"2006 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
2006 Season Results
Kannapolis 31 North Davidson 14
Kannapolis 55 South Rowan 0 Kannapolis 21 Mount Pleasant 0 Kannapolis 21 Central Cabarrus 13 Kannapolis 22 J.M Robinson 0 Kannapolis 21 Sun Valley 28 Kannapolis 21 Anson County 7 Kannapolis 44 Porter Ridge 22 Kannapolis 20 Concord 42 Kannapolis 35 Parkwood 25 Kannapolis 31 Piedmont 12 1st Kannapolis 26 Mooresville 6 2nd Kannapolis 21 Charlotte Catholic 36 |
2006 Athletic Program
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2006 Season Preview
Kannapolis Citizen
Kannapolis-31 North Davidson-14
WELCOME — Jonathan Efird and Josh Gray spent a lot of time together over the summer working on A.L. Brown's passing game. The effort appears to have paid off, as Efird and Gray both had career games in the Wonders' season-opening 31-14 victory Friday at North Davidson. Efird, Brown's junior quarterback, completed 7 of 11 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. Senior wideout Gray hauled in three of those passes for 128 yards and a score.
"Everybody expected us to hook up (during the season), so we worked really hard over the summer," said Efird, who threw for 401 yards and four TDs last season while backing up Sean Fortson. "We spent a lot of extra time on the field and working together in the passing leagues. Whenever you want to goof off, you don't get anything done. If you work hard, you get stuff done. After a while, it pays off in the game."
But A.L. Brown didn't rely totally on Efird and Gray — the Wonders got rushing touchdowns from Ryan Fowler and Matthew Ouellette, and the Wonders' defense stifled the Black Knights in the first half en route to a 24-8 halftime lead.
"We executed well, but it was tough for our kids," Brown head coach Ron Massey said. "They've got a new coach, and we've never seen tape on them. We had some breakdowns, but we'll work on that. It's a starting point, and it's something we can build upon. We'll go back and evaluate and see how we can get better."
The A.L. Brown defense showed some of what it could be capable of in the first half, getting to North Davidson quarterback Brett Malloy twice for safeties and holding the Knights to negative-1 yards rushing. Overall, Brown's defense finished with five sacks (two by senior Justin Miller) and forced two turnovers. Brandon Fox recovered a Malloy fumble in the first quarter, and Jordan Storey picked off Jarrett Albright's pass on North Davidson's opening drive of the second half.
"They threw some stuff at us that we couldn't practice for, but for the most part we put good pressure on them," Massey said. "We had some kids that went in there and did a good job for us tonight. You're never completely satisfied, but these are kids and they're going to make mistakes. Sometimes people put too much pressure on them, so I want them to enjoy this one. They've worked awful hard."
It was a four-minute span in the first quarter that put the Wonders solidly in command. Fowler capped a nine-play, 66-yard drive with his 4-yard run with 7:57 left, followed by Justin McCauley's sack of Malloy for a safety with 6:11 remaining. After Alex Edwards returned the Knights' free kick 41 yards to put Brown at the ND 30, the Wonders needed just five plays to extend their lead on Ouellette's 1-yard plunge with 5:05 left.
"That first quarter was pretty bad," first-year North Davidson head coach Tasker Fleming said. "We knew they would take it to us, but those three plays were pretty bad. We're pretty disappointed that we didn't execute better, but I thought that in the last half of the second quarter and the third quarter we showed signs that this team is going to be OK."
The Knights broke the shutout early in the second quarter. North stopped a potential Brown scoring drive in the red zone, then put together a 10-play, 82-yard drive capped by Albright's 1-yard QB keeper with 10:28 left. That's when Efird and Gray responded with their best hookup of the game — a 72-yard TD strike on the Wonders' second play from scrimmage.
"Everybody expected us to hook up (during the season), so we worked really hard over the summer," said Efird, who threw for 401 yards and four TDs last season while backing up Sean Fortson. "We spent a lot of extra time on the field and working together in the passing leagues. Whenever you want to goof off, you don't get anything done. If you work hard, you get stuff done. After a while, it pays off in the game."
But A.L. Brown didn't rely totally on Efird and Gray — the Wonders got rushing touchdowns from Ryan Fowler and Matthew Ouellette, and the Wonders' defense stifled the Black Knights in the first half en route to a 24-8 halftime lead.
"We executed well, but it was tough for our kids," Brown head coach Ron Massey said. "They've got a new coach, and we've never seen tape on them. We had some breakdowns, but we'll work on that. It's a starting point, and it's something we can build upon. We'll go back and evaluate and see how we can get better."
The A.L. Brown defense showed some of what it could be capable of in the first half, getting to North Davidson quarterback Brett Malloy twice for safeties and holding the Knights to negative-1 yards rushing. Overall, Brown's defense finished with five sacks (two by senior Justin Miller) and forced two turnovers. Brandon Fox recovered a Malloy fumble in the first quarter, and Jordan Storey picked off Jarrett Albright's pass on North Davidson's opening drive of the second half.
"They threw some stuff at us that we couldn't practice for, but for the most part we put good pressure on them," Massey said. "We had some kids that went in there and did a good job for us tonight. You're never completely satisfied, but these are kids and they're going to make mistakes. Sometimes people put too much pressure on them, so I want them to enjoy this one. They've worked awful hard."
It was a four-minute span in the first quarter that put the Wonders solidly in command. Fowler capped a nine-play, 66-yard drive with his 4-yard run with 7:57 left, followed by Justin McCauley's sack of Malloy for a safety with 6:11 remaining. After Alex Edwards returned the Knights' free kick 41 yards to put Brown at the ND 30, the Wonders needed just five plays to extend their lead on Ouellette's 1-yard plunge with 5:05 left.
"That first quarter was pretty bad," first-year North Davidson head coach Tasker Fleming said. "We knew they would take it to us, but those three plays were pretty bad. We're pretty disappointed that we didn't execute better, but I thought that in the last half of the second quarter and the third quarter we showed signs that this team is going to be OK."
The Knights broke the shutout early in the second quarter. North stopped a potential Brown scoring drive in the red zone, then put together a 10-play, 82-yard drive capped by Albright's 1-yard QB keeper with 10:28 left. That's when Efird and Gray responded with their best hookup of the game — a 72-yard TD strike on the Wonders' second play from scrimmage.
North Davidson Gallery
Kannapolis-55 South Rowan-0
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown slowed down at 55. Apparently, that's the speed limit at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. Brown's 55-0 victory over visiting South Rowan on Friday night was overwhelming and marked the largest margin of defeat in history for the Raiders (0-2), who have been playing football since 1961. Lots of fans came up to first-year South coach Jason Rollins and reminded him there will be better nights.
"I know that," said Rollins, trying to maintain a smile. "But I wish they'd hurry up and get here."
The only things in a hurry last night were wearing green jerseys. Seven different Wonders scored touchdowns (Matthew Ouellette had two) and two different Wonders kicked extra points. You couldn't blame first-string kicker Jordan McDaniels if he needed a water break after kicking off so often and adding PATs so frequently. South sophomore back Josh Wike definitely needed an oxygen tank after carrying 32 times for 79 yards. But you had to give it to Wike. He ran as fiercely on his 32nd attempt as his first, even when the scoreboard said it didn't matter anymore. Brown's Ron Massey made the game's best coaching decision when he elected to receive the opening kickoff after winning the coin toss. Thirteen seconds after Jamill Lott fielded that kickoff at his 13, the Wonders led 6-0. Lott didn't do anything fancy, but he took off like he'd just heard a starter's gun and galloped right down the middle of the field past all the white-shirted Raiders who were still in an upright position.
"We worked on kickoffs all week," Rollins said. "When you work on things and then it just falls down in front of you, it's frustrating. Kids are kids, and it was like a balloon popped." Their fans were really into it," Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird said. "Then Jamill's going right down the middle for however many yards. That was real big for us. It set us off."
After Brown's defense forced a punt, Jesse Gillion's 61-yard burst keyed a no-sweat, 79-yard march that pushed the lead to 14-0.
"We just couldn't stop them," Rollins said. "Their speed is unbelievable."
Brown stopped itself with penalties on its next possession, but then it got the ball on South's side of the field when lineman Justin Miller stopped Wike short of a first down on fourth-and-short. Efird's touchdown flip to Josh Gray on a drag pattern made it 21-0, and the rout was officially on. Ryan Fowler's breezy romp for a 16-yard TD late in the second quarter made it 28-0 at halftime. Massey probably would've enjoyed the evening more, but the Wonders (2-0) had a mind-boggling amount of penalties for the second straight week (15 for 148 yards) and got a huge scare when all-SPC defensive lineman Brandon Fox limped out with a hyper-extended knee. The Wonders are already minus two all-world linemen in Kevin Cano (ACL) and Kenneth Williamson (leg), although Williamson has a chance to return in about a month.
"We just can't afford any more injuries on the defensive line," Massey said. "It's hard to see Kevin and Kenneth standing their on the sideline."
Massey joined everyone in praising Brown's offensive line, which welcomed Scott Stallings back from an opening-night injury and was the dominant unit on the field.
"They've got some blocking," said South linebacker Jerek Cannon, who recorded South's only sack despite a bum ankle.They've got the perfect O-line to run what they run, and you can tell those guys did their film study." Efird agreed.
"We were running the right plays, getting our backs in the open field," he said. "Speed did the rest."
Six different Brown backs had a scamper of at least 20 yards in the second half.
"The kids' hearts are there, but the intensity just wasn't tonight," Rollins said candidly. "We took a step backwards."
"I know that," said Rollins, trying to maintain a smile. "But I wish they'd hurry up and get here."
The only things in a hurry last night were wearing green jerseys. Seven different Wonders scored touchdowns (Matthew Ouellette had two) and two different Wonders kicked extra points. You couldn't blame first-string kicker Jordan McDaniels if he needed a water break after kicking off so often and adding PATs so frequently. South sophomore back Josh Wike definitely needed an oxygen tank after carrying 32 times for 79 yards. But you had to give it to Wike. He ran as fiercely on his 32nd attempt as his first, even when the scoreboard said it didn't matter anymore. Brown's Ron Massey made the game's best coaching decision when he elected to receive the opening kickoff after winning the coin toss. Thirteen seconds after Jamill Lott fielded that kickoff at his 13, the Wonders led 6-0. Lott didn't do anything fancy, but he took off like he'd just heard a starter's gun and galloped right down the middle of the field past all the white-shirted Raiders who were still in an upright position.
"We worked on kickoffs all week," Rollins said. "When you work on things and then it just falls down in front of you, it's frustrating. Kids are kids, and it was like a balloon popped." Their fans were really into it," Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird said. "Then Jamill's going right down the middle for however many yards. That was real big for us. It set us off."
After Brown's defense forced a punt, Jesse Gillion's 61-yard burst keyed a no-sweat, 79-yard march that pushed the lead to 14-0.
"We just couldn't stop them," Rollins said. "Their speed is unbelievable."
Brown stopped itself with penalties on its next possession, but then it got the ball on South's side of the field when lineman Justin Miller stopped Wike short of a first down on fourth-and-short. Efird's touchdown flip to Josh Gray on a drag pattern made it 21-0, and the rout was officially on. Ryan Fowler's breezy romp for a 16-yard TD late in the second quarter made it 28-0 at halftime. Massey probably would've enjoyed the evening more, but the Wonders (2-0) had a mind-boggling amount of penalties for the second straight week (15 for 148 yards) and got a huge scare when all-SPC defensive lineman Brandon Fox limped out with a hyper-extended knee. The Wonders are already minus two all-world linemen in Kevin Cano (ACL) and Kenneth Williamson (leg), although Williamson has a chance to return in about a month.
"We just can't afford any more injuries on the defensive line," Massey said. "It's hard to see Kevin and Kenneth standing their on the sideline."
Massey joined everyone in praising Brown's offensive line, which welcomed Scott Stallings back from an opening-night injury and was the dominant unit on the field.
"They've got some blocking," said South linebacker Jerek Cannon, who recorded South's only sack despite a bum ankle.They've got the perfect O-line to run what they run, and you can tell those guys did their film study." Efird agreed.
"We were running the right plays, getting our backs in the open field," he said. "Speed did the rest."
Six different Brown backs had a scamper of at least 20 yards in the second half.
"The kids' hearts are there, but the intensity just wasn't tonight," Rollins said candidly. "We took a step backwards."
Kannapolis-21 Mt Pleasant-0
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown head coach Ron Massey wasn't in a very talkative mood following Friday night's game against Mount Pleasant. He was more concerned about senior wide receiver Josh Gray, who was being treated by medical personnel on the Wonders' sideline even as Brown's players were celebrating a 21-0 win over the Tigers.
"I've got a kid hurt, guys," Massey told reporters immediately after the game as he rushed over to check on the status of his star receiver.
Gray was examined by team trainers and EMTs before being transported by ambulance to Northeast Medical Center in Concord. His condition was unknown as of press time. Gray apparently suffered his injury on his last play of the game, when he scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Johnathan Efird with 3:17 remaining. Gray pulled in a short pass from Efird, then raced down the sideline before taking a hit from two Mount Pleasant defenders as he dove into the end zone. If Gray is unable to play in Brown's next game — on the road next Friday at Central Cabarrus — it would be another serious blow to the Wonders (3-0), who are already playing without all-SPC performers Kevin Cano, Kenneth Williamson and Brandon Fox. Even without those standouts, however, the Wonders' defense posted its second straight shutout. They held the winless Tigers (0-3) to just five first downs and 80 yards total offense.
"The defensive staff had a good game plan," Massey said. "They did a good job with using our personnel the best they could be used. We bent some, but we're going to do that. But we didn't give up any big plays."
The Wonders needed that kind of game from their defense because Brown had to rely on its passing game after Mount Pleasant kept its ground game in check. The Wonders managed just 70 yards rushing on 28 carries, although Matthew Ouellette did score on a 2-yard run in the second quarter that put Brown up 14-0 at the half. Efird had a career night, completing 20 of 32 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns as 10 of the Wonders' 15 first downs came off pass plays. In addition to the scoring hookup with Gray, the junior hit Jesse Gillion on a 16-yard TD pass midway through the second quarter to put the Wonders ahead.
"If you're going to respect the run, then we're going to pass," said Efird, who is 35 of 55 for 446 yards and four TDs in three games. "We've got to have a balanced offense. When you think we're going to do one thing, we're going to do the other."
Seven different players caught at least one pass.
"They weren't going to let us run the ball," Massey said, "so we saw we were going to have to throw it."
"I've got a kid hurt, guys," Massey told reporters immediately after the game as he rushed over to check on the status of his star receiver.
Gray was examined by team trainers and EMTs before being transported by ambulance to Northeast Medical Center in Concord. His condition was unknown as of press time. Gray apparently suffered his injury on his last play of the game, when he scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Johnathan Efird with 3:17 remaining. Gray pulled in a short pass from Efird, then raced down the sideline before taking a hit from two Mount Pleasant defenders as he dove into the end zone. If Gray is unable to play in Brown's next game — on the road next Friday at Central Cabarrus — it would be another serious blow to the Wonders (3-0), who are already playing without all-SPC performers Kevin Cano, Kenneth Williamson and Brandon Fox. Even without those standouts, however, the Wonders' defense posted its second straight shutout. They held the winless Tigers (0-3) to just five first downs and 80 yards total offense.
"The defensive staff had a good game plan," Massey said. "They did a good job with using our personnel the best they could be used. We bent some, but we're going to do that. But we didn't give up any big plays."
The Wonders needed that kind of game from their defense because Brown had to rely on its passing game after Mount Pleasant kept its ground game in check. The Wonders managed just 70 yards rushing on 28 carries, although Matthew Ouellette did score on a 2-yard run in the second quarter that put Brown up 14-0 at the half. Efird had a career night, completing 20 of 32 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns as 10 of the Wonders' 15 first downs came off pass plays. In addition to the scoring hookup with Gray, the junior hit Jesse Gillion on a 16-yard TD pass midway through the second quarter to put the Wonders ahead.
"If you're going to respect the run, then we're going to pass," said Efird, who is 35 of 55 for 446 yards and four TDs in three games. "We've got to have a balanced offense. When you think we're going to do one thing, we're going to do the other."
Seven different players caught at least one pass.
"They weren't going to let us run the ball," Massey said, "so we saw we were going to have to throw it."
Kannapolis-21 Central Cabarrus-13
CONCORD — Under normal circumstances, A.L. Brown's varsity football team can count on its offense to turn in a few big plays. But it was the Wonders' defense that came up big Friday night in A.L. Brown's 21-13 non-conference victory over Central Cabarrus. Derek Everhardt returned an interception for a touchdown and the Wonders' D held the Vikings in check for most of the second half to improve to 4-0.
"We talked about how our defense needed to step up and make a big play," said Everhardt, who started on Brown's defensive line in place of an injured Brandon Fox. "Our offense wasn't doing the job, so we had to put some points on the board."
Everhardt didn't count on being the guy to make the big play, but the junior was in the right place at the right time. On Central's third play from scrimmage in the second half, quarterback Luke Roberts attempted a screen pass over the middle to tight end Bubba Plott. But the pass hit Plott's hands and popped skyward. Everhardt hauled it in and raced untouched 27 yards for his first career TD return and a 14-7 Wonders lead.
"I waited for it forever," Everhardt said. "My eyes were as big as watermelons, but I knew I had some blockers. I thought I had a touchdown."
After stopping Central on three plays, Brown put together an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive capped by Ryan Fowler's 8-yard TD run to put the Wonders up 21-7. If you've got to win, sometimes you've got to win ugly," Brown head coach Ron Massey after the Wonders' 18th straight win over Central (2-2). "We can build on this and work on the mistakes we made.
"Give Central Cabarrus a lot of credit — they're a good football team. We had a couple of opportunities, but we never made that big play (on offense)."
Brown — ranked third in the state among 3A teams — was able to move the ball against the Vikings, racking up 341 yards of total offense (231 rushing, 110 passing). But the Wonders shot themselves in the foot more than once with penalties, committing 10 for 80 yards. Among those calls were three 15-yard personal fouls. Brown also saw an early scoring chance thwarted when Morgan McDaniels — who went 3-for-3 in extra-point kicks — pulled a 24-yard field goal attempt wide left, and Central picked off a Jonathan Efird pass in the second quarter that set up a TD to tie the game at 7-7.
"We're making a lot of mistakes we shouldn't be making," Massey said. We've talked about it, we've worked on it. What really bothered me was it was three seniors that did it.
"We were able to move the ball, but we weren't consistent. We've just got to get better and stop making those mistakes."
The Wonders shook off McDaniels' miss on their second possession, with Matthew Ouellette breaking loose on a 48-yard TD run with 6:37 left in the first quarter to take the lead. But Efird's second-quarter interception gave Central the ball deep in Brown territory, with Miguel Lewis' diving grab of Luke Roberts' 13-yard touchdown pass, the first score the Wonders' defense had given up in 10 quarters.
"We talked about how our defense needed to step up and make a big play," said Everhardt, who started on Brown's defensive line in place of an injured Brandon Fox. "Our offense wasn't doing the job, so we had to put some points on the board."
Everhardt didn't count on being the guy to make the big play, but the junior was in the right place at the right time. On Central's third play from scrimmage in the second half, quarterback Luke Roberts attempted a screen pass over the middle to tight end Bubba Plott. But the pass hit Plott's hands and popped skyward. Everhardt hauled it in and raced untouched 27 yards for his first career TD return and a 14-7 Wonders lead.
"I waited for it forever," Everhardt said. "My eyes were as big as watermelons, but I knew I had some blockers. I thought I had a touchdown."
After stopping Central on three plays, Brown put together an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive capped by Ryan Fowler's 8-yard TD run to put the Wonders up 21-7. If you've got to win, sometimes you've got to win ugly," Brown head coach Ron Massey after the Wonders' 18th straight win over Central (2-2). "We can build on this and work on the mistakes we made.
"Give Central Cabarrus a lot of credit — they're a good football team. We had a couple of opportunities, but we never made that big play (on offense)."
Brown — ranked third in the state among 3A teams — was able to move the ball against the Vikings, racking up 341 yards of total offense (231 rushing, 110 passing). But the Wonders shot themselves in the foot more than once with penalties, committing 10 for 80 yards. Among those calls were three 15-yard personal fouls. Brown also saw an early scoring chance thwarted when Morgan McDaniels — who went 3-for-3 in extra-point kicks — pulled a 24-yard field goal attempt wide left, and Central picked off a Jonathan Efird pass in the second quarter that set up a TD to tie the game at 7-7.
"We're making a lot of mistakes we shouldn't be making," Massey said. We've talked about it, we've worked on it. What really bothered me was it was three seniors that did it.
"We were able to move the ball, but we weren't consistent. We've just got to get better and stop making those mistakes."
The Wonders shook off McDaniels' miss on their second possession, with Matthew Ouellette breaking loose on a 48-yard TD run with 6:37 left in the first quarter to take the lead. But Efird's second-quarter interception gave Central the ball deep in Brown territory, with Miguel Lewis' diving grab of Luke Roberts' 13-yard touchdown pass, the first score the Wonders' defense had given up in 10 quarters.
Central Cabarrus Gallery
Kannapolis-22 J.M. Robinson-0
CONCORD — A.L. Brown's defense has been playing lights out lately, even with most of its defensive line starters on the bench with injuries. But after the Wonders crushed J.M. Robinson 22-0 on Friday night, they had a message to send to the rest of the teams in the South Piedmont 3A: You ain't seen nothing yet.
"When those guys come back, we're going to have a powerhouse defense," senior Justin Miller said after Brown improved to 5-0 with its third shutout of the season. We've had guys step up and fill the gaps, but when they come back, we're going to be so tough the rest (of Brown's opponents) better watch out."
The Wonders have opened with five straight wins for the second straight year and 15th time in school history despite having outstanding linemen Kevin Cano, Brandon Fox, and Kenneth Williamson — out with injuries. But in their absence, others — mainly juniors — have stepped up for Brown, and Friday's game against previously undefeated Robinson (4-1) was their best effort yet. The Wonders held the Bulldogs to minus-15 yards rushing, forced three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) and even put some points on the scoreboard themselves. Alex Edwards blocked Robinson punter Jake Wainwright's kick early in the second half, with Cordera Simmons pouncing on the ball in the end zone to put Brown up 15-0. While Bradley Clay, Robinson's freshman quarterback, threw for 127 yards, he was also sacked six times — two times each by Miller and junior lineman Scott Stallings.
"That's a credit to our defensive staff and our coaches," Wonders head coach Ron Massey said. "We tried to build some depth this season, but we had to go to those guys quicker than we wanted to. I'm proud of those guys, because they've played extremely hard."
That also took some of the pressure off Brown's offense, which has struggled to move the ball at times in its last two games. While quarterback Jonathan Efird had his worst passing game of the year, yardage-wise (9-of-20 for 100 yards), he did throw for two touchdowns. He hit Josh Gray on a 7-yard TD pass early in the second quarter to put the Wonders up 8-0, then capped Brown's scoring with an 18-yard toss to Ryan Fowler early in the fourth quarter. The Wonders also ran for 147 yards, most of that coming from three backs — Matthew Ouellette (58 yards on 10 carries), Jacques Moody (48 yards on six carries), and Fowler (43 yards on eight carries).
"Week after week after week, our defense has been outstanding, even with the reserves in there," Efird said. "Our defense was making big plays, and they were yelling at us, trying to motivate the offense to do the same thing."
The closest Robinson (4-1) came to scoring was on its first possession of the game, when the Bulldogs took advantage of a short punt and drove to Brown's 13-yard line. But the Wonders' defense stiffened.
"We talked about mistakes and how it would win or lose this game, and guess what — mistakes were the difference in this game," Robinson head coach Bobby Cloninger said. "We made mistakes that we hadn't made all year, and they were able to take advantage of them. You can't keep putting yourself behind the eight ball ... and come out on the positive end."
"When those guys come back, we're going to have a powerhouse defense," senior Justin Miller said after Brown improved to 5-0 with its third shutout of the season. We've had guys step up and fill the gaps, but when they come back, we're going to be so tough the rest (of Brown's opponents) better watch out."
The Wonders have opened with five straight wins for the second straight year and 15th time in school history despite having outstanding linemen Kevin Cano, Brandon Fox, and Kenneth Williamson — out with injuries. But in their absence, others — mainly juniors — have stepped up for Brown, and Friday's game against previously undefeated Robinson (4-1) was their best effort yet. The Wonders held the Bulldogs to minus-15 yards rushing, forced three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) and even put some points on the scoreboard themselves. Alex Edwards blocked Robinson punter Jake Wainwright's kick early in the second half, with Cordera Simmons pouncing on the ball in the end zone to put Brown up 15-0. While Bradley Clay, Robinson's freshman quarterback, threw for 127 yards, he was also sacked six times — two times each by Miller and junior lineman Scott Stallings.
"That's a credit to our defensive staff and our coaches," Wonders head coach Ron Massey said. "We tried to build some depth this season, but we had to go to those guys quicker than we wanted to. I'm proud of those guys, because they've played extremely hard."
That also took some of the pressure off Brown's offense, which has struggled to move the ball at times in its last two games. While quarterback Jonathan Efird had his worst passing game of the year, yardage-wise (9-of-20 for 100 yards), he did throw for two touchdowns. He hit Josh Gray on a 7-yard TD pass early in the second quarter to put the Wonders up 8-0, then capped Brown's scoring with an 18-yard toss to Ryan Fowler early in the fourth quarter. The Wonders also ran for 147 yards, most of that coming from three backs — Matthew Ouellette (58 yards on 10 carries), Jacques Moody (48 yards on six carries), and Fowler (43 yards on eight carries).
"Week after week after week, our defense has been outstanding, even with the reserves in there," Efird said. "Our defense was making big plays, and they were yelling at us, trying to motivate the offense to do the same thing."
The closest Robinson (4-1) came to scoring was on its first possession of the game, when the Bulldogs took advantage of a short punt and drove to Brown's 13-yard line. But the Wonders' defense stiffened.
"We talked about mistakes and how it would win or lose this game, and guess what — mistakes were the difference in this game," Robinson head coach Bobby Cloninger said. "We made mistakes that we hadn't made all year, and they were able to take advantage of them. You can't keep putting yourself behind the eight ball ... and come out on the positive end."
Kannapolis-21 Sun Valley-28
KANNAPOLIS — Despite opening the season with five straight wins and earning a No. 1 ranking in 3A, A.L. Brown head coach Ron Massey warned people that the Wonders really hadn't been really tested yet. Brown found that test Friday night against Sun Valley, and it was the Spartans who got the passing grade in a 28-21 upset victory over the Wonders in their SPC opener. Justin Campbell ripped through Brown's defense for a season-high 202 rushing yards and two touchdowns as Sun Valley (5-1, 1-0) beat the Wonders for the first time in 17 tries.
"We hadn't been challenged this year, and I knew they were going to challenge us," Massey said. "Give them credit — they executed, and they put us on our heels in the first half. They made some big plays, and they controlled the first half."
Brown never led in Friday's game, but it did fight back to tie the game twice — at 14-all on Ryan Fowler's 4-yard run and Josh Gray's two-point conversion pass from Jonathan Efird late in the second quarter; and at 21-all with 6:06 left in the third quarter on Efird's 30-yard TD pass to Gray. But each time the Spartans — more precisely Campbell — responded. At 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, Campbell capped a seven-play, 63-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run 34 seconds before halftime for a 21-14 lead. After Brown tied the score again, Campbell broke loose on a 9-yard TD run with 2:21 left in the third quarter to put Sun Valley ahead for good.
"Wow, what a great game for him," Spartans head coach Scott Stein said of Campbell, who had 129 yards in the first half. "Our offensive line really opened up the holes."
And kept the Wonders defense — which had 17 sacks in their its five games — off quarterback Cory Smith. Smith threw for 144 yards and one score (a 6-yarder to Jeff Hammer) on 11-of-19 passing and was only hurried into a third-quarter interception. Despite Sun Valley's solid offensive play, the Wonders mounted a late rally after getting the ball back with 1:19 remaining. Efird went 6-of-8 to move Brown to the SV 15-yard line with nine seconds left. After a delay penalty pushed the Wonders back 5 yards, Efird hit Gray on an 18-yard pass to put the ball at the SV 2 with one second remaining. But Brown's last chance at tying the score slipped away when an Efird pass tipped off the fingertips of a diving Zach Massey in the corner of the end zone, setting off a celebration on the Spartans sideline. The loss kept Brown from opening with six straight wins for the 14th time in school history and should cost the Wonders their No. 1 ranking, which they had received three days earlier. It also puts Brown in a hole as it attempts to defend its SPC title. The Wonders (5-1, 0-1) are tied with Parkwood and Porter Ridge at the bottom of the conference standings with a road game against Anson County coming up next week.
"It's tough starting the conference off with a loss," Coach Massey said, "but we've got a long way to go."
"We hadn't been challenged this year, and I knew they were going to challenge us," Massey said. "Give them credit — they executed, and they put us on our heels in the first half. They made some big plays, and they controlled the first half."
Brown never led in Friday's game, but it did fight back to tie the game twice — at 14-all on Ryan Fowler's 4-yard run and Josh Gray's two-point conversion pass from Jonathan Efird late in the second quarter; and at 21-all with 6:06 left in the third quarter on Efird's 30-yard TD pass to Gray. But each time the Spartans — more precisely Campbell — responded. At 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, Campbell capped a seven-play, 63-yard drive with a 10-yard TD run 34 seconds before halftime for a 21-14 lead. After Brown tied the score again, Campbell broke loose on a 9-yard TD run with 2:21 left in the third quarter to put Sun Valley ahead for good.
"Wow, what a great game for him," Spartans head coach Scott Stein said of Campbell, who had 129 yards in the first half. "Our offensive line really opened up the holes."
And kept the Wonders defense — which had 17 sacks in their its five games — off quarterback Cory Smith. Smith threw for 144 yards and one score (a 6-yarder to Jeff Hammer) on 11-of-19 passing and was only hurried into a third-quarter interception. Despite Sun Valley's solid offensive play, the Wonders mounted a late rally after getting the ball back with 1:19 remaining. Efird went 6-of-8 to move Brown to the SV 15-yard line with nine seconds left. After a delay penalty pushed the Wonders back 5 yards, Efird hit Gray on an 18-yard pass to put the ball at the SV 2 with one second remaining. But Brown's last chance at tying the score slipped away when an Efird pass tipped off the fingertips of a diving Zach Massey in the corner of the end zone, setting off a celebration on the Spartans sideline. The loss kept Brown from opening with six straight wins for the 14th time in school history and should cost the Wonders their No. 1 ranking, which they had received three days earlier. It also puts Brown in a hole as it attempts to defend its SPC title. The Wonders (5-1, 0-1) are tied with Parkwood and Porter Ridge at the bottom of the conference standings with a road game against Anson County coming up next week.
"It's tough starting the conference off with a loss," Coach Massey said, "but we've got a long way to go."
Sun Valley Gallery
Kannapolis-21 Anson County-7
WADESBORO — "Revenge" was the word yelled by A.L. Brown players after a huge 21-7 SPC victory over Anson County on Friday night in Wadesboro. Offensive line star Scott Stallings called the win "payback and revenge" for last year's 6-3 loss to the Bearcats on homecoming night at Kannapolis' Memorial Stadium. O-linemen Craige "Scooter" Grant echoed Stallings' sentiments, exclaiming, "Payback, baby!" Ryan Fowler's 73- yard touchdown run with 51 seconds left in the contest sealed the deal for the Wonders, who were coming off a loss to Sun Valley.
"We lined up to just run the clock out," Fowler said. "I couldn't believe that hole opened like that. I got a good lead block from Scott (Stallings), and I was gone."
The victory over the eighth-ranked Bearcats (5-2, 1-1) puts A.L. Brown at 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the SPC.
"This game was pivotal for our season," Brown coach Ron Massey said.
Both Brown and Anson opened the game with three straight punts. Little offensive movement took place until Anson was called for roughing the passer late in the second quarter to give the Wonders a first down at Anson's 16-yard-line. With five seconds left in the half and the ball at the Anson 3, Massey gambled and went for a touchdown. Matthew Ouellette dove off tackle into the end zone to give the Wonders a 7-0 lead going into the locker room at halftime. Anson fought back to tie the game with a 36-yard TD pass with 7:17 left in the game, but the Wonders answered with an 83-yard drive for a go-ahead score. The key play was a 21-yard completion from Jonathan Efird to Josh Gray on fourth-and-12 to move the ball to the Anson 15. On the next play, Fowler scored to make it 14-7. Brown held Anson on its final possession to seal the victory. Brown amassed 237 yards on the ground with Fowler delivering a career-best 184 yards on 13 carries.
"I was surprised how well we were able to run the ball," a pleased Massey said.
Brown, which avoided losing back-to-back league games for the first time in 21 seasons, is home against SPC opponent Porter Ridge next week.
"We lined up to just run the clock out," Fowler said. "I couldn't believe that hole opened like that. I got a good lead block from Scott (Stallings), and I was gone."
The victory over the eighth-ranked Bearcats (5-2, 1-1) puts A.L. Brown at 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the SPC.
"This game was pivotal for our season," Brown coach Ron Massey said.
Both Brown and Anson opened the game with three straight punts. Little offensive movement took place until Anson was called for roughing the passer late in the second quarter to give the Wonders a first down at Anson's 16-yard-line. With five seconds left in the half and the ball at the Anson 3, Massey gambled and went for a touchdown. Matthew Ouellette dove off tackle into the end zone to give the Wonders a 7-0 lead going into the locker room at halftime. Anson fought back to tie the game with a 36-yard TD pass with 7:17 left in the game, but the Wonders answered with an 83-yard drive for a go-ahead score. The key play was a 21-yard completion from Jonathan Efird to Josh Gray on fourth-and-12 to move the ball to the Anson 15. On the next play, Fowler scored to make it 14-7. Brown held Anson on its final possession to seal the victory. Brown amassed 237 yards on the ground with Fowler delivering a career-best 184 yards on 13 carries.
"I was surprised how well we were able to run the ball," a pleased Massey said.
Brown, which avoided losing back-to-back league games for the first time in 21 seasons, is home against SPC opponent Porter Ridge next week.
Anson County Gallery
Kannapolis-44 Porter Ridge-22
KANNAPOLIS — Showing no signs of slowing down after last week's huge road win, A.L. Brown rolled over South Piedmont conference foe Porter Ridge 44-22 on Friday. Brown amassed 468 yards of offense while leading from start to finish. The Wonders improved to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the SPC with a homecoming victory. Porter Ridge (1-7, 0-3) tried stopping Brown's running game by putting eight and nine players in the box, but to no avail. Paced by Ryan Fowler's 99 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns, the Wonders rushed for 277 yards. Coming into the game, A.L. Brown coach Ron Massey was confident the Wonders could run the ball.
"We came into the game with few running plays," he said, "and our offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage."
On the opening drive of the game, Brown needed only three plays and 66 seconds to score. Fowler capped the drive with a 12-yard run to make it 7-0. Morgan McDaniels added his first field goal of the year to make it 10-0 going into the second quarter. Fearing the game would spiral out of control, Porter Ridge called on the old "Invisible Man" play. Wide Receiver Troy Battie appeared to have run off the field on the trick play, but he stopped short of the sideline and was left wide open. Cameron Jones hit a wide-open Battie to close the gap to 10-6. Brown tacked on two more rushing touchdowns before the end of the half, but Porter Ridge wouldn't roll over. With time running out in the second quarter, quarterback Cameron Jones threw his second touchdown pass to Marquise Allen, who jumped over a Wonder defender to pull the ball in and score as time expired in the half. Porter Ridge went into the locker room only down 23-14. To open the second half, Brown's defense played vintage Wonder football and forced the Pirates three-and-out on their first possession. The Wonders then rolled 72 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 33-yard pass from Jonathan Efird to Josh Gray. Two fourth-quarter interceptions by the Wonders sealed the deal at Memorial Stadium.
"I was disappointed in our kicking game," Massey said. "You ain't always going to win pretty, but a win is a win."
Next week, the Wonders travel to Concord's Bailey Stadium for the annual "Battle for the Bell."
"We came into the game with few running plays," he said, "and our offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage."
On the opening drive of the game, Brown needed only three plays and 66 seconds to score. Fowler capped the drive with a 12-yard run to make it 7-0. Morgan McDaniels added his first field goal of the year to make it 10-0 going into the second quarter. Fearing the game would spiral out of control, Porter Ridge called on the old "Invisible Man" play. Wide Receiver Troy Battie appeared to have run off the field on the trick play, but he stopped short of the sideline and was left wide open. Cameron Jones hit a wide-open Battie to close the gap to 10-6. Brown tacked on two more rushing touchdowns before the end of the half, but Porter Ridge wouldn't roll over. With time running out in the second quarter, quarterback Cameron Jones threw his second touchdown pass to Marquise Allen, who jumped over a Wonder defender to pull the ball in and score as time expired in the half. Porter Ridge went into the locker room only down 23-14. To open the second half, Brown's defense played vintage Wonder football and forced the Pirates three-and-out on their first possession. The Wonders then rolled 72 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 33-yard pass from Jonathan Efird to Josh Gray. Two fourth-quarter interceptions by the Wonders sealed the deal at Memorial Stadium.
"I was disappointed in our kicking game," Massey said. "You ain't always going to win pretty, but a win is a win."
Next week, the Wonders travel to Concord's Bailey Stadium for the annual "Battle for the Bell."
Kannapolis-20 Concord-42
CONCORD — Ask anyone in Cabarrus County about the "Bell Game," and he or she will tell you records mean nothing. That was definitely the case Friday at Concord's Bailey Stadium as the Spiders steamrolled the ninth-ranked Wonders 42-20 to take back the most coveted prize in Cabarrus County. Things looked good for the Wonders early as their defense forced a three-and-out on Concord's first possession. Brown started with excellent field position on the Concord 42 and scored in 13 plays. Matthew Ouellette got the TD on a 1-yard run. After that, disaster struck, starting with a blocked PAT. Then the Spiders drove 57 yards in eight plays to take a 7-6 lead. The drive was helped by three personal fouls against the Wonders, leading to the ejection of Brown linebacker Cordera Simmons. A.L. Brown (7-2, 2-2) would take its next drive 74 yards on 13 plays.
The drive was culminated by a 20-yard TD pass from Jonathan Efird to Jesse Gillion. Efird would finish the night with 180 yards passing and two touchdowns. But Concord (5-3, 3-0 SPC) would go on to score on two of its last three drives of the first half and never looked back. Friday the 13th would rear its ugly head at halftime as the entire stadium went black due to a power outage, resulting in a 45-minute delay. With Concord facing third- -and-10 from the Wonder 16, Concord quarterback Dee Bost threw a pass into the end zone that was tipped and intercepted by the Wonders. However, a pass interference penalty negated the interception and gave Concord new life. Two plays later "Mike-Mike" Moore powered into the end zone from the 4-yard-line for the second of his three touchdowns. Concord coach E.Z. Smith was understandably excited after the game
"I told our seniors, this is your last chance to beat Kannapolis," he said. " They really came out and played hard and played smart."
The Wonders try to regroup at home Friday against Parkwood, while Concord, now on top in the SPC, plays Sun Valley.
The drive was culminated by a 20-yard TD pass from Jonathan Efird to Jesse Gillion. Efird would finish the night with 180 yards passing and two touchdowns. But Concord (5-3, 3-0 SPC) would go on to score on two of its last three drives of the first half and never looked back. Friday the 13th would rear its ugly head at halftime as the entire stadium went black due to a power outage, resulting in a 45-minute delay. With Concord facing third- -and-10 from the Wonder 16, Concord quarterback Dee Bost threw a pass into the end zone that was tipped and intercepted by the Wonders. However, a pass interference penalty negated the interception and gave Concord new life. Two plays later "Mike-Mike" Moore powered into the end zone from the 4-yard-line for the second of his three touchdowns. Concord coach E.Z. Smith was understandably excited after the game
"I told our seniors, this is your last chance to beat Kannapolis," he said. " They really came out and played hard and played smart."
The Wonders try to regroup at home Friday against Parkwood, while Concord, now on top in the SPC, plays Sun Valley.
Kannapolis-35 Parkwood-25
KANNAPOLIS — After a humbling loss in the annual "Battle for the Bell" with Concord, A.L. Brown stormed back to defeat SPC foe Parkwood 35-25 at Memorial Stadium on Friday. The Wonders rebounded with 260 rushing yards. Senior Ryan Fowler showed the way with 115 yards and two scores. The Wonders only needed three plays to get on the board, striking for six points when Jonathan Efird hit Josh Gray down the left sideline for a 67-yard connection with 8:20 left in the first period. The Wonders' defense held Parkwood to two first downs in the first half and only 49 total yards. The Wonders had almost as many yards in penalties (45) in the first half as the Rebels had offensive yardage. Efird came out in the second half doing damage on the ground instead of through the air. He sprinted 50 yards on the Wonders' first drive of the half to set up a 7-yard touchdown jaunt by Ryan Fowler that extended the lead to 21-0. Efird finished the game with 211 total yards and two touchdown aerials. Parkwood would take advantage of a depleted Wonders' secondary for its first score. Quarterback Josh Bolick hit Garret McClendon for a 50-yard completion as a defender slipped to the turf. After Parkwood added a 37- yard field goal, Brown would score again, but not exactly as coach Ron Massey drew it up. Efird's 8-yard pass to Jesse Gillion was fumbled, but the ball bounced into Gray's hands, and he streaked 57 yards for a touchdown. With Brown senior safety Alex Edwards hurt, Parkwood (5-4, 1-3) accumulated 193 yards through the air. McClendon racked up 88 yards on only two catches. The Wonders extended their record to 8-2 overall. They are 3-2 in the SPC.
Parkwood Gallery
Kannapolis-31 Piedmont-12
UNIONVILLE - A.L. Brown's best offense Friday night was its defense. The Wonders' defense scored the first touchdown, plus created turnovers that set up the next three scoring drives as Kannapolis cruised to a 31-12 victory over Piedmont in South Piedmont Conference action. By winning, the Wonders tied for second place with Anson County and Sun Valley as the regular season ended. The Wonders' first touchdown was a 17-yard interception return by Billy Similton. When Piedmont moved to the Wonders' 12-yard line, Cordera Simmons, Kenneth Williamson and Justin Miller made defensive stops. A 42-yard field goal attempt fell way short of its target ending the scoring threat. Kannapolis (4-2, 9-2) then went on its own long march. Kannapolis converted a fake punt deep in its own territory to fuel the drive. Inside the 25, punter Eddie Silavong overcame a fourth-and-7 with a 12-yard gain as he took an option pitch from the upback Jamil Lott. "They overload a lot and try to block punts and have been successful," said Kannapolis coach Ron Massey. "Our upback made the call, we didn't call it from the sidelines, and they executed it." But the Wonders' drive eventually ended fruitlessly with a fumble.
Then the Kannapolis defense took over. First, linebacker Justin McCauley sacked the quarterback and separated him from the football. The Wonders recovered the fumble at the Panthers' 19. One play later, Efird connected with tight end Josh Posey for a touchdown. The Wonders led 14-0, with 2:30 remaining. Then Lott intercepted a pass and returned the ball 27 yards to the Piedmont 43. With 95 seconds to work with, Efird moved the Wonders down to the 14 with three completions in six attempts. Morgan McDaniels kicked a 32-yard field goal (his second successful attempt of the season) to put the Wonders in front 17-0.
"I was glad that the defense scored first," Efird said. "We were slow, because we were off last week. That got us out to a good jump start and then we were able to score as well."
The Wonders stayed with the same recipe for success in the third quarter. Despite running only four offensive plays, they were able to continue to pull away from the Panthers. Silavong intercepted a pass, but the Wonders were forced to punt. Piedmont moved to the 9, but Simmons returned an interception 57 yards. One play later, tailback Matthew Ouellette took a handoff off right tackle, broke a tackle and weaved his way through the secondary for a 37-yard touchdown run.
"Our defensive line got some pressure on the quarterback and our secondary came up with some big interceptions," Massey said. "Offensively, when we had to make some plays, we made them. We just weren't real consistent."
Lott entered the game as a back-up to Efird in the fourth quarter. He tacked on another touchdown on a quarterback draw. Lott showed sprinter's speed as he found a seam in the defensive line and quickly burst past the secondary and into the endzone. Kannapolis will move on to first round playoff action next week.
"We got to rest some starters and some people who were hurt," said Efird. "Hopefully, they'll come back strong next week. We don't know who we have next week, but we'll be ready."
Then the Kannapolis defense took over. First, linebacker Justin McCauley sacked the quarterback and separated him from the football. The Wonders recovered the fumble at the Panthers' 19. One play later, Efird connected with tight end Josh Posey for a touchdown. The Wonders led 14-0, with 2:30 remaining. Then Lott intercepted a pass and returned the ball 27 yards to the Piedmont 43. With 95 seconds to work with, Efird moved the Wonders down to the 14 with three completions in six attempts. Morgan McDaniels kicked a 32-yard field goal (his second successful attempt of the season) to put the Wonders in front 17-0.
"I was glad that the defense scored first," Efird said. "We were slow, because we were off last week. That got us out to a good jump start and then we were able to score as well."
The Wonders stayed with the same recipe for success in the third quarter. Despite running only four offensive plays, they were able to continue to pull away from the Panthers. Silavong intercepted a pass, but the Wonders were forced to punt. Piedmont moved to the 9, but Simmons returned an interception 57 yards. One play later, tailback Matthew Ouellette took a handoff off right tackle, broke a tackle and weaved his way through the secondary for a 37-yard touchdown run.
"Our defensive line got some pressure on the quarterback and our secondary came up with some big interceptions," Massey said. "Offensively, when we had to make some plays, we made them. We just weren't real consistent."
Lott entered the game as a back-up to Efird in the fourth quarter. He tacked on another touchdown on a quarterback draw. Lott showed sprinter's speed as he found a seam in the defensive line and quickly burst past the secondary and into the endzone. Kannapolis will move on to first round playoff action next week.
"We got to rest some starters and some people who were hurt," said Efird. "Hopefully, they'll come back strong next week. We don't know who we have next week, but we'll be ready."
"Playoffs"
Kannapolis-26 Mooresville-6
MOORESVILLE — If A.L. Brown's coaches and players were disappointed in the Wonders' seeding in the state 3AA playoffs, they sure didn't talk about it. Instead, Brown showed that it was better than a No. 9 seed on the field against Mooresville, holding the Blue Devils in check for a 26-6 victory Friday night. Josh Gray had a career night with eight catches for 156 yards and a touchdown, and Ryan Fowler ran for 107 yards and TDs of 47 and 5 yards as the Wonders (10-2) advanced to the second round for the 10th consecutive season. There, A.L. Brown will face defending state 3AA champ and No. 1 seed Charlotte Catholic (10-2) — a 53-33 winner over 16th-seeded St. Stephens on Friday — in a rematch of last year's Western Regional final. Wonders head coach Ron Massey said he wasn't thinking ahead to a possible rematch with the Cougars, but he did tell his players in their postgame meeting that they now had a chance at "payback."
"I didn't have Charlotte Catholic on my mind at all, and my kids didn't have them on their minds," Massey said. "At least, I hope they didn't."
Sorry, coach. Some of the Wonders were thinking ahead, just a little bit, to facing the team that ended Brown's run at a third state championship last year with a 28-3 win.
"Oh yeah, it was in the back of our minds," senior defensive lineman Justin Miller said. "You don't know how big that game is to us. We want it to be a different story this year. We call it our chance for redemption.
"We were ready for them physically, but mentally they did stuff we hadn't seen before and that's what got us. This year, we want it to be different. We want to show them what this No. 9 seed can do."
Ah, yes, the No. 9 seed — the product of the NCHSAA's playoff seeding system. The Blue Devils (5-7) got their No. 8 seed thanks to a tiebreaker after finishing in a three-way tie for third place with North Iredell and Northwest Cabarrus in the NPC. Meanwhile, despite a better record, the Wonders were seeded one spot lower after losing out in the tiebreaker with Anson County and Sun Valley to break a tie for second in the SPC.
"We felt like we got a little cheated in the rankings," Gray said. "But that's OK now — we know who we've got to get through next. (Catholic) got us last year up there and beat us pretty bad. Now we're going to go back there and finish our business."
And Gray and quarterback Jonathan Efird — who threw for 188 yards on 10-of-16 passing — were all business Friday against Mooresville. The Blue Devils' 3-5 defense was geared more towards trying to stop the run, leaving Mooresville's safeties and cornerbacks to face Brown's receivers — primarily Gray — in 1-on-1 coverage. He hauled in a 20-yard TD pass from Efird in the second quarter to give Brown a 13-0 halftime lead, had a 57-yard catch in the third quarter to set up Michael Ouellette's 2-yard scoring run, and had a 50-yard TD catch — which featured at least two spin moves that left Mooresville defenders grasping for air — called back on a penalty in the fourth quarter.
"(The man-to-man coverage) was a big mistake," Gray said. "I felt like they couldn't guard me all game, so I went out and did what I could do. We didn't have a good week in practice, so we wanted to go out and establish ourselves."
The Wonders' defense did that from the opening whistle, holding Mooresville to just seven first downs and 165 yards of total offense. Brown was on pace for its fourth shutout of the season and first since mid-September until the final seconds of the game, when Blue Devils quarterback Sam Allen bulled in from 6 yards out as time expired.
"It's big for us to go on the road and win," Massey said. "While our defense gave up some yards, they didn't let them in the end zone in the first half. It'd have been great to get the shutout, but nobody's going to remember that — they're going to remember we made it to the second round."
"I didn't have Charlotte Catholic on my mind at all, and my kids didn't have them on their minds," Massey said. "At least, I hope they didn't."
Sorry, coach. Some of the Wonders were thinking ahead, just a little bit, to facing the team that ended Brown's run at a third state championship last year with a 28-3 win.
"Oh yeah, it was in the back of our minds," senior defensive lineman Justin Miller said. "You don't know how big that game is to us. We want it to be a different story this year. We call it our chance for redemption.
"We were ready for them physically, but mentally they did stuff we hadn't seen before and that's what got us. This year, we want it to be different. We want to show them what this No. 9 seed can do."
Ah, yes, the No. 9 seed — the product of the NCHSAA's playoff seeding system. The Blue Devils (5-7) got their No. 8 seed thanks to a tiebreaker after finishing in a three-way tie for third place with North Iredell and Northwest Cabarrus in the NPC. Meanwhile, despite a better record, the Wonders were seeded one spot lower after losing out in the tiebreaker with Anson County and Sun Valley to break a tie for second in the SPC.
"We felt like we got a little cheated in the rankings," Gray said. "But that's OK now — we know who we've got to get through next. (Catholic) got us last year up there and beat us pretty bad. Now we're going to go back there and finish our business."
And Gray and quarterback Jonathan Efird — who threw for 188 yards on 10-of-16 passing — were all business Friday against Mooresville. The Blue Devils' 3-5 defense was geared more towards trying to stop the run, leaving Mooresville's safeties and cornerbacks to face Brown's receivers — primarily Gray — in 1-on-1 coverage. He hauled in a 20-yard TD pass from Efird in the second quarter to give Brown a 13-0 halftime lead, had a 57-yard catch in the third quarter to set up Michael Ouellette's 2-yard scoring run, and had a 50-yard TD catch — which featured at least two spin moves that left Mooresville defenders grasping for air — called back on a penalty in the fourth quarter.
"(The man-to-man coverage) was a big mistake," Gray said. "I felt like they couldn't guard me all game, so I went out and did what I could do. We didn't have a good week in practice, so we wanted to go out and establish ourselves."
The Wonders' defense did that from the opening whistle, holding Mooresville to just seven first downs and 165 yards of total offense. Brown was on pace for its fourth shutout of the season and first since mid-September until the final seconds of the game, when Blue Devils quarterback Sam Allen bulled in from 6 yards out as time expired.
"It's big for us to go on the road and win," Massey said. "While our defense gave up some yards, they didn't let them in the end zone in the first half. It'd have been great to get the shutout, but nobody's going to remember that — they're going to remember we made it to the second round."
Mooresville Gallery
Kannapolis-21 Charlotte Catholic-36
CHARLOTTE A.L. Brown's run through the 3AA playoffs came to an abrupt end Friday night, as top-seeded Charlotte Catholic rallied from a 14-point deficit for a 36-21 win. The Wonders, making their 10th straight appearance in the second round of the playoffs, were looking to move into the third round for the second straight year and the 10th time since joining the NCHSAA in the late 1970s. Behind quarterback Jonathan Efird and wideout Josh Gray, ninth-seeded Brown (10-3) grabbed the early momentum and raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first half at Catholic's Keffer Stadium.Efird, a junior, threw for a career-high 325 yards and two touchdowns, completing 22 of 32 attempts with two interceptions. Gray, a senior, caught 13 passes for 176 yards (both career bests) and one TD, a 2-yarder in the first quarter that put Brown ahead 7-0. And the momentum was clearly on the Wonders' side after Torrey Benjamin got his hands on Catholic punter Ryan Brzycki's punt in the second quarter, with Justin Miller falling on the ball for a touchdown and a 14-0 Brown lead. The defending state champion Cougars, however, grabbed the momentum back in the third quarter, taking advantage of a series of Wonders mistakes and turnovers to score twice in a 1:28 span early in the quarter. Shrine Bowl selection Ben Herlocker ran for two touchdowns, including a 7-yard run with 9:43 left in the third quarter for Catholic's first score, and Wes Stringfield broke loose on a 34-yard TD run with 8:15 left one play after the Cougars recovered a Gray fumble.
"The momentum did swing, but that's part of the playoffs," Wonders head coach Ron Massey said. "We knew it was going to be tough playing here, and they made some plays. I'm very proud of our kids' effort ... (but) we never could get our momentum going (in the second half). Every time we did, something would happen we'd get a flag or turn the ball over."
After a pair of touchdowns left the score tied at 21-21 Efird hit Jesse Gillion on a 20-yard TD pass with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter, while CC's Chris Grady hauled in a 7-yard TD pass from Connor Gavigan four minutes later one play shifted the momentum squarely back to the Cougars' side. On the ensuing kickoff, Brown return specialist Jamil Lott had the ball stripped from his hands by Catholic's Jeff Levasseur, who raced untouched 21 yards to give the Cougars (11-2) their first lead of the game.
"This was just a good, hard-fought game," Catholic coach Jim Oddo said. "We probably caught a few breaks, but we'll take it."
Brown had a chance to tie the score again, driving to near midfield before Tucker Windle picked off Efird's pass. Herlocker then broke loose on a 20-yard scoring run on Catholic's first play from scrimmage. The Cougars sealed the win when Christian Culicerto snared an Efird pass intended for Gray in the end zone with 59 seconds remaining. The Wonders squandered several scoring opportunities, getting stopped twice at the Catholic 1-yard line and once at the 2.
"It's very tough accepting this, especially after we had the lead at halftime," Efird said. "This was very frustrating. ... To be down at the 1-yard line twice and not come away with anything, you've got to cry because we feel like we should've come away from here with a win."
"The momentum did swing, but that's part of the playoffs," Wonders head coach Ron Massey said. "We knew it was going to be tough playing here, and they made some plays. I'm very proud of our kids' effort ... (but) we never could get our momentum going (in the second half). Every time we did, something would happen we'd get a flag or turn the ball over."
After a pair of touchdowns left the score tied at 21-21 Efird hit Jesse Gillion on a 20-yard TD pass with 7:29 left in the fourth quarter, while CC's Chris Grady hauled in a 7-yard TD pass from Connor Gavigan four minutes later one play shifted the momentum squarely back to the Cougars' side. On the ensuing kickoff, Brown return specialist Jamil Lott had the ball stripped from his hands by Catholic's Jeff Levasseur, who raced untouched 21 yards to give the Cougars (11-2) their first lead of the game.
"This was just a good, hard-fought game," Catholic coach Jim Oddo said. "We probably caught a few breaks, but we'll take it."
Brown had a chance to tie the score again, driving to near midfield before Tucker Windle picked off Efird's pass. Herlocker then broke loose on a 20-yard scoring run on Catholic's first play from scrimmage. The Cougars sealed the win when Christian Culicerto snared an Efird pass intended for Gray in the end zone with 59 seconds remaining. The Wonders squandered several scoring opportunities, getting stopped twice at the Catholic 1-yard line and once at the 2.
"It's very tough accepting this, especially after we had the lead at halftime," Efird said. "This was very frustrating. ... To be down at the 1-yard line twice and not come away with anything, you've got to cry because we feel like we should've come away from here with a win."
"2006 Gallery"
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MTG Photo Images © Mike Grier 2006
(704) 796-7860
MTG Photo Images © Mike Grier 2006
(704) 796-7860