"2005 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
2005 Season Results
Kannapolis 24 Statesville 6
Kannapolis 21 South Rowan 14 Kannapolis 13 Mount Pleasant 7 Kannapolis 21 Central Cabarrus 15 Kannapolis 42 J.M Robinson 19 Kannapolis 20 Sun Valley 17 Kannapolis 3 Anson County 6 Kannapolis 46 Porter Ridge 7 Kannapolis 19 Concord 14 Kannapolis 18 Parkwood 16 Kannapolis-21 Piedmont-2 1st Rnd Kannapolis 43 Parkland 27 2nd Rnd Kannapolis 39 T.C. Roberson 38 3rd Rnd Kannapolis 34 West Rowan 10 4th Rnd Kannapolis 3 Charlotte Catholic 28 |
2005 Athletic Program
2005 Season Preview
Kannapolis Citizen
Kannapolis-24 Statesville-6
Kannapolis-21 South Rowan-14
South Rowan Gallery
Kannapolis 13 Mount Pleasant-7
Mount Pleasant Gallery
Kannapolis-21 Central Cabarrus-15
Central Cabarrus Gallery
Kannapolis-42 J.M Robinson-19
J.M. Robinson Gallery
Kannapolis-20 Sun Valley-17
Sun Valley Gallery
Kannapolis-3 Anson County-6
Anson County Gallery
Kannapolis-46 Porter Ridge-7
Kannapolis-19 Concord-14
KANNAPOLIS -- A.L. Brown and Concord played for the coveted victory bell Friday night at Memorial Stadium, but there was so much more at stake. Nobody understood that better than A.L. Brown senior Sean Fortson. The slippery quarterback zigged and zagged his way to 173 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in a had-to-have-it 19-14 victory.
"I just felt like there was a lot on me tonight," Fortson said after K-town moved into a tie for first place in the SPC standings. "I didn't play very well in this game last year, so tonight I just put everything on my shoulders and ran with it."
He ran like his helmet was on fire. Fortson served Concord a bowl of Special K, scoring on bursts of 8, 43 and 5 yards as the Wonders (8-1, 3-1) earned their second straight win and recaptured the bell in a maddening, post-game ritual.
"(Fortson) was a factor last year, and he was a factor this year," losing coach E.Z. Smith said after the Spiders (4-4, 2-1) self-destructed in the second half. "He took charge of this game. You let him break loose like we did, and he's gonna score. He can hurt you if you let him."
Kannapolis offensive coordinator Kirkley Russell tossed the prettiest verbal bouquet Fortson's way.
"We put the game in his hands, and he answered the call," he said as the overflow crowd thinned out. "He carried us tonight. That's the best he's ever played."
Before Fortson even stepped on the field, Concord jumped in front. The Spiders took the opening kickoff, gave the keys to their offense to wonderkind quarterback Jimmy Drye and quickly advanced to midfield. A fourth-down punt was fumbled by Kannapolis, and Dee Bost recovered for the Spiders. Three minutes later the guests had a 7-0 lead, courtesy of Drye's 8-yard touchdown pass to Lance Lewis.
"He's a good quarterback," said Bost, who also caught four passes from the sophomore triggerman. "But he's young and he makes mistakes. He still has a lot to learn."
That was evident in the second half, when Drye (18-for-31, 215 yards) threw four interceptions. By then it was a 7-7 game thanks to Fortson's 8-yard TD on a pump-fake and rollout around right end late in the opening quarter. The Wonders went ahead 13-7 shortly after Cordera Simmons picked off a Drye pass early in the third period. This time Fortson sold a fake handoff to fullback Ryan Fowler, found a seam up the middle, pirouetted into the Concord secondary and raced 43 yards to the end zone.
"I just split the safeties and everything was wide open," Fortson said. "The key was the fullback making such a great fake. That made the play."
Fortson made another one following an interception by teammate Eddie Silavong with 11:34 remaining in the game. He capped an 8-play, 45-yard scoring drive when sprinted home from the 5-yard line, providing a 19-7 lead with 7:26 to play. Here's the kicker: The play wasn't called for him.
"It was supposed to be a pass to the tight end (Jay Hosack)," said Russell, who called the play from upstairs.
"Since it was third down and the ball was already in the middle of the field, Sean could have thrown it away and we'd still have a field goal attempt. But when he saw the receiver was covered, he made a decision to tuck it and run."
That's exactly what the Wonders did with the bell as time expired. They bypassed the tradition midfield handshake, charged the Concord sideline like inmates sprung in a jailbreak and confiscated the prized piece of hardware.
"That was just instinct," said defensive end Kevin Cano. "There's no feeling like it in the world. It's a natural high."
"I just felt like there was a lot on me tonight," Fortson said after K-town moved into a tie for first place in the SPC standings. "I didn't play very well in this game last year, so tonight I just put everything on my shoulders and ran with it."
He ran like his helmet was on fire. Fortson served Concord a bowl of Special K, scoring on bursts of 8, 43 and 5 yards as the Wonders (8-1, 3-1) earned their second straight win and recaptured the bell in a maddening, post-game ritual.
"(Fortson) was a factor last year, and he was a factor this year," losing coach E.Z. Smith said after the Spiders (4-4, 2-1) self-destructed in the second half. "He took charge of this game. You let him break loose like we did, and he's gonna score. He can hurt you if you let him."
Kannapolis offensive coordinator Kirkley Russell tossed the prettiest verbal bouquet Fortson's way.
"We put the game in his hands, and he answered the call," he said as the overflow crowd thinned out. "He carried us tonight. That's the best he's ever played."
Before Fortson even stepped on the field, Concord jumped in front. The Spiders took the opening kickoff, gave the keys to their offense to wonderkind quarterback Jimmy Drye and quickly advanced to midfield. A fourth-down punt was fumbled by Kannapolis, and Dee Bost recovered for the Spiders. Three minutes later the guests had a 7-0 lead, courtesy of Drye's 8-yard touchdown pass to Lance Lewis.
"He's a good quarterback," said Bost, who also caught four passes from the sophomore triggerman. "But he's young and he makes mistakes. He still has a lot to learn."
That was evident in the second half, when Drye (18-for-31, 215 yards) threw four interceptions. By then it was a 7-7 game thanks to Fortson's 8-yard TD on a pump-fake and rollout around right end late in the opening quarter. The Wonders went ahead 13-7 shortly after Cordera Simmons picked off a Drye pass early in the third period. This time Fortson sold a fake handoff to fullback Ryan Fowler, found a seam up the middle, pirouetted into the Concord secondary and raced 43 yards to the end zone.
"I just split the safeties and everything was wide open," Fortson said. "The key was the fullback making such a great fake. That made the play."
Fortson made another one following an interception by teammate Eddie Silavong with 11:34 remaining in the game. He capped an 8-play, 45-yard scoring drive when sprinted home from the 5-yard line, providing a 19-7 lead with 7:26 to play. Here's the kicker: The play wasn't called for him.
"It was supposed to be a pass to the tight end (Jay Hosack)," said Russell, who called the play from upstairs.
"Since it was third down and the ball was already in the middle of the field, Sean could have thrown it away and we'd still have a field goal attempt. But when he saw the receiver was covered, he made a decision to tuck it and run."
That's exactly what the Wonders did with the bell as time expired. They bypassed the tradition midfield handshake, charged the Concord sideline like inmates sprung in a jailbreak and confiscated the prized piece of hardware.
"That was just instinct," said defensive end Kevin Cano. "There's no feeling like it in the world. It's a natural high."
Concord Gallery
Kannapolis-18 Parkwood-16
Kannapolis-21 Piedmont-2
Kannapolis-43 Parkland-27
Parkland Gallery
Kannapolis-39 T.C. Roberson-38
T.C. Roberson Gallery
Kannapolis-34 West Rowan-10
West Rowan Gallery
Kannapolis-3 Charlotte Catholic-28
Charlotte Catholic Gallery
"2005 Gallery"
***All Gallery Photos Courtesy Of***
© MTG Photo Images Mike Grier 2005
(704) 796-7860
© MTG Photo Images Mike Grier 2005
(704) 796-7860