"2004 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
North Piedmont Conference Champions
2004 Season Results
Kannapolis 13 South Rowan 3
Kannapolis 28 North Rowan 6 Kannapolis 0 Eastern Randolph 28 Kannapolis 9 Concord 20 Kannapolis 23 Lake Norman 7 Kannapolis 14 West Rowan 7 Kannapolis 33 Statesville 21 Kannapolis 13 Northwest Cab 6 Kannapolis 27 Mooresville 24 Kannapolis 20 East Rowan 21 Kannapolis 28 North Iredell 8 Playoffs 1st Kannapolis 21 J.M. Robinson 7 2nd Kannapolis 22 Ashbrook 30 |
2004 Athletic Program
Positions
2004 Season Preview
Kannapolis Citizen
Kannapolis-13 South Rowan-3
Kannapolis-28 North Rowan-6
Kannapolis-0 Eastern Randolph-28
Eastern Randolph Gallery
Kannapolis-9 Concord-20
KANNAPOLIS -- E.Z. Smith's wall-to-wall grin, Josh Russell's throbbing ankle, Travis Howie's grass-stained biceps and Tommy Beecher's golden arm told the story on Friday night as Concord whipped A.L. Brown 20-9.
"I was beginning to think there was a black cloud hanging over my head," beamed Smith, after his team won for the first time at Memorial Stadium since 1996.
The Spiders (4-1) rang up three TDs in a span of 10 minutes in the first half to take charge of "The Battle of the Bell" and never lost control. Two of Concord's rapid-fire TDs came on 57-yard passes by Beecher, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder that Smith calls "one of the best in the state."
"Tommy didn't think he played well last week," said Smith. "I think he plays pretty good every week."
Beecher, who had 147 of his 183 aerial yards by halftime, figured the old railroad bell, which rang only sporadically on the Wonder side of the field during the second half, had just been misplaced for awhile.
"I think it's about time the bell came back to its rightful owners," offered Beecher, between kisses, hugs and pats on the back from delirious Spider fans.
Beecher said the gameplan on a field that was muddy, but certainly playable, was simple.
"Use the deep ball," he said. "We knew our wideouts had more speed than their DBs."
That line of thinking proved correct. With the Spiders down 6-0 with 3:03 left in the first quarter, Beecher found Lance Lewis running free down the right sideline. The cornerback on that side, Erwin Mingo, had blitzed. He didn't quite get to Beecher and the safety couldn't get over to pick up Lewis. That gave the Spiders had a way-too-easy six. Chad Myers booted the PAT that put Concord ahead to stay. With 6:23 left in the first half, Beecher made it 20-6 when he lofted a pass into the arms of Darius Cauthen, a sprinter who had blazed behind safety Ryan Query.
"We knew their receivers were fast, but they still got behind us," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "And when they did, Beecher put it on the money. He's a great quarterback, and you have to give him credit."
Give credit to Beecher's offensive line as well. The strength of Brown's team is its defensive front, and it never sacked Beecher. His arm was hit once, and he was hurried a couple of times.
"We tried hard to get to him, but he's fast throwing the ball," said Howie, Brown's most feared lineman. "Sometimes they stuck it to us -- but sometimes we stuck it to them."
Meanwhile, Brown's offense, which has scored only 50 points in four games, couldn't do much against a Concord defense that was hung in effigy after getting torched by Northwest Cabarrus for 36 points on opening night. The Wonders took over on the Concord 36 on their first offensive possession and scored quickly when freshman quarterback Jonathan Efird hit William Preston for a 26-yard TD. But Brown's next 10 possessions netted only a second-quarter field goal by Garrett Sherrill.
The Wonders were guilty of the biggest mistake of the first half. Sherrill's fumble while in punt formation set up Concord's second TD. Brown (2-2) also was hit with the two biggest penalties. Query was nailed for pass interference on a fourth-and-goal play from the Brown 4 when the Wonders had a chance to make a game-turning stand. Later, aTD run by Brown's other QB, Sean Fortson, was called back by a hold. The second half was scoreless, with Concord relying mostly on Brandon Brown (101 yards) to bang away at the clock. The Wonders went three-and-out on the first possession of the second half. Making matters worse, their most dangerous weapon, slotback Josh Russell, hurt his ankle in that series and didn't return. Russell injured the ankle in practice during Brown's bye week. Then someone fell on it last night. Brown ran a number of productive trap plays early, but Concord adjusted by moving its linebackers back a few yards. After that, the Wonders, who had lousy field position almost the entire second half, never could get untracked.
"We've got to find some way to move the football more efficiently," Massey said.
Brown's one chance to rally came after a fumble recovery at the Brown 1. But Concord's Chris Aldridge intercepted Fortson with 5:58 remaining to seal it.
"I was beginning to think there was a black cloud hanging over my head," beamed Smith, after his team won for the first time at Memorial Stadium since 1996.
The Spiders (4-1) rang up three TDs in a span of 10 minutes in the first half to take charge of "The Battle of the Bell" and never lost control. Two of Concord's rapid-fire TDs came on 57-yard passes by Beecher, a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder that Smith calls "one of the best in the state."
"Tommy didn't think he played well last week," said Smith. "I think he plays pretty good every week."
Beecher, who had 147 of his 183 aerial yards by halftime, figured the old railroad bell, which rang only sporadically on the Wonder side of the field during the second half, had just been misplaced for awhile.
"I think it's about time the bell came back to its rightful owners," offered Beecher, between kisses, hugs and pats on the back from delirious Spider fans.
Beecher said the gameplan on a field that was muddy, but certainly playable, was simple.
"Use the deep ball," he said. "We knew our wideouts had more speed than their DBs."
That line of thinking proved correct. With the Spiders down 6-0 with 3:03 left in the first quarter, Beecher found Lance Lewis running free down the right sideline. The cornerback on that side, Erwin Mingo, had blitzed. He didn't quite get to Beecher and the safety couldn't get over to pick up Lewis. That gave the Spiders had a way-too-easy six. Chad Myers booted the PAT that put Concord ahead to stay. With 6:23 left in the first half, Beecher made it 20-6 when he lofted a pass into the arms of Darius Cauthen, a sprinter who had blazed behind safety Ryan Query.
"We knew their receivers were fast, but they still got behind us," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "And when they did, Beecher put it on the money. He's a great quarterback, and you have to give him credit."
Give credit to Beecher's offensive line as well. The strength of Brown's team is its defensive front, and it never sacked Beecher. His arm was hit once, and he was hurried a couple of times.
"We tried hard to get to him, but he's fast throwing the ball," said Howie, Brown's most feared lineman. "Sometimes they stuck it to us -- but sometimes we stuck it to them."
Meanwhile, Brown's offense, which has scored only 50 points in four games, couldn't do much against a Concord defense that was hung in effigy after getting torched by Northwest Cabarrus for 36 points on opening night. The Wonders took over on the Concord 36 on their first offensive possession and scored quickly when freshman quarterback Jonathan Efird hit William Preston for a 26-yard TD. But Brown's next 10 possessions netted only a second-quarter field goal by Garrett Sherrill.
The Wonders were guilty of the biggest mistake of the first half. Sherrill's fumble while in punt formation set up Concord's second TD. Brown (2-2) also was hit with the two biggest penalties. Query was nailed for pass interference on a fourth-and-goal play from the Brown 4 when the Wonders had a chance to make a game-turning stand. Later, aTD run by Brown's other QB, Sean Fortson, was called back by a hold. The second half was scoreless, with Concord relying mostly on Brandon Brown (101 yards) to bang away at the clock. The Wonders went three-and-out on the first possession of the second half. Making matters worse, their most dangerous weapon, slotback Josh Russell, hurt his ankle in that series and didn't return. Russell injured the ankle in practice during Brown's bye week. Then someone fell on it last night. Brown ran a number of productive trap plays early, but Concord adjusted by moving its linebackers back a few yards. After that, the Wonders, who had lousy field position almost the entire second half, never could get untracked.
"We've got to find some way to move the football more efficiently," Massey said.
Brown's one chance to rally came after a fumble recovery at the Brown 1. But Concord's Chris Aldridge intercepted Fortson with 5:58 remaining to seal it.
Kannapolis-23 Lake Norman-7
Kannapolis-14 West Rowan-7
West Rowan Gallery
Kannapolis-33 Statesville-21
Statesville Gallery
Kannapolis-13 Northwest Cabarrus-6
Kannapolis-27 Mooresville-24
Kannapolis-20 East Rowan-21
Kannapolis-28 North Iredell-8
Playoffs
1st Rnd
Kannapolis-21 J.M. Robinson-7
2nd Rnd
Kannapolis-22 Ashbrook-30
***All Gallery Photos Courtesy Of***
© MTG Photo Images Mike Grier 2004
(704) 796-7860
© MTG Photo Images Mike Grier 2004
(704) 796-7860