"2007 Wonder Football Scrapbook"
2007 South Piedmont Conference Champions
2007 Season Results
Kannapolis 7 Central Cabarrus 6
Kannapolis 29 South Rowan 17 Kannapolis 26 Mooresville 9 Kannapolis 28 Sun Valley 10 Kannapolis 21 Anson County 24 Kannapolis 56 Marvin Ridge 7 Kannapolis 48 Parkwood 21 Kannapolis 56 Piedmont 10 Kannapolis 35 Hickory Ridge 0 Kannapolis 66 Porter Ridge 8 Kannapolis 45 Concord 25 Playoffs 1st Kannapolis 31 St. Stephens 7 2nd Kannapolis 14 Charlotte Catholic 19 |
2007 Athletic Program
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2007 Season Preview
Kannapolis Citizen
Kannapolis-7 Central Cabarrus-6
KANNAPOLIS — Even though A.L. Brown's season opener against Central Cabarrus went in the books as a win, there was plenty about that game the Wonders would like to forget. In fact, head coach Ron Massey even made up a word to describe Brown's 7-6 victory over the Vikings on Friday night at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium.
"That win was ugly with two u's," Massey said after the Wonders' fourth consecutive season-opening win. "We learned a lot about some of our players tonight ... and we're going to have to go back to the drawing board on some things."
Brown struggled to get its offense and special teams on track, especially in the first half, when the Wonders managed just two first downs and saw a bad snap on an attempted punt set up Central's only score. But A.L. Brown managed to take advantage of a Vikings miscue late in the second quarter to take the lead, then saw its defense come through in the second half by keeping Central Cabarrus out of the Wonders side of the field.
"Our defense was what I thought won this game for us," senior linebacker Kenneth Yates said. "We were out there a lot ... but our defense played really good. I was really surprised. People were worried about our defense ... saying we don't have any depth or don't know how we're going to fill a couple of positions. But our defense came through today."
Yates, however, made the miscue that set up Central's only score. Lined up to punt after Brown's second series, he went down on one knee to field a low snap — essentially ending the play before he could get off the kick.
"I'm a baseball player, so I went down to get in front of it," Yates said. "I've never punted before, so I really didn't think about it. When they blew the whistle, I didn't know what to think at first ... but my knee was down."
That gave the Vikings the ball at the Brown 21-yard line, with senior back D.J. Moore needing just six carries — capped by a three-yard TD run with 10:45 left in the second quarter — to put Central in the lead. Dakota Dimon's extra-point kick was blocked, leaving the score 6-0. Another special teams miscue helped put the Wonders back in the game, beginning when a Brown punt bounced off the leg of CC returner Jamarcrius Little, with T.J. Johnson picking up the ball. Initially, that play appeared to have backfired on Brown — Johnson lost the ball after getting hit from behind — but game officials ruled that because a fumbled kick cannot be advanced by the recovering team, the ball remained with the Wonders.
"We knew about that rule," Massey said. "In fact, the same thing happened to us in a playoff game a few years ago."
Brown took advantage, with a 48-yard breakaway by Johnathan Williams — who finished with a game-high 83 yards rushing — and Morgan McDaniel's extra-point kick putting the Wonders in the lead. Central gave Brown a scare late in the second quarter, driving to the Wonders 6 with one second left. But Dimon's 23-yard field goal attempt went low.
"That win was ugly with two u's," Massey said after the Wonders' fourth consecutive season-opening win. "We learned a lot about some of our players tonight ... and we're going to have to go back to the drawing board on some things."
Brown struggled to get its offense and special teams on track, especially in the first half, when the Wonders managed just two first downs and saw a bad snap on an attempted punt set up Central's only score. But A.L. Brown managed to take advantage of a Vikings miscue late in the second quarter to take the lead, then saw its defense come through in the second half by keeping Central Cabarrus out of the Wonders side of the field.
"Our defense was what I thought won this game for us," senior linebacker Kenneth Yates said. "We were out there a lot ... but our defense played really good. I was really surprised. People were worried about our defense ... saying we don't have any depth or don't know how we're going to fill a couple of positions. But our defense came through today."
Yates, however, made the miscue that set up Central's only score. Lined up to punt after Brown's second series, he went down on one knee to field a low snap — essentially ending the play before he could get off the kick.
"I'm a baseball player, so I went down to get in front of it," Yates said. "I've never punted before, so I really didn't think about it. When they blew the whistle, I didn't know what to think at first ... but my knee was down."
That gave the Vikings the ball at the Brown 21-yard line, with senior back D.J. Moore needing just six carries — capped by a three-yard TD run with 10:45 left in the second quarter — to put Central in the lead. Dakota Dimon's extra-point kick was blocked, leaving the score 6-0. Another special teams miscue helped put the Wonders back in the game, beginning when a Brown punt bounced off the leg of CC returner Jamarcrius Little, with T.J. Johnson picking up the ball. Initially, that play appeared to have backfired on Brown — Johnson lost the ball after getting hit from behind — but game officials ruled that because a fumbled kick cannot be advanced by the recovering team, the ball remained with the Wonders.
"We knew about that rule," Massey said. "In fact, the same thing happened to us in a playoff game a few years ago."
Brown took advantage, with a 48-yard breakaway by Johnathan Williams — who finished with a game-high 83 yards rushing — and Morgan McDaniel's extra-point kick putting the Wonders in the lead. Central gave Brown a scare late in the second quarter, driving to the Wonders 6 with one second left. But Dimon's 23-yard field goal attempt went low.
Kannapolis-29 South Rowan-17
LANDIS — The scoreboard clock ticked to zeroes, and A.L. Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird gently patted the helmets of two South Rowan Raiders who had collapsed on the field in a mixture of exhaustion, deflation and frustration. Efird was showing respect for a team that's come far in a short time. Last season, it was hard for the Wonders (2-0) to keep from laughing out loud during a 55-0, men-against-boys walk in the park. This time it was a struggle. The Raiders' powerful defensive interior — Kelsey Robinson and Delon Adams — often battered the Wonders' injury-riddled offensive line, and Brown's 29-17 victory wasn't secure until Efird calmly flipped his third TD pass late in the fourth quarter.
"I'm tired, cramping and happy," Efird said. "We knew it would be a very tough game coming over here, and we knew they really believed they had a chance. And they really did have a chance to beat us."
South (0-2) brought fierce emotion to the backyard fracas, starting with its players bounding down the concrete steps through home stands packed with screaming fans, and with roaring motorcycles circling in anticipation of an upset. That fire led to amazing feats such as 51-yard field goal by Lucas Soares, one of the longest in county history.
"People are yelling at me, 'No way' and the coaches up top are asking, 'Are you sure want to kick it?' " South coach Jason Rollins said of Soares' soaring boot that split the uprights with 5 yards to spare. But I knew he'd do it. He's improved so much from last year, and that gives us a whole lot more scoring options."
But the Wonders are used to winning — they beat South for the 22nd time in the last 24 meetings — and their poise, a block of a 45-yard field goal attempt by Soares and big plays by Efird made the difference. Brown's defense was tremendous, holding South without a first down in the first or third quarters.
South's defense also stood tall, especially in the first half.
"The coaches tell us to stop 'em and get the ball back, and we've done that the last two weeks," lineman Blake Beach said. "We did a lot of really good things on defense."
Pressure from Gary Weaver forced a key third-down incompletion by Efird, and a short missed field goal by Brown kept things scoreless in a tense first quarter. Brown won the field-position battle and used a short field to score in the second quarter. Efird's 12-yard pass to Atrell Louis got six points. But Robinson's punishing hit on Efird on a pass attempt resulted in an interception by Raider freshman Mark McDaniel, and South was in business. The pick led to Soares' stunning field goal that cut South's deficit to 6-3 . South finally earned its initial first down on a 12-yard completion from quarterback Blake Houston to fellow sophomore B.J. Grant with 3:56 left in the first half. The Raiders finished the drive and took a 10-6 halftime lead when Josh Wike sped around the right corner for an 11-yard score.
"We have momentum at halftime, but all of a sudden the gates just open for them in the third quarter," Rollins said. "We are better now, but we've got to learn to finish games. Our defense, I'd stack it up against any in the county or the conference, but we gave up 29 points tonight. Too many."
Efird took charge beginning with Brown's second possession of the second half. The veteran's slick 40-yard shuttle pass to Louis ignited a drive and his 10-yard pass to tight end Zach Massey put the Wonders on top 13-10 with 5:48 left in the third quarter. On Brown's next chance, South stacked up an inside run on first-and-10 from the South 49, but Efird still had the ball. The only player on the right side of the field for quite a while, Efird chugged 47 yards before McDaniel chased him down at the 2.
"They all crashed in, so I read it and pulled the ball back," said Efird, who threw for 219 yards. "I heard them all screaming that they've got us for a 2-yard loss. But I've still got the ball and I'm running for my life."
That key play set up a TD burst by Louis for a 20-10 lead. Brown tacked on a safety, but Cedarreus Mason's fumble recovery led to a TD run by Donterio Glaspy, and South inched within 22-17 with 3:55 left to play. Kenneth Yates recovered the ensuing onside kick for the Wonders, and Efird clinched the win with his 43-yard scoring strike to Terrance Johnson on third-and-6 with 2:11 left. Johnson was running free in the secondary and waving like he was hailing a cab.
"I was looking for a tight end," Efird said. "Then I saw Terrance had his arm up. All I had to do was lob it and give him a chance to catch it."
*
"I'm tired, cramping and happy," Efird said. "We knew it would be a very tough game coming over here, and we knew they really believed they had a chance. And they really did have a chance to beat us."
South (0-2) brought fierce emotion to the backyard fracas, starting with its players bounding down the concrete steps through home stands packed with screaming fans, and with roaring motorcycles circling in anticipation of an upset. That fire led to amazing feats such as 51-yard field goal by Lucas Soares, one of the longest in county history.
"People are yelling at me, 'No way' and the coaches up top are asking, 'Are you sure want to kick it?' " South coach Jason Rollins said of Soares' soaring boot that split the uprights with 5 yards to spare. But I knew he'd do it. He's improved so much from last year, and that gives us a whole lot more scoring options."
But the Wonders are used to winning — they beat South for the 22nd time in the last 24 meetings — and their poise, a block of a 45-yard field goal attempt by Soares and big plays by Efird made the difference. Brown's defense was tremendous, holding South without a first down in the first or third quarters.
South's defense also stood tall, especially in the first half.
"The coaches tell us to stop 'em and get the ball back, and we've done that the last two weeks," lineman Blake Beach said. "We did a lot of really good things on defense."
Pressure from Gary Weaver forced a key third-down incompletion by Efird, and a short missed field goal by Brown kept things scoreless in a tense first quarter. Brown won the field-position battle and used a short field to score in the second quarter. Efird's 12-yard pass to Atrell Louis got six points. But Robinson's punishing hit on Efird on a pass attempt resulted in an interception by Raider freshman Mark McDaniel, and South was in business. The pick led to Soares' stunning field goal that cut South's deficit to 6-3 . South finally earned its initial first down on a 12-yard completion from quarterback Blake Houston to fellow sophomore B.J. Grant with 3:56 left in the first half. The Raiders finished the drive and took a 10-6 halftime lead when Josh Wike sped around the right corner for an 11-yard score.
"We have momentum at halftime, but all of a sudden the gates just open for them in the third quarter," Rollins said. "We are better now, but we've got to learn to finish games. Our defense, I'd stack it up against any in the county or the conference, but we gave up 29 points tonight. Too many."
Efird took charge beginning with Brown's second possession of the second half. The veteran's slick 40-yard shuttle pass to Louis ignited a drive and his 10-yard pass to tight end Zach Massey put the Wonders on top 13-10 with 5:48 left in the third quarter. On Brown's next chance, South stacked up an inside run on first-and-10 from the South 49, but Efird still had the ball. The only player on the right side of the field for quite a while, Efird chugged 47 yards before McDaniel chased him down at the 2.
"They all crashed in, so I read it and pulled the ball back," said Efird, who threw for 219 yards. "I heard them all screaming that they've got us for a 2-yard loss. But I've still got the ball and I'm running for my life."
That key play set up a TD burst by Louis for a 20-10 lead. Brown tacked on a safety, but Cedarreus Mason's fumble recovery led to a TD run by Donterio Glaspy, and South inched within 22-17 with 3:55 left to play. Kenneth Yates recovered the ensuing onside kick for the Wonders, and Efird clinched the win with his 43-yard scoring strike to Terrance Johnson on third-and-6 with 2:11 left. Johnson was running free in the secondary and waving like he was hailing a cab.
"I was looking for a tight end," Efird said. "Then I saw Terrance had his arm up. All I had to do was lob it and give him a chance to catch it."
*
South Rowan Gallery
Kannapolis-29 Mooresville-26
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown's coaching staff had expected big things out of junior running back Artrelle Louis this season. So had Louis, but his first two games on the Wonders' varsity squad weren't exactly the ones he'd cut out and put in his scrapbook. Friday night's game against Mooresville was a little more memorable, as Louis erupted for three touchdowns and Brown got a key turnover late to beat the Blue Devils 29-26. Louis ran for a career-best 103 yards and one touchdown, but it was his other two scores that were memorable — nearly identical kickoff returns of 86 yards on the first play of the game, and an 87-yarder in the third quarter.
"I've got to thank the blockers for those," said Louis, who had scored only one touchdown entering Friday's game. "I've been kinda tense — I did big things in JV last year, and when I moved up to the varsity I had a lot of expectations. I put too much pressure on myself, but the coaches told me to calm down, relax and get loose, and good things will happen."
Louis had just 60 yards rushing in his prior two starts, including a 12-carry, eight-yard performance in Brown's 29-17 win over South Rowan the week before. That prompted head coach Ron Massey to employ a little "coaching technique" with Louis during the Wonders' practices leading into Friday's game.
"I got on him a little this week, because I know what he can do," Massey said. "He works so hard at practice ... but I told him that tonight, he had to turn it loose. Those two kickoff returns, they looked like instant replay ... but it was a great football game."
However, Brown — now 3-0 entering next week's South Piedmont Conference opener at Sun Valley — needed a big break late in Friday's game to remain undefeated. Mooresville (1-1) had just gone ahead 26-22 with 8:43 left on Jamel Allison's second touchdown catch — this one a 37-yarder from Jon Crucitti — of the second half, and had forced the Wonders to punt on their next possession. But Blue Devils return specialist Antron Parker muffed the catch, with Zach Massey pouncing on the loose ball to give Brown possession near midfield with 6:20 remaining. The Wonders moved the ball into Mooresville's red zone on a 40-yard wideout option pass from T.J. Johnson to Dominique Norris to put the ball at the Blue Devils' 5-yard line. Terrance Johnson's 2-yard plunge and Morgan McDaniel's third extra-point kick of the night then put Brown ahead to stay.
"You take out those three mistakes — the two kickoff returns and the dropped punt, and we were in pretty good shape," Mooresville head coach Barclay Marsh said. "I'm proud of our kids because they've got a good football team, but we've got to correct these blunders. If we do that, we'll be okay."
The Wonders also had to deal with the Blue Devils' offense, which piled up 312 yards behind Allison (four catches for 65 yards and two TDs) and Jjshaun Pinkston, who broke loose for a season-high 211 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Pinkston's scores came on his first two touches — he broke loose for a 65-yard score just seconds after Louis' first kickoff return, then added a 51-yarder on Mooresville's next possession to put the Blue Devils ahead 12-7.
"They stung us early, but our defense held in there," Massey said. "It put us in shock a little bit, because nobody had done that to us. That guy is an exceptional running back, and they're big up front. It took us a while to adjust to that."
But the Wonders went ahead 15-12 with 8:03 left in the second quarter, with Louis' 16-yard TD run and Jonathan Efird's two-point conversion run capping a eight-play, 59-yard drive. Mooresville went back ahead 19-15 on the first play of the fourth quarter when Allison pulled in a 16-yard TD pass from Nathan Abraham, only to see Louis respond with his second kickoff return for a score to push Brown back ahead 22-19. After the Wonders' went back ahead following Johnson's TD run, the Blue Devils had one last chance to score, getting a key 18-yard keeper by Crucitti on fourth-and-6 to put the ball at the Brown 39 with two minutes remaining. But the Wonders' defense came through in the clutch, stopping Pinkston for no gain and forcing an incompletion. Brown lineman Fred Glenn then sacked Crucitti on back-to-back plays to end the drive.
"We did a lot of things wrong tonight," Massey said. "But the kids are playing hard and they're believing."
"I've got to thank the blockers for those," said Louis, who had scored only one touchdown entering Friday's game. "I've been kinda tense — I did big things in JV last year, and when I moved up to the varsity I had a lot of expectations. I put too much pressure on myself, but the coaches told me to calm down, relax and get loose, and good things will happen."
Louis had just 60 yards rushing in his prior two starts, including a 12-carry, eight-yard performance in Brown's 29-17 win over South Rowan the week before. That prompted head coach Ron Massey to employ a little "coaching technique" with Louis during the Wonders' practices leading into Friday's game.
"I got on him a little this week, because I know what he can do," Massey said. "He works so hard at practice ... but I told him that tonight, he had to turn it loose. Those two kickoff returns, they looked like instant replay ... but it was a great football game."
However, Brown — now 3-0 entering next week's South Piedmont Conference opener at Sun Valley — needed a big break late in Friday's game to remain undefeated. Mooresville (1-1) had just gone ahead 26-22 with 8:43 left on Jamel Allison's second touchdown catch — this one a 37-yarder from Jon Crucitti — of the second half, and had forced the Wonders to punt on their next possession. But Blue Devils return specialist Antron Parker muffed the catch, with Zach Massey pouncing on the loose ball to give Brown possession near midfield with 6:20 remaining. The Wonders moved the ball into Mooresville's red zone on a 40-yard wideout option pass from T.J. Johnson to Dominique Norris to put the ball at the Blue Devils' 5-yard line. Terrance Johnson's 2-yard plunge and Morgan McDaniel's third extra-point kick of the night then put Brown ahead to stay.
"You take out those three mistakes — the two kickoff returns and the dropped punt, and we were in pretty good shape," Mooresville head coach Barclay Marsh said. "I'm proud of our kids because they've got a good football team, but we've got to correct these blunders. If we do that, we'll be okay."
The Wonders also had to deal with the Blue Devils' offense, which piled up 312 yards behind Allison (four catches for 65 yards and two TDs) and Jjshaun Pinkston, who broke loose for a season-high 211 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Pinkston's scores came on his first two touches — he broke loose for a 65-yard score just seconds after Louis' first kickoff return, then added a 51-yarder on Mooresville's next possession to put the Blue Devils ahead 12-7.
"They stung us early, but our defense held in there," Massey said. "It put us in shock a little bit, because nobody had done that to us. That guy is an exceptional running back, and they're big up front. It took us a while to adjust to that."
But the Wonders went ahead 15-12 with 8:03 left in the second quarter, with Louis' 16-yard TD run and Jonathan Efird's two-point conversion run capping a eight-play, 59-yard drive. Mooresville went back ahead 19-15 on the first play of the fourth quarter when Allison pulled in a 16-yard TD pass from Nathan Abraham, only to see Louis respond with his second kickoff return for a score to push Brown back ahead 22-19. After the Wonders' went back ahead following Johnson's TD run, the Blue Devils had one last chance to score, getting a key 18-yard keeper by Crucitti on fourth-and-6 to put the ball at the Brown 39 with two minutes remaining. But the Wonders' defense came through in the clutch, stopping Pinkston for no gain and forcing an incompletion. Brown lineman Fred Glenn then sacked Crucitti on back-to-back plays to end the drive.
"We did a lot of things wrong tonight," Massey said. "But the kids are playing hard and they're believing."
Mooresville Gallery
Kannapolis-28 Sun Valley-10
A.L. Brown's defense dominated as the Wonders whipped Sun Valley 28-10 in a key SPC matchup Friday night in Indian Trail. Brown's defense forced six punts and limited the Spartans to nine first downs and 193 total yards. The Wonders (4-0, 1-0) trailed 10-7 at halftime but took control with defensive stops and a punishing ground game keyed by Artrelle Louis, who finished with 17 carries for 133 yards.
"We stayed in the same formation the whole second half with two tight ends and just ran over them," A.L. Brown offensive coordinator Kirkley Russell said.
Brown finished with 243 rushing yards on 41 attempts. Sun Valley (3-1, 0-1) was limited to 23 yards on 18 rushing tries. A.L. Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird rushed for 50 yards and threw for 81. Efird connected with T.J. Johnson on a 20-yard scoring strike to give the Wonders the early lead. Sun Valley controlled the rest of the first half, scoring on Andy Capone's touchdown pass and a field goal. Brown regained the lead on Efird's 1-yard sneak in the third quarter and stretched its advantage to 21-10 when Louis broke a 33-yard scoring run. Johnathan Williams' 15-yard burst in the fourth quarter capped the scoring.
"That second half was the best half we've played since I've been here," Russell said.
The Wonders avenged last year's loss to Sun Valley at Memorial Stadium, their only loss ever to the Spartans.
"We stayed in the same formation the whole second half with two tight ends and just ran over them," A.L. Brown offensive coordinator Kirkley Russell said.
Brown finished with 243 rushing yards on 41 attempts. Sun Valley (3-1, 0-1) was limited to 23 yards on 18 rushing tries. A.L. Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird rushed for 50 yards and threw for 81. Efird connected with T.J. Johnson on a 20-yard scoring strike to give the Wonders the early lead. Sun Valley controlled the rest of the first half, scoring on Andy Capone's touchdown pass and a field goal. Brown regained the lead on Efird's 1-yard sneak in the third quarter and stretched its advantage to 21-10 when Louis broke a 33-yard scoring run. Johnathan Williams' 15-yard burst in the fourth quarter capped the scoring.
"That second half was the best half we've played since I've been here," Russell said.
The Wonders avenged last year's loss to Sun Valley at Memorial Stadium, their only loss ever to the Spartans.
Sun Valley Gallery
Kannapolis-21 Anson County-24
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown spotted an opponent a lead for the fifth straight week, and this time the Wonders couldn't pull the game out. Anson County beat the Wonders 24-21 for a key SPC victory at soggy Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Some Brown fans were angry receiver Colby Reid was whistled down late in the game when he appeared to spin off Anson tacklers for a potential game-winning TD, but the Wonders could find the blame for losing this one by looking in the big mirrors in their own locker room.
"We definitely didn't help ourselves any," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "We never had field position, and I was disappointed in a couple of situations where we had key penalties."
Brown (4-1, 1-1) lost the turnover battle 6-1. That stat was the difference. The Wonders also incurred two devastating penalties on special teams. A roughing-the-kicker infraction when Anson was punting on fourth-and-16 from its 28 triggered a game-turning scoring drive by the Bearcats in the third quarter. Brown was also penalized on an Anson kickoff return after the Wonders had taken a 21-17 lead late in the game. That flag appeared to be for showing emotion after the tackle. That's interpreted as taunting this season. That handkerchief provided the Bearcats with the field position that helped them punch in the winning score, and it's not like quick quarterback Dennis Rorie and company needed much help.Standout Brown linebacker Terrance Johnson played his heart out, then bawled his eyes out.
"Their quarterback's fast, and it came down to just a few big plays," said Johnson, a sophomore. "We shoulda scored more, but we also shoulda stopped 'em a lot more. Now it's a loss."
Brown's O-line and a defense that limited Anson to three first downs controlled the first half. Brown's Artrelle Louis lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage to hand Anson a quick field goal. After that, it was all Wonders. Louis galloped through huge gaps and produced a 15-yard scoring burst. Jonathan Efird's 20-yard TD pass to Zach Massey made it 14-3 Wonders at the break. But Anson coach Tim McMahon, a Catawba graduate, electrified his team at halftime. McMahon switched his offense from a double-wing to the I-formation and turned to Patrick Polk to move the ball, and his Bearcats stopped getting hit in the backfield. Anson's defense also picked things up. No major technical adjustments. Just more desire.
"That first half, a great football team came out and punched us in the mouth," McMahon said. "We didn't do much right, but we were able to hang in the game. Then the second half our kids decided to play harder and play better. We got more people to the ball on defense, and then that big pass play ignited us."
The big pass play was Rorie's 48-yard connection to Marshall Little, which cut Brown's lead to 14-10 early in the second half. Then the roughing-the-kicker penalty fueled an 80-yard march for a 17-14 Anson edge. After Dominique Norris fumbled on what would have been a first-down reception on Brown's next possession, the Wonders were in real trouble. Still, Brown led again when Efird hit Norris, running free down the right sideline, for a 56-yard touchdown. Brown led 21-17 with 3:17 left.
"After that, I thought we had it, thought we had all the momentum back," Efird said. "But you can't assume."
The penalty on the kickoff return gave Anson good field position. Then a trick play, with Rorie catching a third-and-10 throwback pass for 22 yards, set up Rorie's decisive 19-yard TD pass to Little. Brown pushed hard the last two minutes and reached Anson's 20, but Willis Ingram's pick ended the threat.
"We definitely didn't help ourselves any," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "We never had field position, and I was disappointed in a couple of situations where we had key penalties."
Brown (4-1, 1-1) lost the turnover battle 6-1. That stat was the difference. The Wonders also incurred two devastating penalties on special teams. A roughing-the-kicker infraction when Anson was punting on fourth-and-16 from its 28 triggered a game-turning scoring drive by the Bearcats in the third quarter. Brown was also penalized on an Anson kickoff return after the Wonders had taken a 21-17 lead late in the game. That flag appeared to be for showing emotion after the tackle. That's interpreted as taunting this season. That handkerchief provided the Bearcats with the field position that helped them punch in the winning score, and it's not like quick quarterback Dennis Rorie and company needed much help.Standout Brown linebacker Terrance Johnson played his heart out, then bawled his eyes out.
"Their quarterback's fast, and it came down to just a few big plays," said Johnson, a sophomore. "We shoulda scored more, but we also shoulda stopped 'em a lot more. Now it's a loss."
Brown's O-line and a defense that limited Anson to three first downs controlled the first half. Brown's Artrelle Louis lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage to hand Anson a quick field goal. After that, it was all Wonders. Louis galloped through huge gaps and produced a 15-yard scoring burst. Jonathan Efird's 20-yard TD pass to Zach Massey made it 14-3 Wonders at the break. But Anson coach Tim McMahon, a Catawba graduate, electrified his team at halftime. McMahon switched his offense from a double-wing to the I-formation and turned to Patrick Polk to move the ball, and his Bearcats stopped getting hit in the backfield. Anson's defense also picked things up. No major technical adjustments. Just more desire.
"That first half, a great football team came out and punched us in the mouth," McMahon said. "We didn't do much right, but we were able to hang in the game. Then the second half our kids decided to play harder and play better. We got more people to the ball on defense, and then that big pass play ignited us."
The big pass play was Rorie's 48-yard connection to Marshall Little, which cut Brown's lead to 14-10 early in the second half. Then the roughing-the-kicker penalty fueled an 80-yard march for a 17-14 Anson edge. After Dominique Norris fumbled on what would have been a first-down reception on Brown's next possession, the Wonders were in real trouble. Still, Brown led again when Efird hit Norris, running free down the right sideline, for a 56-yard touchdown. Brown led 21-17 with 3:17 left.
"After that, I thought we had it, thought we had all the momentum back," Efird said. "But you can't assume."
The penalty on the kickoff return gave Anson good field position. Then a trick play, with Rorie catching a third-and-10 throwback pass for 22 yards, set up Rorie's decisive 19-yard TD pass to Little. Brown pushed hard the last two minutes and reached Anson's 20, but Willis Ingram's pick ended the threat.
Kannapolis-56 Marvin Ridge-7
WAXHAW - Coach Bruce Hardin has seen many an impressive performance by the A.L. Brown High Wonders. But for the latest one, Hardin, now the head coach of first-year school Marvin Ridge High, was on the other side of it. Building a huge first-half lead, the Wonders rolled to a 56-7 South Piedmont 3A victory Friday night at Marvin Ridge. The Wonders’ lead had already grown to 21-0 with 7.1 seconds left in the first quarter when fullback Johnathan Williams broke a dive play up the middle for a 39-yard touchdown.
“After a tough loss last week we were worried that we might not have the focus we need,” said Wonders coach Ron Massey. “But I thought our intensity and focus in the first half was very good and I thought we played real well. And it was good that we were able to play a lot of people. We’ve been in a lot of close games so far and hadn’t been able to do that.”
Touchdown runs of 13 yards by backup fullback Landon Morgan and four yards by starting tailback Artrelle Louis staked the Wonders (4-1, 2-1 SPC) to a 35-0 halftime lead. As for Hardin, who guided the Wonders to two 3A state championships in 11 seasons, the loss drops his first-year Mavericks program to 1-4, with the only win coming against 1A CATA.
“It’s hard,” said Hardin of facing Kannapolis. “It’s hard when you know how tough they are and what they go through. Right now we are just trying to teach our kids that the game is played fast and hard. We’ve got a lot of uphill battles here and we’re just trying to get a commitment going. But it’s pretty tough when you are starting nine ninth graders.”
Coming off last week’s tough loss to Anson, Massey was particularly pleased with the Wonders’ execution and efficiency. It took only three plays from scrimmage for the Wonders to take a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard pass from quarterback Jonathan Efird, who was four-for-four for 70 yards, to flanker T.J. Johnson. Massey ran six different backs as the Wonders totaled 361 yards rushing on only 33 attempts.
“I was glad to get all those guys in because they come to practice and work hard too,” said Massey. “And it always helps to get the younger guys in there.”
Quincy Kennedy led the Wonders with 127 yards on seven carries while senior backup Andrew Seagraves added 88 on a team-high nine carries while Morgan added 32 on four with two touchdowns. However, Massey tried to make sure the loss for Hardin’s team did not reach outlandish proportions. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Massey had placekicker Morgan McDaniel, who was eight-for-eight on PATs, attempt a 25-yard field goal on second down. The Wonders did get their final score when Kennedy broke loose for a 77-yard touchdown with 8:52 left to play to make it 56-7.
“Bruce has been on the other side of it a lot and I think he understands,” said Massey. “You know those kids come out and work hard practicing and I’m not going to tell them to lay down.”After recovering a muffed punt by the Wonders, the Mavericks did get on the board late in the third quarter on a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Seth Boyce to wideout Adam Remme to make it 49-7.
“After a tough loss last week we were worried that we might not have the focus we need,” said Wonders coach Ron Massey. “But I thought our intensity and focus in the first half was very good and I thought we played real well. And it was good that we were able to play a lot of people. We’ve been in a lot of close games so far and hadn’t been able to do that.”
Touchdown runs of 13 yards by backup fullback Landon Morgan and four yards by starting tailback Artrelle Louis staked the Wonders (4-1, 2-1 SPC) to a 35-0 halftime lead. As for Hardin, who guided the Wonders to two 3A state championships in 11 seasons, the loss drops his first-year Mavericks program to 1-4, with the only win coming against 1A CATA.
“It’s hard,” said Hardin of facing Kannapolis. “It’s hard when you know how tough they are and what they go through. Right now we are just trying to teach our kids that the game is played fast and hard. We’ve got a lot of uphill battles here and we’re just trying to get a commitment going. But it’s pretty tough when you are starting nine ninth graders.”
Coming off last week’s tough loss to Anson, Massey was particularly pleased with the Wonders’ execution and efficiency. It took only three plays from scrimmage for the Wonders to take a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard pass from quarterback Jonathan Efird, who was four-for-four for 70 yards, to flanker T.J. Johnson. Massey ran six different backs as the Wonders totaled 361 yards rushing on only 33 attempts.
“I was glad to get all those guys in because they come to practice and work hard too,” said Massey. “And it always helps to get the younger guys in there.”
Quincy Kennedy led the Wonders with 127 yards on seven carries while senior backup Andrew Seagraves added 88 on a team-high nine carries while Morgan added 32 on four with two touchdowns. However, Massey tried to make sure the loss for Hardin’s team did not reach outlandish proportions. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Massey had placekicker Morgan McDaniel, who was eight-for-eight on PATs, attempt a 25-yard field goal on second down. The Wonders did get their final score when Kennedy broke loose for a 77-yard touchdown with 8:52 left to play to make it 56-7.
“Bruce has been on the other side of it a lot and I think he understands,” said Massey. “You know those kids come out and work hard practicing and I’m not going to tell them to lay down.”After recovering a muffed punt by the Wonders, the Mavericks did get on the board late in the third quarter on a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Seth Boyce to wideout Adam Remme to make it 49-7.
Marvin Ridge Gallery
Kannapolis-48 Parkwood-21
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird's first pass on Friday was a slider that tailed down and away from a receiver close enough to shake hands with him. Efird's second pass was air mail — 15 feet over a receiver's head. Head coach Ron Massey gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to fling his white ballcap like a Frisbee.
"Jonathan throws that first screen 99 miles an hour," Massey said. "And I'm thinking 'Well, it might be one of those nights.' "
It was one of those nights, but in the other direction. Despite the shaky start, Efird set a record for a program that has featured legendary signal-callers such as Dan Dayvault, Ethan Horton, Maurice Blakeney and Justin Hardin. The husky senior threw five touchdown passes in the Wonders' 48-21 SPC victory over visiting Parkwood. Efird, who was also responsible for Brown's other touchdown when he scored on a sneak, was 12-for-20 for 206 yards.
"That first pass doesn't always indicate what the rest of the night's going to be like," Efird said. "Guess I've waited all my life for a game like this. I felt like Brett Favre out there. It's a night I'll always remember."
The only memories the Wonders made early were bad. Massey said the Wonders (6-1, 3-1 SPC) were concerned about Parkwood QB Garrett Horne's passing. Instead, they discovered Parkwood back Jesse Davis wasn't going to let himself be arm-tackled. Davis rambled for TDs on Parkwood's first two possessions, and the Wonders were playing catch-up right away. No big deal. Brown's trailed every opponent this season except Marvin Ridge. Efird's sneak finished a 65-yard drive. His first TD aerial was mostly a jump ball. T.J. Johnson made a great catch to bring the Wonders even at 14-14. The game turned Brown's way in the second quarter when Brad Bass and Dwayne Stroud put heat on Horne and forced a hurried pass that was picked off by linebacker Chris Moore. Moore returned to the Parkwood 37 and set up Efird's finest play of the night. Efird sprinted left and was crushed by a Parkwood defender as he threw toward Dominique Norris, who was racing down the left sideline. Efird never saw the strike he threw for a touchdown.
"It was a cool because I was trying to peek at what was happening from down on the ground," Efird said. "But you just have to wait to see which side of the stadium goes off. It felt good when I heard our side yell."
Just 12 seconds before halftime, Efird struck again, drilling a 13-yard pass to tight end Zach Massey for a 28-14 halftime lead. Wonders got a stern halftime lecture about the lead they let slip away against Anson County in the previous game at Memorial Stadium. Those words hit home, but Davis got rolling again to start the second half. He set up a TD to pull Parkwood within 28-21. After that, it was all Wonders. Parkwood's last four possessions didn't go anywhere.
"The big difference between the teams was supposed to be on the lines," said Bass, a beast who knocked two Rebels out of the game on one series. "In the second half we just started out-physicaling their guys. Mostly though, we've got to hand this one to our offense. They carried us."
Efird's fourth TD pass came on Brown's second offensive play of the second half. Norris was running free, and Efird didn't miss him. The play covered 54 yards and made it 35-21. Early in the fourth quarter, Efird hit another tight end, Jacob Newman, for a 6-yard score. That gave Efird TD passes on five straight possessions. Artrelle Louis rushed for 108 yards to pace Brown's ground game, but the night belonged to Efird. Brown is a run-first team, so Efird's season numbers aren't gaudy. But he showed what he can do when the defense invites the Wonders to throw.
"The nice thing about Efird is no matter how great things are going or how bad things are going, his demeanor never changes," Massey said. He's hard to rattle."
*
"Jonathan throws that first screen 99 miles an hour," Massey said. "And I'm thinking 'Well, it might be one of those nights.' "
It was one of those nights, but in the other direction. Despite the shaky start, Efird set a record for a program that has featured legendary signal-callers such as Dan Dayvault, Ethan Horton, Maurice Blakeney and Justin Hardin. The husky senior threw five touchdown passes in the Wonders' 48-21 SPC victory over visiting Parkwood. Efird, who was also responsible for Brown's other touchdown when he scored on a sneak, was 12-for-20 for 206 yards.
"That first pass doesn't always indicate what the rest of the night's going to be like," Efird said. "Guess I've waited all my life for a game like this. I felt like Brett Favre out there. It's a night I'll always remember."
The only memories the Wonders made early were bad. Massey said the Wonders (6-1, 3-1 SPC) were concerned about Parkwood QB Garrett Horne's passing. Instead, they discovered Parkwood back Jesse Davis wasn't going to let himself be arm-tackled. Davis rambled for TDs on Parkwood's first two possessions, and the Wonders were playing catch-up right away. No big deal. Brown's trailed every opponent this season except Marvin Ridge. Efird's sneak finished a 65-yard drive. His first TD aerial was mostly a jump ball. T.J. Johnson made a great catch to bring the Wonders even at 14-14. The game turned Brown's way in the second quarter when Brad Bass and Dwayne Stroud put heat on Horne and forced a hurried pass that was picked off by linebacker Chris Moore. Moore returned to the Parkwood 37 and set up Efird's finest play of the night. Efird sprinted left and was crushed by a Parkwood defender as he threw toward Dominique Norris, who was racing down the left sideline. Efird never saw the strike he threw for a touchdown.
"It was a cool because I was trying to peek at what was happening from down on the ground," Efird said. "But you just have to wait to see which side of the stadium goes off. It felt good when I heard our side yell."
Just 12 seconds before halftime, Efird struck again, drilling a 13-yard pass to tight end Zach Massey for a 28-14 halftime lead. Wonders got a stern halftime lecture about the lead they let slip away against Anson County in the previous game at Memorial Stadium. Those words hit home, but Davis got rolling again to start the second half. He set up a TD to pull Parkwood within 28-21. After that, it was all Wonders. Parkwood's last four possessions didn't go anywhere.
"The big difference between the teams was supposed to be on the lines," said Bass, a beast who knocked two Rebels out of the game on one series. "In the second half we just started out-physicaling their guys. Mostly though, we've got to hand this one to our offense. They carried us."
Efird's fourth TD pass came on Brown's second offensive play of the second half. Norris was running free, and Efird didn't miss him. The play covered 54 yards and made it 35-21. Early in the fourth quarter, Efird hit another tight end, Jacob Newman, for a 6-yard score. That gave Efird TD passes on five straight possessions. Artrelle Louis rushed for 108 yards to pace Brown's ground game, but the night belonged to Efird. Brown is a run-first team, so Efird's season numbers aren't gaudy. But he showed what he can do when the defense invites the Wonders to throw.
"The nice thing about Efird is no matter how great things are going or how bad things are going, his demeanor never changes," Massey said. He's hard to rattle."
*
Kannapolis-56 Piedmont-10
UNIONVILLE - Had it been flag football, A.L. Brown running back Artrelle Louis would likely still have had a big night. But it was tackle football, and Louis ended up with a phenomenal night. Running virtually untouched, Louis led the Wonders to a 56-10 South Piedmont 3A win over Piedmont Friday night at Piedmont High. The Wonders (7-1 overall, 4-1 SPC) piled up an incredible 498 yards total offense - in the first half - on the way to a 49-3 halftime lead.
“When you have someone like Artrelle Louis making 90-yard runs, it is pretty easy to do that,” said Wonders coach Ron Massey of his team’s monster first half. “We wanted to stay focused, and having the week off you always worry about that type of thing. But I thought our guys did a great job doing that.”
But thanks to Louis, there was never a worry. On the game’s first play from scrimmage, the 6-foot, 180-pound junior broke through the right side of the Wonders offensive line and sprinted virtually untouched for a 68-yard touchdown run and 7-0 lead. Louis repeated the feat on Kannapolis’ next offensive play, taking a sweep to the right and going - again virtually untouched - 89 yards to make it 14-0 only 3:30 into the contest. With 3:25 left in the first half, Louis, this time totally untouched on another sweep to the right, went 91 yards for a touchdown and 42-3 lead. That was his final carry on the night. The numbers for Louis were a gaudy three carries for 242 yards.
“That was the best game I have ever had...anywhere,” said Louis. “But I give 95 percent of the credit to other people. The offensive line and the coaches do a lot of great things to help plays like that happen.”
Kannapolis also scored in the first quarter on an 86-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Efird to Jamill Lott to make it 21-0. Thanks to those three plays, winless Piedmont (0-8, 0-5) did not tackle a Wonder player on a play from scrimmage until stopping back Quincy Kennedy on a five-yard run in the final 30 seconds of the first quarter.
“Obviously,” said Massey, “our athletic speed was the big thing tonight.”
That speed was certainly helped by the return of Lott, who came back from a collarbone injury to see his first action of the season. Lott started at free safety and also moved in at a wideout for injured Dominique Norris.
“It was good to see him get back in there and make a big play on offense and see him out there running around on defense,” said Massey of Lott. “But Dominique has been a real plus for us at wide receiver this year, so to lose him it makes it even better to get Jamill back.”
The Wonders also got first-half touchdowns on a seven-yard run by Kennedy, a 23-yard pass from Efird to backup tight end Jacob Newman and a 79-yard catch and run by fullback Johnathan Williams after taking a pass in the flat on the final play of the half from backup quarterback Gary Tunnell. The Wonders’ final score of the game came on a 55-yard interception return in the third quarter by Xavier Watson. Piedmont was able to get on the board reasonably early by recovering a muffed punt by the Wonders at the Kannapolis 11. Three plays later Panther kicker Michael Larsson booted a 27-yard field goal to pull Piedmont within 21-3 with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.
“When you have someone like Artrelle Louis making 90-yard runs, it is pretty easy to do that,” said Wonders coach Ron Massey of his team’s monster first half. “We wanted to stay focused, and having the week off you always worry about that type of thing. But I thought our guys did a great job doing that.”
But thanks to Louis, there was never a worry. On the game’s first play from scrimmage, the 6-foot, 180-pound junior broke through the right side of the Wonders offensive line and sprinted virtually untouched for a 68-yard touchdown run and 7-0 lead. Louis repeated the feat on Kannapolis’ next offensive play, taking a sweep to the right and going - again virtually untouched - 89 yards to make it 14-0 only 3:30 into the contest. With 3:25 left in the first half, Louis, this time totally untouched on another sweep to the right, went 91 yards for a touchdown and 42-3 lead. That was his final carry on the night. The numbers for Louis were a gaudy three carries for 242 yards.
“That was the best game I have ever had...anywhere,” said Louis. “But I give 95 percent of the credit to other people. The offensive line and the coaches do a lot of great things to help plays like that happen.”
Kannapolis also scored in the first quarter on an 86-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Efird to Jamill Lott to make it 21-0. Thanks to those three plays, winless Piedmont (0-8, 0-5) did not tackle a Wonder player on a play from scrimmage until stopping back Quincy Kennedy on a five-yard run in the final 30 seconds of the first quarter.
“Obviously,” said Massey, “our athletic speed was the big thing tonight.”
That speed was certainly helped by the return of Lott, who came back from a collarbone injury to see his first action of the season. Lott started at free safety and also moved in at a wideout for injured Dominique Norris.
“It was good to see him get back in there and make a big play on offense and see him out there running around on defense,” said Massey of Lott. “But Dominique has been a real plus for us at wide receiver this year, so to lose him it makes it even better to get Jamill back.”
The Wonders also got first-half touchdowns on a seven-yard run by Kennedy, a 23-yard pass from Efird to backup tight end Jacob Newman and a 79-yard catch and run by fullback Johnathan Williams after taking a pass in the flat on the final play of the half from backup quarterback Gary Tunnell. The Wonders’ final score of the game came on a 55-yard interception return in the third quarter by Xavier Watson. Piedmont was able to get on the board reasonably early by recovering a muffed punt by the Wonders at the Kannapolis 11. Three plays later Panther kicker Michael Larsson booted a 27-yard field goal to pull Piedmont within 21-3 with 36 seconds left in the first quarter.
Piedmont Gallery
Kannapolis-35 Hickory Ridge-0
Hickory Ridge Gallery
**Gallery Photos Courtesy of Delaney Green**
Kannapolis-66 Porter Ridge-8
INDIAN TRAIL-- Another week, another route for the Wonders. A.L. Brown beat Porter Ridge 66-8 Saturday night, completeing the Wonders one sided, five-week football run through Marvin Ridge, Parkwood, Piedmont, Hickory Ridge, and the Pirates. The Wonders rushed for 296 yards and passed for 221 in the latest route. Artrelle Louis scored the first four touchdowns for the Wonders, running 1 I and 60 yards for scores and catching a 60 yard shuffle pass from Jonathan Efird for a touchdown.
"He's got extreme speed," Said Wonders coach Ron Massey He's gotten a lot stronger."
Quincy Kennedy added a five-yard run for a touchdown and Colby Reid caught a 26 yard scoring pass from Efird in the first half. Morgan McDaniel kicked a 22-yard field goal and the Wonders (9-1, 6-1) led 45-8 at halftime. In the second half, backup quarterback Gary Tunnell threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Zach Massey. Antwoine Jordan ran 22 yards for a score and Jonathan Williams broke a 53 yard touchdown run.
"I wasn't expecting 66-8" said Pirates coach Harry Van Arsdale. They out-athleted us. I think they are a bear to defend."
Efird passed for 142 yards and Williams rushed for 105. Louis had 72 yards rushing.
"We're getting better in a lot of areas." Ron Massey said But it will be a dogfight next week."
The Wonders host Concord Friday with at least a co championship in the South Piedmont Conference on the line. A.L. Brown, Concord and Anson County are tied for first place. Anson hosts Marvin Ridge on Friday.
"It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out next week's a big ball game," Massey said. To me that atmosphere is one of the most unbelievable things I've been a part of."
"He's got extreme speed," Said Wonders coach Ron Massey He's gotten a lot stronger."
Quincy Kennedy added a five-yard run for a touchdown and Colby Reid caught a 26 yard scoring pass from Efird in the first half. Morgan McDaniel kicked a 22-yard field goal and the Wonders (9-1, 6-1) led 45-8 at halftime. In the second half, backup quarterback Gary Tunnell threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Zach Massey. Antwoine Jordan ran 22 yards for a score and Jonathan Williams broke a 53 yard touchdown run.
"I wasn't expecting 66-8" said Pirates coach Harry Van Arsdale. They out-athleted us. I think they are a bear to defend."
Efird passed for 142 yards and Williams rushed for 105. Louis had 72 yards rushing.
"We're getting better in a lot of areas." Ron Massey said But it will be a dogfight next week."
The Wonders host Concord Friday with at least a co championship in the South Piedmont Conference on the line. A.L. Brown, Concord and Anson County are tied for first place. Anson hosts Marvin Ridge on Friday.
"It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out next week's a big ball game," Massey said. To me that atmosphere is one of the most unbelievable things I've been a part of."
Porter Ridge Gallery
Kannapolis-45 Concord-25
KANNAPOLIS — All A.L. Brown quarterback Jonathan Efird could think about this week was the one thing he hadn't achieved in his career — a win over Concord. Friday night, Efird was able to check that off his list, leading the Wonders to a 45-25 thrashing of the Spiders in the 77th-annual "Battle for the Bell" game at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. Efird threw three first-half touchdowns as Brown (10-1, 7-1 South Piedmont Conference) raced out to a 21-point halftime lead, then kept the Wonders under control as Concord mounted a third-quarter rally.
"This was one of my career goals — beating Concord," said Efird, who saw action in both of the Wonders' previous Bell losses to the Spiders (in 2004 and 2006). (But) this was a big win for us, especially after we played the four 'Ridges' that weren't very good, so everybody doubted what we could do against a good team. We responded with what we can do against a good team. Hopefully, this will make some people worried going into the playoffs."
Efird went 8-of-15 for 216 yards in Friday's game, with 191 yards coming in the first half. He hit three different receivers — 15 yards to Zach Massey, a 52-yarder to Johnathan Williams and a 58-yarder to T.J. Johnson — and added 59 yards rushing as Brown went up 28-7 at the break. The Wonders — who shared the SPC title with Anson County — needed a lift from Efird and others after losing leading rusher Artrelle Louis late in the first quarter. Louis had given the Wonders the lead with a 5-yard TD run with 3:37 left in the first quarter, but he went out with an injured right leg on Brown's next series. That could have been a momentum-changing play for the Wonders, but Efird stepped up with his second TD pass of the game to keep things going Brown's way. Williams and Quincy Kennedy, the Wonders' backfield reserves, stepped up as well. Kennedy ran for 41 yards in the second half, while Williams put up a game-high 62 yards and one score (a 3-yard run early in the fourth quarter).
"We were concerned with Artrelle went down," Brown head coach Ron Massey said. "But (Efird) probably played his best overall game. Then Johnathan and Quincy came in and picked up the slack. (Concord) is tough to run against. We were able to break a couple seams and keep them honest, then hit the passes when we needed to."
The Wonders' defense also made its presence felt, sacking quarterbacks Shawn Willix and Tony Moore five times and picking off three passes (two of them setting up scores). They also capped Brown's scoring with Demarkus Eddie's 40-yard fumble return midway through the fourth quarter.
"You can't let them get on a roll," Concord coach E.Z. Smith III said. "They're too good. We wanted to run it, but they were pinching us off. They took us out of some things we wanted to do."
A 23-yard Morgan McDaniel field goal put the Wonders ahead 31-7 early in the third quarter. Williams' TD run to push the Wonders' lead to 38-19.
"This was one of my career goals — beating Concord," said Efird, who saw action in both of the Wonders' previous Bell losses to the Spiders (in 2004 and 2006). (But) this was a big win for us, especially after we played the four 'Ridges' that weren't very good, so everybody doubted what we could do against a good team. We responded with what we can do against a good team. Hopefully, this will make some people worried going into the playoffs."
Efird went 8-of-15 for 216 yards in Friday's game, with 191 yards coming in the first half. He hit three different receivers — 15 yards to Zach Massey, a 52-yarder to Johnathan Williams and a 58-yarder to T.J. Johnson — and added 59 yards rushing as Brown went up 28-7 at the break. The Wonders — who shared the SPC title with Anson County — needed a lift from Efird and others after losing leading rusher Artrelle Louis late in the first quarter. Louis had given the Wonders the lead with a 5-yard TD run with 3:37 left in the first quarter, but he went out with an injured right leg on Brown's next series. That could have been a momentum-changing play for the Wonders, but Efird stepped up with his second TD pass of the game to keep things going Brown's way. Williams and Quincy Kennedy, the Wonders' backfield reserves, stepped up as well. Kennedy ran for 41 yards in the second half, while Williams put up a game-high 62 yards and one score (a 3-yard run early in the fourth quarter).
"We were concerned with Artrelle went down," Brown head coach Ron Massey said. "But (Efird) probably played his best overall game. Then Johnathan and Quincy came in and picked up the slack. (Concord) is tough to run against. We were able to break a couple seams and keep them honest, then hit the passes when we needed to."
The Wonders' defense also made its presence felt, sacking quarterbacks Shawn Willix and Tony Moore five times and picking off three passes (two of them setting up scores). They also capped Brown's scoring with Demarkus Eddie's 40-yard fumble return midway through the fourth quarter.
"You can't let them get on a roll," Concord coach E.Z. Smith III said. "They're too good. We wanted to run it, but they were pinching us off. They took us out of some things we wanted to do."
A 23-yard Morgan McDaniel field goal put the Wonders ahead 31-7 early in the third quarter. Williams' TD run to push the Wonders' lead to 38-19.
Concord Gallery
**Gallery Courtesy of MTG Images**
Gallery #2
**Gallery Photos Courtesy of Delaney Green**
"Playoffs"
Kannapolis-31 St Stephens-7
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown still hasn't lost a first-round playoff game since 1993, but it staggered through the first half of a 31-7 victory over St. Stephens on Friday. The Wonders, who will play host to Charlotte Catholic (10-2) in the second round of the 3AA playoffs, were in danger of being upset by the 13th-seeded Indians until Morgan McDaniel booted a career-best, 40-yard field goal in the third quarter to provide a 10-0 lead and some breathing room. The first half wasn't much fun for the fourth-seeded Wonders (11-1). Their only TD came on a busted play.
"It's hard to go out there without kids like Kenny Walter and Artrelle Louis, and we were flat for a half," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "St. Stephens just wouldn't let us get loose. It was like everyone was looking around for someone to make a play."
The person who finally made a game-turning play was McDaniel, a 5-foot-7, 145-pound junior.
"I'm on the field-goal team, and I ran out there thinking, 'Man, this thing is gonna be 40 yards,' " said linebacker Kenneth Yates, who led Brown's defense. "I've never seen Morgan kick one that far, but he did it for us in a playoff game. He was excited, and I was as excited as he was."
McDaniel, a solid defensive effort, Quincy Kennedy's 139 rushing yards, two TD passes from Jonathan Efird to T.J. Johnson and Jamill Lott's 85-yard kickoff return keyed the Wonders. Brown missed linebacker Chris Moore. It also didn't have rushing leader Louis, its fastest player, or right tackle Walter, its largest player.
"We had to adjust to missing guys, so the whole first half we were a step slow," Efird said. "The touchdown we got, I was supposed to hand off to Johnathan Williams on a counter to the left. When he wasn't there, I boot-legged right and got in. We'll have to put that one in the playbook."
Or not. Efird had to run 30 yards to finish a 2-yard scoring run. Brown's defense had trouble with St. Stephens back Dustin Wilson in the first half, but it took control after halftime.
"We had a good gameplan, one that was good enough to shut them out, but they still crammed it on us in the first half," Yates said. "We didn't change things at halftime, but we started doing what we were supposed to do and tackled a lot better."
Brown defensive linemen Fred Glenn and Ray Howard forced a quick three-and-out to open the second half. Then Brown marched to the St. Stephens 12 before stopping itself with penalties. Momentum was about to swing St. Stephens' way, but on fourth-and-18 at the 23, McDaniel made his big kick out of Efird's hold.
"A two-score lead," Yates said. "That took the pressure off."
End Dwayne Stroud keyed another big defensive stop by the Wonders on fourth-and-1, and Efird threw a strike to a streaking Johnson for a 60-yard score that made it 17-0. St. Stephens drove 60 yards to cut its deficit to 17-7 with 9:56 left. Behind by two scores and with the Wonders looking hard to stop, an onside kick seemed likely. But the kick went deep. Lott, who missed most of the season with a broken collarbone, grabbed the ball at the 15, hurtled fearlessly through a crease and roared down the home sideline. The ever-present Johnson crushed the last defender, and Lott owned a backbreaking TD.
"I'd just told Jamill before the kick that we needed a big play, and he made it," Johnson said. "But this win has got to be put on our defense. They did most of the work."
Efird and Johnson's last bit of work was tacking on a 36-yard TD to seal it. Johnson came down with the ball despite double coverage. Efird's TD passes, his 21st and 22nd, helped atone for his first pick (it came on a ricochet off Johnson) since Sept. 15.
"We didn't play as well as we'd hoped," Massey said. "But we did what we had to."
"It's hard to go out there without kids like Kenny Walter and Artrelle Louis, and we were flat for a half," Brown coach Ron Massey said. "St. Stephens just wouldn't let us get loose. It was like everyone was looking around for someone to make a play."
The person who finally made a game-turning play was McDaniel, a 5-foot-7, 145-pound junior.
"I'm on the field-goal team, and I ran out there thinking, 'Man, this thing is gonna be 40 yards,' " said linebacker Kenneth Yates, who led Brown's defense. "I've never seen Morgan kick one that far, but he did it for us in a playoff game. He was excited, and I was as excited as he was."
McDaniel, a solid defensive effort, Quincy Kennedy's 139 rushing yards, two TD passes from Jonathan Efird to T.J. Johnson and Jamill Lott's 85-yard kickoff return keyed the Wonders. Brown missed linebacker Chris Moore. It also didn't have rushing leader Louis, its fastest player, or right tackle Walter, its largest player.
"We had to adjust to missing guys, so the whole first half we were a step slow," Efird said. "The touchdown we got, I was supposed to hand off to Johnathan Williams on a counter to the left. When he wasn't there, I boot-legged right and got in. We'll have to put that one in the playbook."
Or not. Efird had to run 30 yards to finish a 2-yard scoring run. Brown's defense had trouble with St. Stephens back Dustin Wilson in the first half, but it took control after halftime.
"We had a good gameplan, one that was good enough to shut them out, but they still crammed it on us in the first half," Yates said. "We didn't change things at halftime, but we started doing what we were supposed to do and tackled a lot better."
Brown defensive linemen Fred Glenn and Ray Howard forced a quick three-and-out to open the second half. Then Brown marched to the St. Stephens 12 before stopping itself with penalties. Momentum was about to swing St. Stephens' way, but on fourth-and-18 at the 23, McDaniel made his big kick out of Efird's hold.
"A two-score lead," Yates said. "That took the pressure off."
End Dwayne Stroud keyed another big defensive stop by the Wonders on fourth-and-1, and Efird threw a strike to a streaking Johnson for a 60-yard score that made it 17-0. St. Stephens drove 60 yards to cut its deficit to 17-7 with 9:56 left. Behind by two scores and with the Wonders looking hard to stop, an onside kick seemed likely. But the kick went deep. Lott, who missed most of the season with a broken collarbone, grabbed the ball at the 15, hurtled fearlessly through a crease and roared down the home sideline. The ever-present Johnson crushed the last defender, and Lott owned a backbreaking TD.
"I'd just told Jamill before the kick that we needed a big play, and he made it," Johnson said. "But this win has got to be put on our defense. They did most of the work."
Efird and Johnson's last bit of work was tacking on a 36-yard TD to seal it. Johnson came down with the ball despite double coverage. Efird's TD passes, his 21st and 22nd, helped atone for his first pick (it came on a ricochet off Johnson) since Sept. 15.
"We didn't play as well as we'd hoped," Massey said. "But we did what we had to."
St Stephens Gallery
Kannapolis-14 Charlotte Catholic-19
KANNAPOLIS - The Wonders’ latest loss to Charlotte Catholic was the toughest to take. For the third straight year, the Cougars eliminated A.L. Brown from the 3AA football playoffs, scoring a come-from-behind 19-14 win at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. Turnovers frustrated the Wonders, then the clock ran out as quarterback Jonathan Efird scrambled to the Catholic 6-yard line on the game’s final play. The Wonders had a timeout left, but to no avail with the clock expired.
“They’re a good football team,” Kannapolis coach Ron Massey said. “But I thought we were just as good and should have won the game.”
It was the first close game fourth-seeded Kannapolis had played since a 24-21 loss to Anson County on Sept. 14, also at Memorial Stadium. The loss ended the Wonders’ seven-game win streak.
“I was proud of us when we went down 13-0 the way we came back and didn’t roll over,” Massey said.
The Wonders switched to a no-huddle offense on their third possession and stayed in it the rest of the game. They led 14-13 at halftime.
“They were stemming in the first half and our line was getting confused,” Massey said. “So we went to the no-huddle to try to keep them from changing fronts on us.”
Fifth-seeded Catholic (11-2) drove 78 yards in the third quarter to take the lead with nine seconds left, eating up more than six minutes.
“We needed to chew up some time,” said Cougars coach Jim Oddo. “We finally got our game going a little bit.”
“They found some little holes and were picking up four and five yards,” Massey said.
The Cougars used two long passes to build a 13-0 advantage in the first quarter, but the Wonders came back on the passing and running of Efird and the receiving of Jamill Lott. Efird passed for 265 yards and rushed for 48 in his final high school game. Efird’s 20-yard run put the Wonders (11-2) ahead with 9:38 left in the second quarter. Lott, a junior, caught seven passes for 161 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The Cougars scored early on passes of 88 and 62 yards. The winning touchdown was also a pass play covering 29 yards.
“Defensively we had them on their heels the first half,” Massey said. “We were able to stop the run. They went to the passing game. That’s the thing about playing them. You’ve got to devote so much to the running game that it’s easy for them to slip by you on the passing game.”
Dana Moss recovered a Catholic fumble for the Wonders, Derek Everhardt blocked a PAT kick, Kenneth Yates and Xavier Watson blocked a punt and Terrance Johnson intercepted a pass. But the Wonders lost two fumbles and had a pass intercepted.
“It was the same story we had last year: turnovers,” Massey said.
Still, after a sack by Dwayne Stroud, the Wonders took over at their 36-yard line with 2:03 on the clock and one timeout left.
"I thought, ‘Well, we’ve got a chance now,’” Massey said. “Unfortunately we just came up short. We wanted to try to throw a pass on the last play and it just wasn’t there. He tucked it and we thought we might be able to get a timeout.”
The Wonders’ T.J. Johnson caught six passes, five of them in the fourth quarter, for a total of 71 yards. Kannapolis received the second-half kickoff and drove to the 50 before being stopped by the interception.
“I felt like if we could go down there and score, we’d be in control,” Massey said.
Johnson’s interception then gave the Wonders possession at the Catholic 37, but Efird fumbled after a 15-yard gain and the Cougars recovered.
“I don’t think we got a break,” Massey said. “I think his knee was down. But that’s neither here nor there.”
After holding the Wonders on downs at their 29, the Cougars burned more than five minutes before Kannapolis got its final chance. Catholic beat A.L. Brown 36-21 in the second round last year, and 28-3 in the state semifinals two years ago. Both of those games were at Catholic, which was state runner-up a year ago after winning consecutive titles the previous two years.
“They’re a good football team,” Kannapolis coach Ron Massey said. “But I thought we were just as good and should have won the game.”
It was the first close game fourth-seeded Kannapolis had played since a 24-21 loss to Anson County on Sept. 14, also at Memorial Stadium. The loss ended the Wonders’ seven-game win streak.
“I was proud of us when we went down 13-0 the way we came back and didn’t roll over,” Massey said.
The Wonders switched to a no-huddle offense on their third possession and stayed in it the rest of the game. They led 14-13 at halftime.
“They were stemming in the first half and our line was getting confused,” Massey said. “So we went to the no-huddle to try to keep them from changing fronts on us.”
Fifth-seeded Catholic (11-2) drove 78 yards in the third quarter to take the lead with nine seconds left, eating up more than six minutes.
“We needed to chew up some time,” said Cougars coach Jim Oddo. “We finally got our game going a little bit.”
“They found some little holes and were picking up four and five yards,” Massey said.
The Cougars used two long passes to build a 13-0 advantage in the first quarter, but the Wonders came back on the passing and running of Efird and the receiving of Jamill Lott. Efird passed for 265 yards and rushed for 48 in his final high school game. Efird’s 20-yard run put the Wonders (11-2) ahead with 9:38 left in the second quarter. Lott, a junior, caught seven passes for 161 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The Cougars scored early on passes of 88 and 62 yards. The winning touchdown was also a pass play covering 29 yards.
“Defensively we had them on their heels the first half,” Massey said. “We were able to stop the run. They went to the passing game. That’s the thing about playing them. You’ve got to devote so much to the running game that it’s easy for them to slip by you on the passing game.”
Dana Moss recovered a Catholic fumble for the Wonders, Derek Everhardt blocked a PAT kick, Kenneth Yates and Xavier Watson blocked a punt and Terrance Johnson intercepted a pass. But the Wonders lost two fumbles and had a pass intercepted.
“It was the same story we had last year: turnovers,” Massey said.
Still, after a sack by Dwayne Stroud, the Wonders took over at their 36-yard line with 2:03 on the clock and one timeout left.
"I thought, ‘Well, we’ve got a chance now,’” Massey said. “Unfortunately we just came up short. We wanted to try to throw a pass on the last play and it just wasn’t there. He tucked it and we thought we might be able to get a timeout.”
The Wonders’ T.J. Johnson caught six passes, five of them in the fourth quarter, for a total of 71 yards. Kannapolis received the second-half kickoff and drove to the 50 before being stopped by the interception.
“I felt like if we could go down there and score, we’d be in control,” Massey said.
Johnson’s interception then gave the Wonders possession at the Catholic 37, but Efird fumbled after a 15-yard gain and the Cougars recovered.
“I don’t think we got a break,” Massey said. “I think his knee was down. But that’s neither here nor there.”
After holding the Wonders on downs at their 29, the Cougars burned more than five minutes before Kannapolis got its final chance. Catholic beat A.L. Brown 36-21 in the second round last year, and 28-3 in the state semifinals two years ago. Both of those games were at Catholic, which was state runner-up a year ago after winning consecutive titles the previous two years.
Charlotte Catholic Gallery
****All Gallery Photos Courtesy of****
MTG Photo Images © Mike Grier 2007 (704) 796-7860
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Delaney Green Life Touch
MTG Photo Images © Mike Grier 2007 (704) 796-7860
**Hickory Ridge and Concord Galleries Courtesy of**
Delaney Green Life Touch