 0 Kannapolis 34 West Rowan 28 Kannapolis 45 Statesville 14 Kannapolis 48 Northwest 14 Kannapolis 21 Mooresville 35 Kannapolis 62 East Rowan 0 Kannapolis 1 North Iredell 0 (F) Playoffs 1st Kannapolis 41 Anson County 13 2nd Kannapolis 37 Burns 12 3rd Kannapolis 20 Asheville 21 10-4 |
2003 Athletic Program
Positions
Kannapolis-36 South Rowan-37
LANDIS-- Patrick Edwards said he saw nothing. Just him, the football and a couple of goalposts to split. Seconds later, his view expanded dramatically as teammates lifted him on their shoulders in celebration of South Rowan's stunning 37-36 overtime victory over bitter rival A.L. Brown. Fans at Donnell Stadium rushed the field Friday night to celebrate the rarest of feats in South Rowan football history. No team has dominated the Raiders like A.L. Brown: The Wonders entered this season with a 34-6-2 record in the series. South hadn't won since 1994, leaving current head coachRick Vanhoy at 0-8. And the Raiders hadn't won a season-opener against A.L. Brown since a 5-0 decision in 1976.
"We're supposed to own them,"Wonders senior linebacker Jamil Weaks said. "We came up here and we're supposed to win this game.We've just got some young players, that's all there is to it."
South's mix of new and old celebrated the biggest night of their lives. New featured running back Antonio McDaniel racked up 141 yards on 21 carries. New full-time QB Hoke Shirley owned 76 yards on the ground and 59 in the air. Unknown backs Chris McKiver (66 yards), DariusBeaty (65) and Keith Fuller (38 rushing, 27-yard TD catch) helped South's offense rack up 386 yards on the ground and 445 overall.
"Awesome. No words to explain it,"Shirley said.
Confidence would be a good place to start. The team's potent new option-style offense had the Raiders brimming.
"We planned to beat them. It wasn't a surprise," Edwards said. "We didn't come out here hoping. We came out to win."
South played like it all night, from its 16-point first quarter, to a perfectly engineered TD drive just before halftime, to weathering the Wonder storm that everyone knew was coming. A.L. Brown trailed 30-13 with 7:55 to play in the third quarter following Fuller's 34-yard scamper and Edwards' PAT. The next two times the Raider offense touched the ball, though, fumbles kept the Wonders alive -- and had those old familiar feelings lingering.
"We've blown this game so many times,"Shirley said. "It just shows the heart this team has to fight back."
Led by QBBrandon Franklin and blazing tailback Jonathan Peoples, A.L. Brown kept the standing-room-only crowd on its toes.
A 12-play, 63-yard drive capped by Peoples' 4-yard run made it 30-20 with 3:01 left in the third quarter. Following a South fumble, Peoples burned the defense for a 46-yard gain on his way to a 158-yard night. He set up Garrett Sherrill's 24-yard field goal for a 30-23 margin at the 10:43 mark. An exhausted Raider defense returned to the field just three minutes later.
"It was really tiring,"junior linebacker Matt Linton said of the Wonders' 39-21 edge in plays from scrimmage in the second half. "We just had to pull together."
In fact, South's defense never managed to stop A.L. Brown again. Franklin, who finished with 129 yards on the ground and 149 throwing, picked his way down the field with the short passing game, then snuck in from 2 yards out. Sherrill's PAT made it 30-all at the 1:08 mark. The Wonders then got the ball first in overtime -- and Franklin powered up the middle for the 10-yard score on the first play.
"We weren't worried. We knew we could get it in there," McDaniel said. "We just had to fight and not give up."
A.L. Brown owned the momentum -- for mere seconds.
"I felt like we were in pretty good shape,"admitted head coach RonMassey. "We made a lot of mistakes in the first half, a lot of penalties. I was real proud we're down 30-13 and came back in the fourth quarter like that."
South's suddenly grim fans roared back to life, however, when Sherrill's booming extra point snuck wide right. On second down of South's OT possession, McDaniel powered 6 yards in. Edwards then hit the field. The rest is history, one replete with Raider names held in high esteem due to victories over A.L. Brown. Edwards joined an exclusive club Friday night. So did all of his teammates.
"It doesn't happen very often and we're really excited. I'm just happy for the kids,"Vanhoy said well after the game ended, the scoreboard lights still burning bright. "I'm not going to sit here and say it's just another ballgame. It's not. It's a big win for them, it's a big win for our school, it's a big win for our community."
"We're supposed to own them,"Wonders senior linebacker Jamil Weaks said. "We came up here and we're supposed to win this game.We've just got some young players, that's all there is to it."
South's mix of new and old celebrated the biggest night of their lives. New featured running back Antonio McDaniel racked up 141 yards on 21 carries. New full-time QB Hoke Shirley owned 76 yards on the ground and 59 in the air. Unknown backs Chris McKiver (66 yards), DariusBeaty (65) and Keith Fuller (38 rushing, 27-yard TD catch) helped South's offense rack up 386 yards on the ground and 445 overall.
"Awesome. No words to explain it,"Shirley said.
Confidence would be a good place to start. The team's potent new option-style offense had the Raiders brimming.
"We planned to beat them. It wasn't a surprise," Edwards said. "We didn't come out here hoping. We came out to win."
South played like it all night, from its 16-point first quarter, to a perfectly engineered TD drive just before halftime, to weathering the Wonder storm that everyone knew was coming. A.L. Brown trailed 30-13 with 7:55 to play in the third quarter following Fuller's 34-yard scamper and Edwards' PAT. The next two times the Raider offense touched the ball, though, fumbles kept the Wonders alive -- and had those old familiar feelings lingering.
"We've blown this game so many times,"Shirley said. "It just shows the heart this team has to fight back."
Led by QBBrandon Franklin and blazing tailback Jonathan Peoples, A.L. Brown kept the standing-room-only crowd on its toes.
A 12-play, 63-yard drive capped by Peoples' 4-yard run made it 30-20 with 3:01 left in the third quarter. Following a South fumble, Peoples burned the defense for a 46-yard gain on his way to a 158-yard night. He set up Garrett Sherrill's 24-yard field goal for a 30-23 margin at the 10:43 mark. An exhausted Raider defense returned to the field just three minutes later.
"It was really tiring,"junior linebacker Matt Linton said of the Wonders' 39-21 edge in plays from scrimmage in the second half. "We just had to pull together."
In fact, South's defense never managed to stop A.L. Brown again. Franklin, who finished with 129 yards on the ground and 149 throwing, picked his way down the field with the short passing game, then snuck in from 2 yards out. Sherrill's PAT made it 30-all at the 1:08 mark. The Wonders then got the ball first in overtime -- and Franklin powered up the middle for the 10-yard score on the first play.
"We weren't worried. We knew we could get it in there," McDaniel said. "We just had to fight and not give up."
A.L. Brown owned the momentum -- for mere seconds.
"I felt like we were in pretty good shape,"admitted head coach RonMassey. "We made a lot of mistakes in the first half, a lot of penalties. I was real proud we're down 30-13 and came back in the fourth quarter like that."
South's suddenly grim fans roared back to life, however, when Sherrill's booming extra point snuck wide right. On second down of South's OT possession, McDaniel powered 6 yards in. Edwards then hit the field. The rest is history, one replete with Raider names held in high esteem due to victories over A.L. Brown. Edwards joined an exclusive club Friday night. So did all of his teammates.
"It doesn't happen very often and we're really excited. I'm just happy for the kids,"Vanhoy said well after the game ended, the scoreboard lights still burning bright. "I'm not going to sit here and say it's just another ballgame. It's not. It's a big win for them, it's a big win for our school, it's a big win for our community."
Kannapolis-42 North Rowan-27
Kannapolis-19 Eastern Randolph-20
Kannapolis-13 Concord-12
CONCORD -- The bell stays put, thanks to Tauren Fisher. The A.L. Brown senior blocked a pair of extra-points Friday night, including the game-winner in overtime, to propel the visiting Wonders to a rousing 13-12 win over arch-rival Concord.
"They didn't even block me," said Fisher, who used his right fingertips to partially deflect Frazier Culbreath's game-ending extra-point attempt. "They weren't blocking me all night. I just lined up on the right side and said, 'I'm getting this ball. We don't need another overtime.' "
Fisher's rejection helped Kannapolis square its record at 2-2 and defeat previously unbeaten Concord for the second straight season.
"I knew we were going to block that kick or else (Culbreath) was going to miss it," said teammate Lee Garver. "Things are really starting to turn our way. You can feel it."
They didn't start turning until the final quarter, when Kannapolis kicker Garrett Sherrill blasted a 32-yard field goal to break up a scoreless duel. Concord (4-1) answered with a 41-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-1 play from quarterback Tommy Beecher (254 yards passing) to wideout Erick Laird with 2:08 remaining. Significantly, the point-after try was blocked by Fisher, who came on a jailbreak from the right side. But Kannapolis responded when QB Brandon Franklin directed another scoring drive and forced overtime when Sherrill split the uprights on a 26-yard field goal with a minute to play.
"We made mistakes, but we made big plays," said Wonders' coach Ron Massey. "We came back and battled. If you can get anything out of kids in high school football these days it's to understand how to battle, how to be competitive."
K-town grabbed the upper hand in overtime, getting a 9-yard burst by tailback Jonathan Peoples and 1-yard touchdown on a power drive to the right side by Artis Butler, who followed the blocks of linemen Chris Brenner and Michael Buster.
"We got a push from the offensive line and Artis just bounced it and ran hard into the end zone," said Franklin.
"We just put that formation in this week," added Massey. "And we basically just did it for that situation, a goalline situation."
Trailing 13-6, Concord lined up from the 10-yard line and watched two Beecher passes fall incomplete and a holding penalty back it up to the 18. Beecher lofted a perfectly placed spiral to Darius Cauthen on the left side on third-and-goal, and Cauthen backstepped into the end zone.
"The kid just got open, got behind the coverage and made a good play," said Garver.
That set the stage for a molar-grinding finish and Fisher's heroics. He snaked into the backfield untouched and dove -- with arms fully extended -- and barely got a piece of Culbreath's PAT attempt, which knuckleballed wide to the left.
"It's something we've been working on all year," said Massey. "We worked all week and he must have gotten a great jump and got it."
Losing coach E.Z. Smith seemed more appreciative of the thrill-a-minute contest -- played before 10,000 spectators -- than devastated by its outcome.
"It was a great football game," he said. "Our defense was tough and our offense did what it had to do -- put us in position to win the game. If we were to line it up again right now, I'd kick it again because I have the utmost confidence in Frazier."
Needless to say, the Wonders open NPC play next week at home against Lake Norman with a headful of steam.
"This is what we needed," said Brandon Allison. "Now we've got a starting point. Now it's time to go. Now it's time to defend our title."
"They didn't even block me," said Fisher, who used his right fingertips to partially deflect Frazier Culbreath's game-ending extra-point attempt. "They weren't blocking me all night. I just lined up on the right side and said, 'I'm getting this ball. We don't need another overtime.' "
Fisher's rejection helped Kannapolis square its record at 2-2 and defeat previously unbeaten Concord for the second straight season.
"I knew we were going to block that kick or else (Culbreath) was going to miss it," said teammate Lee Garver. "Things are really starting to turn our way. You can feel it."
They didn't start turning until the final quarter, when Kannapolis kicker Garrett Sherrill blasted a 32-yard field goal to break up a scoreless duel. Concord (4-1) answered with a 41-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-1 play from quarterback Tommy Beecher (254 yards passing) to wideout Erick Laird with 2:08 remaining. Significantly, the point-after try was blocked by Fisher, who came on a jailbreak from the right side. But Kannapolis responded when QB Brandon Franklin directed another scoring drive and forced overtime when Sherrill split the uprights on a 26-yard field goal with a minute to play.
"We made mistakes, but we made big plays," said Wonders' coach Ron Massey. "We came back and battled. If you can get anything out of kids in high school football these days it's to understand how to battle, how to be competitive."
K-town grabbed the upper hand in overtime, getting a 9-yard burst by tailback Jonathan Peoples and 1-yard touchdown on a power drive to the right side by Artis Butler, who followed the blocks of linemen Chris Brenner and Michael Buster.
"We got a push from the offensive line and Artis just bounced it and ran hard into the end zone," said Franklin.
"We just put that formation in this week," added Massey. "And we basically just did it for that situation, a goalline situation."
Trailing 13-6, Concord lined up from the 10-yard line and watched two Beecher passes fall incomplete and a holding penalty back it up to the 18. Beecher lofted a perfectly placed spiral to Darius Cauthen on the left side on third-and-goal, and Cauthen backstepped into the end zone.
"The kid just got open, got behind the coverage and made a good play," said Garver.
That set the stage for a molar-grinding finish and Fisher's heroics. He snaked into the backfield untouched and dove -- with arms fully extended -- and barely got a piece of Culbreath's PAT attempt, which knuckleballed wide to the left.
"It's something we've been working on all year," said Massey. "We worked all week and he must have gotten a great jump and got it."
Losing coach E.Z. Smith seemed more appreciative of the thrill-a-minute contest -- played before 10,000 spectators -- than devastated by its outcome.
"It was a great football game," he said. "Our defense was tough and our offense did what it had to do -- put us in position to win the game. If we were to line it up again right now, I'd kick it again because I have the utmost confidence in Frazier."
Needless to say, the Wonders open NPC play next week at home against Lake Norman with a headful of steam.
"This is what we needed," said Brandon Allison. "Now we've got a starting point. Now it's time to go. Now it's time to defend our title."
Kannapolis-35 Lake Norman-0
KANNAPOLIS -- No doubt it was the finest 13 minutes in Lake Norman's short football history. A minute into the second quarter, the scoreboard at Memorial Stadium still read 0-0. But then cold, harsh reality set in on the courageous Wildcats. A.L. Brown scored five touchdowns over the next 16 minutes and went on to batter outmanned Lake Norman 35-0 in the 3A North Piedmont Conference opener for both teams. Once the Wonders' big-play people -- quarterback Brandon Franklin (one TD, two TDpasses) and running back Jonathan Peoples (176 rushing yards, two TDs) -- turned it on, it was all over. Still, on a moral victory scale of 1-10, this was a 9.5 for the Wildcats. They earned the respect of the Wonders (3-2 overall).
"Lake Norman fought us to the end, to the last tick," said defensive end Jamil Weaks, who returned to action for the first time since injuring his right knee in late August. "I congratulate them. I take my helmet off to 'em. You expect a second-year team to be intimidated coming in here, but they weren't intimidated. They ran the ball hard," said Wonder safety Ryan Query, who had an interception. "We knew if we let them stay in the game, they could beat us."
Brown fans were a little restless, to say the least, after that scoreless first quarter, but they understood. The Wonders were understandably sluggish with the twin distractions of last week's huge win over Concord and this week's Homecoming festivities.
"We didn't have the greatest week of practice or anything," said Wonder coach Ron Massey. "We came out a little flat tonight and we had a lot of penalties."
Lake Norman (1-4) might have made a real game of it, but bled to death from self-inflicted wounds. The Wildcats, guided by 154-pound second-string QBDavid Blankenship who had been pressed into service by injury, had a field goal and punt blocked and coughed up three turnovers before halftime. But it took the Wonders forever to capitalize. Reliable Garrett Sherrill missed two early field-goal tries. The Wonders also wasted a 40-yard run by Peoples and had a TD pass by Franklin nullified by a penalty. It looked as if Brown could score on every play, but things just wasn't clicking.
"We had to keep telling the kids to be patient," said Massey. "Life's not always a bed of roses, but you can't get frustrated. If we learned that tonight, then something good came out of this game."
The Wonders finally got rolling shortly after Travis Howie fell on a fumble at the Lake Norman 18. A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball to the 9, and Franklin found the end zone with two bullish runs. After Terrance Alsbrooks blocked a field-goal try, the Wonders quickly covered 80 yards. Franklin hit Josh Russell in stride as he raced down the left sideline for the score. After Sherrill added the second of his five PATs, it was 14-0. Trey Hemphill's fumble recovery set up Franklin's 23-yard scoring pass to Artis Butler for a 21-0 halftime lead. The only question after that was whether the Wonder defense could register its first shutout since it blanked East Rowan last season.It did.
"We got all our assignments right after the first few series and we started coming around," Query explained. "And having Jamil back added a lot of power to our line."
The Wonders breezily put two more scores on the board in the third quarter on an 80-yard drive and a spectacular 49-yard cutback run by Peoples. He broke a half-dozen tackles on that one. The Wonders didn't feel any urgency to pile on additional points, and the final 17 minutes rolled by without a score. Massey substituted freely and allowed 5-foot-6, 135-pound tailback Greg Warren to wow the crowd with his quickness. All in all, not a bad night for the Wonders or the Wildcats, despite a combined 23 penalties for 230 yards.
"Lake Norman was not up to our level of competition," analyzed Weaks. "But we have to keep our level high no matter who we play. We'll have to start out better from now on."
"Lake Norman fought us to the end, to the last tick," said defensive end Jamil Weaks, who returned to action for the first time since injuring his right knee in late August. "I congratulate them. I take my helmet off to 'em. You expect a second-year team to be intimidated coming in here, but they weren't intimidated. They ran the ball hard," said Wonder safety Ryan Query, who had an interception. "We knew if we let them stay in the game, they could beat us."
Brown fans were a little restless, to say the least, after that scoreless first quarter, but they understood. The Wonders were understandably sluggish with the twin distractions of last week's huge win over Concord and this week's Homecoming festivities.
"We didn't have the greatest week of practice or anything," said Wonder coach Ron Massey. "We came out a little flat tonight and we had a lot of penalties."
Lake Norman (1-4) might have made a real game of it, but bled to death from self-inflicted wounds. The Wildcats, guided by 154-pound second-string QBDavid Blankenship who had been pressed into service by injury, had a field goal and punt blocked and coughed up three turnovers before halftime. But it took the Wonders forever to capitalize. Reliable Garrett Sherrill missed two early field-goal tries. The Wonders also wasted a 40-yard run by Peoples and had a TD pass by Franklin nullified by a penalty. It looked as if Brown could score on every play, but things just wasn't clicking.
"We had to keep telling the kids to be patient," said Massey. "Life's not always a bed of roses, but you can't get frustrated. If we learned that tonight, then something good came out of this game."
The Wonders finally got rolling shortly after Travis Howie fell on a fumble at the Lake Norman 18. A roughing-the-passer penalty moved the ball to the 9, and Franklin found the end zone with two bullish runs. After Terrance Alsbrooks blocked a field-goal try, the Wonders quickly covered 80 yards. Franklin hit Josh Russell in stride as he raced down the left sideline for the score. After Sherrill added the second of his five PATs, it was 14-0. Trey Hemphill's fumble recovery set up Franklin's 23-yard scoring pass to Artis Butler for a 21-0 halftime lead. The only question after that was whether the Wonder defense could register its first shutout since it blanked East Rowan last season.It did.
"We got all our assignments right after the first few series and we started coming around," Query explained. "And having Jamil back added a lot of power to our line."
The Wonders breezily put two more scores on the board in the third quarter on an 80-yard drive and a spectacular 49-yard cutback run by Peoples. He broke a half-dozen tackles on that one. The Wonders didn't feel any urgency to pile on additional points, and the final 17 minutes rolled by without a score. Massey substituted freely and allowed 5-foot-6, 135-pound tailback Greg Warren to wow the crowd with his quickness. All in all, not a bad night for the Wonders or the Wildcats, despite a combined 23 penalties for 230 yards.
"Lake Norman was not up to our level of competition," analyzed Weaks. "But we have to keep our level high no matter who we play. We'll have to start out better from now on."
Kannapolis-34 West Rowan-28
KANNAPOLIS -- Twenty-two pairs of eyes saw the fumble spinning on the grass at Memorial Stadium. But all season long, A.L. Brown linebacker Andrew Baker has been the guy with a nose for the football. On third down at the 6-yard line in the second overtime period, West Rowan's Josh Cauthen had lost the handle. And now just one thought was running through Baker's head -- get the ball.
"It was up for grabs for everyone, but I knew I had to get it," Baker said. "I knew it would mean the ballgame. Iknew if we stopped them, our offense would get a touchdown, a field goal, something to win the game."
Baker, a senior who returned a fumble for a TD against North Rowan and blocked a punt against Lake Norman, did come up with the critical recovery. That put the Wonders offense back on the field, and three plays later Jonathan Peoples and a battered offensive line pushed the ball into the end zone. Peoples' hard-nosed TD gave the Wonders (4-2, 2-0) a 34-28 victory and abruptly ended a remarkable 3A North Piedmont Conference contest. Brown survived a mind-boggling 38-carry, 170-yard effort by West's Joe Jackson, who scored three TDs. The Wonders, who played their third overtime game in six outings, led 21-0 at halftime, but got sand kicked in their faces the entire second half as the inspired Falcons (3-3, 1-1) rallied.
"We fought back. We proved a lot to a lot of people," said West coach Scott Young. "But we fumbled it three times, and three strikes and you're out."
Young was proud but miffed. Wonder coach Ron Massey was relieved but puzzled.
"The first half, we couldn't have played any better," said Massey, whose team is 2-1 in OT games. "The second half, I just don't know. We'll have to see the film and evaluate what happened."
The Wonders scored on their first three possessions. On a third-and-17 play, quarterback Brandon Franklin found Josh Russell behind the Falcon secondary for a 61-yard score to break the ice. It was 14-0 after Franklin passed the Wonders down the field, and Peoples made a Houdini-like escape from the entire Falcon defense for a 10-yard score. The Wonders rolled 97 yards to make it 21-0. They capped the drive when Brandon Allison cantered into the end zone on a designed "fumblerooskie." Meanwhile, West had done more marching than army recruits, but had zero to show for it. Four times, the Falcons had stopped themselves with penalties, fumbles and dropped passes. Good thing the Falcons were traveling by bus because they had shot off both feet.
"We moved it," shrugged West fullback Wade Moore. "We couldn't finish."
The key to the second half was that West didn't panic despite its huge halftime deficit.
"Second half, we were gonna stick to the gameplan," said Young. "Hats off to the O-line and our backs ran hard. We were gonna take it to them. They didn't change anything they were doing," agreed Wonder linebacker Quantres Grant. "But they were coming harder."
All West needed was one break and the Falcons finally got it when Brett Fields exploded out of a pack of Wonders for a 52-yard punt return to the Brown 26 with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter. Three plays later, Jackson scored behind lineman Chris Green. The PAT was missed, but it was 21-6. That score energized the Falcon D, and suddenly, the Wonders were going nowhere. But West's battering-ram offense was. It was as basic as a Penn State helmet, but the Falcon line was driving the Wonders back like enraged carpenters driving nails. And Jackson was just getting warmed up. Now he was spinning, fighting, breaking tackles on every run, and the Wonders were wearing down.
"Joe's legs never stop moving," marveled Wonder linebacker Lee Garver. "We put good sticks on him, but he kept coming forward. Every time we looked up, the down marker said '1.' "
Early in fourth quarter, Jackson blew through the Wonders for 38 yards on a third-and-19 play to set up his second TD. After Moore tossed to Kent Harrington for a 2-point conversion, it was 21-14. A Tauren Fisher interception placed the Wonders in position to ice it, but a bad snap over Franklin's head (center John Hyatt was out with an injury) was recovered by West's Kevin Nason at the Brown 17 with three minutes to go in regulation. West banged inside the 10, but Grant made two big hits to put the Falcons in a fourth-and-6 situation at the 13. With 1:15 to go, West QB Bryan Aycoth hit Moore for a clutch first down at the 5.
"Bryan stuck it in there so hard the only thing I could do was catch it," said Moore.
After that it was Jackson, Jackson and more Jackson. He barged into the end zone with 35 seconds left to make it 21-20. Young considered going for two and the win, but opted to have Brent Patterson kick the PAT for the tie.
"Thought about two," said Young. "But we had momentum and I thought we'd run with it in OT. They couldn't stop us and their offense couldn't do anything to us."
In the first OT, both teams put up TDs-- the Wonders on a Franklin-to-Russell pass and West on a run by Harrington. Both kicked the point. West reached the Wonder 4 in the second OT, but Travis Howie smacked Jackson for a 2-yard loss on second down. That set up Baker's pivotal recovery on third down.
"It was up for grabs for everyone, but I knew I had to get it," Baker said. "I knew it would mean the ballgame. Iknew if we stopped them, our offense would get a touchdown, a field goal, something to win the game."
Baker, a senior who returned a fumble for a TD against North Rowan and blocked a punt against Lake Norman, did come up with the critical recovery. That put the Wonders offense back on the field, and three plays later Jonathan Peoples and a battered offensive line pushed the ball into the end zone. Peoples' hard-nosed TD gave the Wonders (4-2, 2-0) a 34-28 victory and abruptly ended a remarkable 3A North Piedmont Conference contest. Brown survived a mind-boggling 38-carry, 170-yard effort by West's Joe Jackson, who scored three TDs. The Wonders, who played their third overtime game in six outings, led 21-0 at halftime, but got sand kicked in their faces the entire second half as the inspired Falcons (3-3, 1-1) rallied.
"We fought back. We proved a lot to a lot of people," said West coach Scott Young. "But we fumbled it three times, and three strikes and you're out."
Young was proud but miffed. Wonder coach Ron Massey was relieved but puzzled.
"The first half, we couldn't have played any better," said Massey, whose team is 2-1 in OT games. "The second half, I just don't know. We'll have to see the film and evaluate what happened."
The Wonders scored on their first three possessions. On a third-and-17 play, quarterback Brandon Franklin found Josh Russell behind the Falcon secondary for a 61-yard score to break the ice. It was 14-0 after Franklin passed the Wonders down the field, and Peoples made a Houdini-like escape from the entire Falcon defense for a 10-yard score. The Wonders rolled 97 yards to make it 21-0. They capped the drive when Brandon Allison cantered into the end zone on a designed "fumblerooskie." Meanwhile, West had done more marching than army recruits, but had zero to show for it. Four times, the Falcons had stopped themselves with penalties, fumbles and dropped passes. Good thing the Falcons were traveling by bus because they had shot off both feet.
"We moved it," shrugged West fullback Wade Moore. "We couldn't finish."
The key to the second half was that West didn't panic despite its huge halftime deficit.
"Second half, we were gonna stick to the gameplan," said Young. "Hats off to the O-line and our backs ran hard. We were gonna take it to them. They didn't change anything they were doing," agreed Wonder linebacker Quantres Grant. "But they were coming harder."
All West needed was one break and the Falcons finally got it when Brett Fields exploded out of a pack of Wonders for a 52-yard punt return to the Brown 26 with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter. Three plays later, Jackson scored behind lineman Chris Green. The PAT was missed, but it was 21-6. That score energized the Falcon D, and suddenly, the Wonders were going nowhere. But West's battering-ram offense was. It was as basic as a Penn State helmet, but the Falcon line was driving the Wonders back like enraged carpenters driving nails. And Jackson was just getting warmed up. Now he was spinning, fighting, breaking tackles on every run, and the Wonders were wearing down.
"Joe's legs never stop moving," marveled Wonder linebacker Lee Garver. "We put good sticks on him, but he kept coming forward. Every time we looked up, the down marker said '1.' "
Early in fourth quarter, Jackson blew through the Wonders for 38 yards on a third-and-19 play to set up his second TD. After Moore tossed to Kent Harrington for a 2-point conversion, it was 21-14. A Tauren Fisher interception placed the Wonders in position to ice it, but a bad snap over Franklin's head (center John Hyatt was out with an injury) was recovered by West's Kevin Nason at the Brown 17 with three minutes to go in regulation. West banged inside the 10, but Grant made two big hits to put the Falcons in a fourth-and-6 situation at the 13. With 1:15 to go, West QB Bryan Aycoth hit Moore for a clutch first down at the 5.
"Bryan stuck it in there so hard the only thing I could do was catch it," said Moore.
After that it was Jackson, Jackson and more Jackson. He barged into the end zone with 35 seconds left to make it 21-20. Young considered going for two and the win, but opted to have Brent Patterson kick the PAT for the tie.
"Thought about two," said Young. "But we had momentum and I thought we'd run with it in OT. They couldn't stop us and their offense couldn't do anything to us."
In the first OT, both teams put up TDs-- the Wonders on a Franklin-to-Russell pass and West on a run by Harrington. Both kicked the point. West reached the Wonder 4 in the second OT, but Travis Howie smacked Jackson for a 2-yard loss on second down. That set up Baker's pivotal recovery on third down.
Kannapolis-45 Statesville-14
Kannapolis-48 Northwest Cabarrus-14
Kannapolis-21 Mooresville-35
Kannapolis-62 East Rowan-0
KANNAPOLIS -- In the game of high school football, the fates are not always kind to certain teams as far as scheduling goes. Struggling teams always seem to find themselves facing a top-tier team coming off of a vital loss. The East Rowan Mustangs came into Friday night's North Piedmont Conference affair at A.L. Brown winless on the season and facing a Wonders team that had just lost a crucial conference game to Mooresville. A.L. Brown (7-3, 4-2 NPC) kept its chances alive at winning the 2003 North Piedmont Conference football title with an easy 62-0 win over the Mustangs (0-10, 0-6 NPC). The Wonders dominated every statistical category, outgaining the Mustangs 438-118, including a 375-84 difference in rushing.
"I'm really glad to get out of this with a win ... to come back after that loss (to Mooresville)", Wonders head coach Ron Massey said.
Kannapolis also cut down on its penalties, with just 22 total yards, a "point of emphasis every week" according to Massey. Jonathan Peoples led the Wonders rushing attack with a career-high 202 yards on just eight carries, including a 70-yard sprint down the visiting sideline early in the third quarter.
"We come in every week and work hard just to get better. We focused a lot on the little things, like blocking assignments and ball fakes, which were detrimental to the defense," Peoples said.
Despite losing for the 10th straight time, East Rowan head coach Rick Mazza was decidedly upbeat.
"I don't yell at my players or berate them. They know and I know that we are getting better every week," Mazza said.
"You have to find positives in what we are doing. I know that the kids believe in me and that we are doing a good job with the talent we have."
Injuries have besieged East Rowan all season as five players slated to be starters have been lost for the season due to injury.
"Injuries have just plagued us this season," Mazza said. "The players we have lost were extremely important to the team, players that should have played key positions for us. Our backups are young and lack experience."
Some of that talent includes college prospect Ben Weisensel, who added another sack to his resume last night, and running back Caleb Kittrell, who led the Mustangs with 68 yards rushing. A.L. Brown scored on its first play from scrimmage when Peoples took the handoff and busted through the line for 68 yards and a touchdown for a fast 7-0 lead just 1:36 into the game. After Wonders quarterback BrandonFranklin was sacked by Weisensel, Franklin dusted himself off and threw a 47-yard strike into the end zone to Ronnie Land in a scoring drive that took exactly 60 seconds to complete. In the second quarter, the Wonders eliminated any doubt of the final outcome of the evening with a 27-point outburst. Touchdown runs by Josh Russell, Peoples and Jamil Weaks, along with Franklin's second TD strike to Russell, gave Kannapolis a commanding 41-0 halftime lead. Franklin decided to get into the touchdown act himself early in the third quarter, running for an 11-yard run straight through the EastRowan defense. A.L.Brown rounded out the scoring with late touchdowns from Russell and Rashad Edwards. With Mooresville's loss to West Rowan last night, the Wonders have a chance for the tie for the North Piedmont Conference title with a win this Friday at North Iredell.
"I'm really glad to get out of this with a win ... to come back after that loss (to Mooresville)", Wonders head coach Ron Massey said.
Kannapolis also cut down on its penalties, with just 22 total yards, a "point of emphasis every week" according to Massey. Jonathan Peoples led the Wonders rushing attack with a career-high 202 yards on just eight carries, including a 70-yard sprint down the visiting sideline early in the third quarter.
"We come in every week and work hard just to get better. We focused a lot on the little things, like blocking assignments and ball fakes, which were detrimental to the defense," Peoples said.
Despite losing for the 10th straight time, East Rowan head coach Rick Mazza was decidedly upbeat.
"I don't yell at my players or berate them. They know and I know that we are getting better every week," Mazza said.
"You have to find positives in what we are doing. I know that the kids believe in me and that we are doing a good job with the talent we have."
Injuries have besieged East Rowan all season as five players slated to be starters have been lost for the season due to injury.
"Injuries have just plagued us this season," Mazza said. "The players we have lost were extremely important to the team, players that should have played key positions for us. Our backups are young and lack experience."
Some of that talent includes college prospect Ben Weisensel, who added another sack to his resume last night, and running back Caleb Kittrell, who led the Mustangs with 68 yards rushing. A.L. Brown scored on its first play from scrimmage when Peoples took the handoff and busted through the line for 68 yards and a touchdown for a fast 7-0 lead just 1:36 into the game. After Wonders quarterback BrandonFranklin was sacked by Weisensel, Franklin dusted himself off and threw a 47-yard strike into the end zone to Ronnie Land in a scoring drive that took exactly 60 seconds to complete. In the second quarter, the Wonders eliminated any doubt of the final outcome of the evening with a 27-point outburst. Touchdown runs by Josh Russell, Peoples and Jamil Weaks, along with Franklin's second TD strike to Russell, gave Kannapolis a commanding 41-0 halftime lead. Franklin decided to get into the touchdown act himself early in the third quarter, running for an 11-yard run straight through the EastRowan defense. A.L.Brown rounded out the scoring with late touchdowns from Russell and Rashad Edwards. With Mooresville's loss to West Rowan last night, the Wonders have a chance for the tie for the North Piedmont Conference title with a win this Friday at North Iredell.
Kannapolis-2 North Iredell-0
Kannapolis residents might want to buy extra Halloween candy in the next few days -- about 50 extra trick-or-treaters could be hitting the streets. Friday night's A.L. Brown-North Iredell game, scheduled to be the regular-season finale for both squads, will go into the books as a 2-0 Wonder win via forfeit. North Iredell's varsity football team was left with just eight players due to suspensions from a fight in last week's Lake Norman contest.
"It's probably the worst week in the 29 years I've been teaching school, "said North Iredell Athletics Director Bill Howell. "I was embarrassed and upset."
The Raiders lost 18 players based on Tuesday's decision by Iredell-Statesville Schools and North officials. Five Lake Norman players were suspended, meaning the Wildcats will still play their finale as scheduled against Northwest Cabarrus.
"I think we did as much as we could do, "said Howell, a 1975 Catawba College graduate. "North Iredell took the biggest hit of the two schools, and it also hurts Kannapolis Brown. A week off -- no coach wants that before beginning playoff competition."
The forfeit improves the Wonders' record to 8-3 overall and 6-1 in the 3A North Piedmont Conference. A.L. Brown clinched a share of its third straight NPC crown and sixth in seven years, and will earn the league's top seed for the playoffs if Statesville beats Mooresville on Friday. All three teams own one league loss apiece, with Mooresville's victory over the Wonders serving as the tie-breaker should the Blue Devils win Friday night. A.L. Brown head coach Ron Massey said he planned to take his wife out on the rare off night -- the same response he gave two years ago when a court battle postponed the opening round of the 3A playoffs by one week. But while joking about Halloween festivities, Massey knows where his players truly want to be.
"There's disappointment. Kids work hard to have an opportunity to play football, "Massey said. "We demand a lot of them in the offseason and if they're lucky they get 12-13 games to participate in. If you're a senior, your games are running out. With the opportunity not to compete, they're the ones getting cheated."
The decision not to play stemmed from a fight in the closing seconds of Friday's 28-14 Lake Norman victory. At the end of an interception return, Howell said some of the Lake Norman players pulled a Raider off the pile and matters escalated from there. Howell said fans from both sidelines left the bleachers and reached the edge of the field, and players from both teams raced off the benches. As a rule, the N.C. High School Athletic Association levies a $1,000 fine against schools when players leave the bench to participate in fights. As defensive coordinator, Howell said some of his players left the sidelines simply for the change of possession. But it wasn't easy discerning which players left for that purpose and who intended to "mix it up."
"Because they came off the bench, we followed the letter of the rule, "Howell said.
Rick Strunk, associate athletic director of the NCHSAA, said the mass suspensions stemming from Friday's game were unusual. While the state organization deals with one or two bench-clearing incidents each year, the game officials always eject the participants, making the suspension process more clear-cut. No ejections were handed out Friday night, however.
"That's a complication in this matter and it's why the school system has taken the action itself," Strunk said. "They have handled it in a very professional matter and certainly agonized over the consequences."
Perhaps the biggest hit of all? The forfeited game was scheduled at North Iredell on the last day of the season.
"It was supposed to be our Senior Night, "Howell said. "I'm sure there will be some hard feelings by our parents, and rightly so."
After school system and North Iredell officials reviewed videotapes of the melee and decided on the suspensions, Howell and head coach Bobby Morrison met with the team. Each player received a letter and the system's press release about the punishment. While the stadium lights won't shine in Raider Ravine this week, North Iredell's season may be extended. North finishes 1-6 in the NPC, but owns four wins overall and qualifies for the playoffs.
"If we're fortunate enough be in the playoffs, it will give the kids a chance to redeem themselves," said Morrison. "Not by winning, but by showing up to play football the way it should be played.
"I believe that once everything quiets down and we get back to concentrating on football, I think everything will be OK ,"Morrison added quietly, the disappointment obvious in his voice. "But we're going to have to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk before we do anything."
The NCHSAA was awaiting final written reports from both North Iredell and Lake Norman this morning, along with video of the event. Executive Director Dick Knox will make the final call in the matter, but Strunk said further punishment is unlikely. Knox was out of the office at basketball officiating clinics until Thursday.
"There is further action we could take, but from what I've heard they've gone above what they had to do, "Strunk said. "They're trying to do the right thing and send the appropriate message. Member schools and the state association have been trying to work hard to make sure we have proper environments at our games. One of those got out of hand."
North Iredell and A.L. Brown's varsity teams will return to the practice fields today, and the junior varsity game will be played as planned Thursday night -- only with JV players, Howell stressed, despite message-board traffic to the contrary. Even after the fight, Howell said, some fans stoke the competitive fires to such a degree as to suggest that coaches from each school would move down varsity players to gain an edge in the JV game.
"That's our society today, and it doesn't matter what level, "Howell said. "Fans have taken it to a point where they've lost the idea of what wholesome athletics is all about. It's a shame, because I think high school athletics are the last pure amateur sport."
"It's probably the worst week in the 29 years I've been teaching school, "said North Iredell Athletics Director Bill Howell. "I was embarrassed and upset."
The Raiders lost 18 players based on Tuesday's decision by Iredell-Statesville Schools and North officials. Five Lake Norman players were suspended, meaning the Wildcats will still play their finale as scheduled against Northwest Cabarrus.
"I think we did as much as we could do, "said Howell, a 1975 Catawba College graduate. "North Iredell took the biggest hit of the two schools, and it also hurts Kannapolis Brown. A week off -- no coach wants that before beginning playoff competition."
The forfeit improves the Wonders' record to 8-3 overall and 6-1 in the 3A North Piedmont Conference. A.L. Brown clinched a share of its third straight NPC crown and sixth in seven years, and will earn the league's top seed for the playoffs if Statesville beats Mooresville on Friday. All three teams own one league loss apiece, with Mooresville's victory over the Wonders serving as the tie-breaker should the Blue Devils win Friday night. A.L. Brown head coach Ron Massey said he planned to take his wife out on the rare off night -- the same response he gave two years ago when a court battle postponed the opening round of the 3A playoffs by one week. But while joking about Halloween festivities, Massey knows where his players truly want to be.
"There's disappointment. Kids work hard to have an opportunity to play football, "Massey said. "We demand a lot of them in the offseason and if they're lucky they get 12-13 games to participate in. If you're a senior, your games are running out. With the opportunity not to compete, they're the ones getting cheated."
The decision not to play stemmed from a fight in the closing seconds of Friday's 28-14 Lake Norman victory. At the end of an interception return, Howell said some of the Lake Norman players pulled a Raider off the pile and matters escalated from there. Howell said fans from both sidelines left the bleachers and reached the edge of the field, and players from both teams raced off the benches. As a rule, the N.C. High School Athletic Association levies a $1,000 fine against schools when players leave the bench to participate in fights. As defensive coordinator, Howell said some of his players left the sidelines simply for the change of possession. But it wasn't easy discerning which players left for that purpose and who intended to "mix it up."
"Because they came off the bench, we followed the letter of the rule, "Howell said.
Rick Strunk, associate athletic director of the NCHSAA, said the mass suspensions stemming from Friday's game were unusual. While the state organization deals with one or two bench-clearing incidents each year, the game officials always eject the participants, making the suspension process more clear-cut. No ejections were handed out Friday night, however.
"That's a complication in this matter and it's why the school system has taken the action itself," Strunk said. "They have handled it in a very professional matter and certainly agonized over the consequences."
Perhaps the biggest hit of all? The forfeited game was scheduled at North Iredell on the last day of the season.
"It was supposed to be our Senior Night, "Howell said. "I'm sure there will be some hard feelings by our parents, and rightly so."
After school system and North Iredell officials reviewed videotapes of the melee and decided on the suspensions, Howell and head coach Bobby Morrison met with the team. Each player received a letter and the system's press release about the punishment. While the stadium lights won't shine in Raider Ravine this week, North Iredell's season may be extended. North finishes 1-6 in the NPC, but owns four wins overall and qualifies for the playoffs.
"If we're fortunate enough be in the playoffs, it will give the kids a chance to redeem themselves," said Morrison. "Not by winning, but by showing up to play football the way it should be played.
"I believe that once everything quiets down and we get back to concentrating on football, I think everything will be OK ,"Morrison added quietly, the disappointment obvious in his voice. "But we're going to have to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk before we do anything."
The NCHSAA was awaiting final written reports from both North Iredell and Lake Norman this morning, along with video of the event. Executive Director Dick Knox will make the final call in the matter, but Strunk said further punishment is unlikely. Knox was out of the office at basketball officiating clinics until Thursday.
"There is further action we could take, but from what I've heard they've gone above what they had to do, "Strunk said. "They're trying to do the right thing and send the appropriate message. Member schools and the state association have been trying to work hard to make sure we have proper environments at our games. One of those got out of hand."
North Iredell and A.L. Brown's varsity teams will return to the practice fields today, and the junior varsity game will be played as planned Thursday night -- only with JV players, Howell stressed, despite message-board traffic to the contrary. Even after the fight, Howell said, some fans stoke the competitive fires to such a degree as to suggest that coaches from each school would move down varsity players to gain an edge in the JV game.
"That's our society today, and it doesn't matter what level, "Howell said. "Fans have taken it to a point where they've lost the idea of what wholesome athletics is all about. It's a shame, because I think high school athletics are the last pure amateur sport."