"Wonder Football Scrapbook 2014"
Results Kannapolis-14 Concord-20 Kannapolis-51 South Rowan-7 Kannapolis-21 Weddington-31 Kannapolis-42 Berry Academy-21 Kannapolis-33 North Meck-12 Kannapolis-35 Vance-48 Kannapolis-55 J.M. Robinson-0 Kannapolis-20 Hough-44 Kannapolis-35 Mallard Creek-52 Kannapolis-42 West Charlotte-14 Kannapolis-52 Hopewell-7 Playoffs 1st Kannapolis-42 Reagan-50 |
Results Kannapolis-34 Concord-14 Kannapolis-48 South Rowan-7 Kannapolis-28 Weddington-7 Kannapolis-20 Berry Academy-28 Kannapolis-14 North Meck-12 Kannapolis-7 Vance-34 Kannapolis-24 J.M. Robinson-21 Kannapolis-35 Hough-32 Kannapolis-32 Mallard Creek-26 Kannapolis-42 Hopewell-20 |
Game #1
Kannapolis
vs
Concord
Kannapolis-14 Concord-20
CONCORD, N.C. – This Bell Game was one for the books. The Spiders finally did it, winning the Bell three years in a row for the first time since the 1970s (1974-77). “We did the math,” said Concord coach Glen Padgett, who is 4-2 in Bell Games. “It’s been 37 years since it happened. We’ve been telling our players, a lot of them, their dads weren’t even born the last time that Concord kept the Bell for three years. That’s something for them to be very proud about.”
Their 20-14 victory so easily could have gone the other way. With 17 seconds left, the Wonders were one yard away from the endzone. A touchdown and extra point would allow them to cut into Concord’s 42-38-4 series lead. Sandon McCoy, who had pounded the Spiders in the second half as the Wonders turned to power football, ran over right tackle, looking for paydirt. What he found instead, said Concord’s Dez Scott, was “me and Michael Baker and Tyler Thomas. The whole defensive line. It was a team effort.” The Wonders thought they would have enough time for another play. But the clock ran out, leaving Spider Nation jubilant and Wonder Nation feeling shortchanged.
“You tell the guys you don’t have any timeouts left,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “You tell the guys if you don’t get in, get up and spike the ball. That’s what our kids were trying to do. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the ball set in time. I was a little upset that we couldn’t get the ball set. It should have been set. They had plenty of time, 17 seconds. With a dive play, there’s plenty of time to set the ball there, but unfortunately the people in charge didn’t get the ball set.”
Talk about painful déjà vu. Two years earlier, again at Robert C. Bailey Stadium, the Wonders drove deep late, only to come up short in a 21-14 loss. “This has happened two years that we got the ball right down here and then couldn’t punch it in for the score,” Newsome said. “And then when you get it taken out of your hands, it makes it even tougher to accept.” Kannapolis (A.L. Brown) held the potent Spiders without a first down in the second half, but could not wipe out a 20-7 halftime deficit.
“Holding any team without a first down in any half is big, especially a team as good as Concord on offense,” Newsome said. Concord won with a touchdown pass from Keenan Black to Drew Yoos, a fumble recovery by Scott that set up a Black touchdown and a Rocky Reid run. Plus a defense that just wouldn’t give, allowing only a touchdown pass from Damon Johnson to Casey Walker (on fourth and nine) and a short run by Daveon Perry.
“Our offense just couldn’t get a good drive,” Scott said. “They kept fighting. So we had to come out there and had to defend them.” Even Reid, the all-state running back who is committed to Tennessee, played a part with a key second-half tackle when pressed into service.
“I am so proud of our defense,” Padgett said. “They played the whole second half with their back against the wall and they didn’t break. They bent, but they didn’t break. When they had to make plays, they did.” Then again, the Concord coach wasn’t discounting what happened in the first half. I’m proud of our whole team,” Padgett said. “We did some things on offense the first half, but we knew that they were much better on defense this year. They were bound and determined not to let Rocky beat them. We’re going to face that all year.”
The weather was exactly as expected in August, hot, steamy, sweaty. With eight minutes left in the game, rain started. Before the game was over, so was the rain. But not the challenge. "Yes, I was tired the whole game,” said Scott, a team captain. “It was a good football team. They were well-conditioned. We’ve got to condition more.” That was a factor the Wonders were counting on.
“We knew that they had some big guys up front,” Newsome said. “We were worried about the power game at the beginning of the game because they were so big and physical up front. We felt like if we could get them tired, we could run the power game. That was our best offense against these guys if we could get them tired. It ended up working.” To a point. Concord won, after all.
“It means we did something that hadn’t been done in about 40 years,” Scott said. “I’m proud of my team.” Which was a universal sentiment.
“I thought we played extremely well,” Newsome said. “We made some mistakes in the first half. But I was really proud of the guys, the way they stuck in there, number one, and then the way they really pulled together and played as a team in the second half. Put us in position to win the game. My hat’s off to Coach Newsome and his staff because their kids flat out came to play,” Padgett said. “When you get a traditional game like this and you’ve got two great teams, it’s a shame somebody has to lose.”
Want more history? Concord junior placekicker Marisa James had two extra points, becoming the first female to play a part, let alone score, in the longest continuous high school football rivalry in the state. It was quite a night. And there are still 11 more weeks left in the regular season. -Independent Tribune
Their 20-14 victory so easily could have gone the other way. With 17 seconds left, the Wonders were one yard away from the endzone. A touchdown and extra point would allow them to cut into Concord’s 42-38-4 series lead. Sandon McCoy, who had pounded the Spiders in the second half as the Wonders turned to power football, ran over right tackle, looking for paydirt. What he found instead, said Concord’s Dez Scott, was “me and Michael Baker and Tyler Thomas. The whole defensive line. It was a team effort.” The Wonders thought they would have enough time for another play. But the clock ran out, leaving Spider Nation jubilant and Wonder Nation feeling shortchanged.
“You tell the guys you don’t have any timeouts left,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “You tell the guys if you don’t get in, get up and spike the ball. That’s what our kids were trying to do. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the ball set in time. I was a little upset that we couldn’t get the ball set. It should have been set. They had plenty of time, 17 seconds. With a dive play, there’s plenty of time to set the ball there, but unfortunately the people in charge didn’t get the ball set.”
Talk about painful déjà vu. Two years earlier, again at Robert C. Bailey Stadium, the Wonders drove deep late, only to come up short in a 21-14 loss. “This has happened two years that we got the ball right down here and then couldn’t punch it in for the score,” Newsome said. “And then when you get it taken out of your hands, it makes it even tougher to accept.” Kannapolis (A.L. Brown) held the potent Spiders without a first down in the second half, but could not wipe out a 20-7 halftime deficit.
“Holding any team without a first down in any half is big, especially a team as good as Concord on offense,” Newsome said. Concord won with a touchdown pass from Keenan Black to Drew Yoos, a fumble recovery by Scott that set up a Black touchdown and a Rocky Reid run. Plus a defense that just wouldn’t give, allowing only a touchdown pass from Damon Johnson to Casey Walker (on fourth and nine) and a short run by Daveon Perry.
“Our offense just couldn’t get a good drive,” Scott said. “They kept fighting. So we had to come out there and had to defend them.” Even Reid, the all-state running back who is committed to Tennessee, played a part with a key second-half tackle when pressed into service.
“I am so proud of our defense,” Padgett said. “They played the whole second half with their back against the wall and they didn’t break. They bent, but they didn’t break. When they had to make plays, they did.” Then again, the Concord coach wasn’t discounting what happened in the first half. I’m proud of our whole team,” Padgett said. “We did some things on offense the first half, but we knew that they were much better on defense this year. They were bound and determined not to let Rocky beat them. We’re going to face that all year.”
The weather was exactly as expected in August, hot, steamy, sweaty. With eight minutes left in the game, rain started. Before the game was over, so was the rain. But not the challenge. "Yes, I was tired the whole game,” said Scott, a team captain. “It was a good football team. They were well-conditioned. We’ve got to condition more.” That was a factor the Wonders were counting on.
“We knew that they had some big guys up front,” Newsome said. “We were worried about the power game at the beginning of the game because they were so big and physical up front. We felt like if we could get them tired, we could run the power game. That was our best offense against these guys if we could get them tired. It ended up working.” To a point. Concord won, after all.
“It means we did something that hadn’t been done in about 40 years,” Scott said. “I’m proud of my team.” Which was a universal sentiment.
“I thought we played extremely well,” Newsome said. “We made some mistakes in the first half. But I was really proud of the guys, the way they stuck in there, number one, and then the way they really pulled together and played as a team in the second half. Put us in position to win the game. My hat’s off to Coach Newsome and his staff because their kids flat out came to play,” Padgett said. “When you get a traditional game like this and you’ve got two great teams, it’s a shame somebody has to lose.”
Want more history? Concord junior placekicker Marisa James had two extra points, becoming the first female to play a part, let alone score, in the longest continuous high school football rivalry in the state. It was quite a night. And there are still 11 more weeks left in the regular season. -Independent Tribune
Battle for the Bell Pre Game Gallery
Battle for the Bell Action Gallery #1
Battle for the Bell Action Gallery #2
Battle for the Bell Action Gallery #3
Game Statistics
Game #2
Kannapolis
vs
South Rowan
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – A competitive game quickly turned into a mercy-rule rout. After falling behind 7-0 Friday, A.L. Brown did all the rest of the scoring in a 51-7 nonconference victory in the Wonders’ home opener. Casey Walker scored three touchdowns, the first on a 17-yard run that gave the Wonders the lead for good in the second quarter. Walker also caught two TD passes, a 32-yarder by Dyquan St. Louis and a 48-yard catch and run from Damon Johnson.Johnson threw a 42-yard scoring pass to St. Louis.
“We’ve got so much skill,” Wonders coach Mike Newsome said. “It’s really a Catch-22 because you’ve got to get a lot of kids on the field and you can’t get them all on the field at one time. But it is a good problem to have. Damon did a good job of passing the ball around and the receivers did a good job catching it.”
The Wonders used a power running game to take Concord to the final play in the opener. But it was passing that proved effective for the home team against South Rowan.
“We can even it up, pass-run,” Newsome said. “That’s where every team’s the best. You can kind of balance the game out. I thought we did that better tonight. Put last week’s run game with this week’s pass game and we’re going to be OK.”
The Raiders lost their starting quarterback in the second quarter.
“Hats off to South Rowan,” Newsome said. “They lost the starting quarterback early. That might have been a big difference in just how the game was played because he’s a good player. But South Rowan is much improved. I hate to see them get that injury because I’d like to see what they could do with their starting quarterback in for the rest of the season.”
Breakdowns in the punting game haunted the Raiders (1-1). The Wonders blocked two punts, returned two others for a total of 64 yards and scored off a poor snap. Daveon Perry contributed a four-yard touchdown run, Nate Williams kicked a 30-yard field goal to go with five extra points, Brylan Weaks went one yard with a fumble return for a score and Robert Lyles added a 16-yard scoring run. Once the Wonders were ahead by at least 42 points, the mercy rule kicked in in the fourth quarter, resulting in a running clock. The Wonders were coming off a 20-14 loss at Concord in the season opener. South Rowan beat South Iredell 31-21 in its opener after going winless last season.
“I think the scoreboard was the big improvement,” Newsome said. “We made a lot of mistakes in the first half. We made too many penalties. We ran out of gas; we cramped up too much. That’s all negative, other than the scoreboard, which is where it counts. We’ve got to do some things better.” -Independent Tribune
“We’ve got so much skill,” Wonders coach Mike Newsome said. “It’s really a Catch-22 because you’ve got to get a lot of kids on the field and you can’t get them all on the field at one time. But it is a good problem to have. Damon did a good job of passing the ball around and the receivers did a good job catching it.”
The Wonders used a power running game to take Concord to the final play in the opener. But it was passing that proved effective for the home team against South Rowan.
“We can even it up, pass-run,” Newsome said. “That’s where every team’s the best. You can kind of balance the game out. I thought we did that better tonight. Put last week’s run game with this week’s pass game and we’re going to be OK.”
The Raiders lost their starting quarterback in the second quarter.
“Hats off to South Rowan,” Newsome said. “They lost the starting quarterback early. That might have been a big difference in just how the game was played because he’s a good player. But South Rowan is much improved. I hate to see them get that injury because I’d like to see what they could do with their starting quarterback in for the rest of the season.”
Breakdowns in the punting game haunted the Raiders (1-1). The Wonders blocked two punts, returned two others for a total of 64 yards and scored off a poor snap. Daveon Perry contributed a four-yard touchdown run, Nate Williams kicked a 30-yard field goal to go with five extra points, Brylan Weaks went one yard with a fumble return for a score and Robert Lyles added a 16-yard scoring run. Once the Wonders were ahead by at least 42 points, the mercy rule kicked in in the fourth quarter, resulting in a running clock. The Wonders were coming off a 20-14 loss at Concord in the season opener. South Rowan beat South Iredell 31-21 in its opener after going winless last season.
“I think the scoreboard was the big improvement,” Newsome said. “We made a lot of mistakes in the first half. We made too many penalties. We ran out of gas; we cramped up too much. That’s all negative, other than the scoreboard, which is where it counts. We’ve got to do some things better.” -Independent Tribune
Pre Game Gallery
Action Gallery #1
Action Gallery #2
Action Gallery #3
Game Statistics
Game #3
Kannapolis
vs
Weddington
MONROE -- Costly penalties and turnovers were the thorn in the side of A.L. Brown Friday night, as the Wonders continued their road woes this season, falling to Weddington 31-21. After having no interceptions through the first two games, A.L. Brown put up three picks and 12 penalties worth 102 yards in the loss.
“Penalties and turnovers. You can't be a good football team when you have those,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “We hurt ourselves. We really couldn't get rolling. Offensively, they had a good game plan. It wasn't our night.”
The loss puts A.L. Brown in a rare position, starting the season at 1-2 for the first time since 2003. Early on, the Wonders showed signs of playing like everyone expects. After Weddington quarterback David Bayha threw an interception deep in Warrior territory, junior Jalen Cagle capped off a four play drive with a 22-yard sprint to the end zone, his first of three scores on the night. Bayha would get Weddington on the board on the next drive, connecting with receiver Chris Trevisan for the 20-yard score. The game would be stopped on the Warriors next possession because of lightning. For Newsome, this was the “turning point” of the game.
“The delay hurt us,” he said. “I thought we were in a good position before the delay. I didn't think we came out as focused after that.”
Following the hour-long delay, Weddington would keep the ball going into the second quarter, with Bayha finding receiver Zach Goins for a quick 8-yard score. Adding a 22-yard field goal by the Warriors following the Wonders' first turnover, A.L. Brown made its next possession an 80-yard, 13-play drive golden with Cagle reeling in quarterback Damon Johnson’s 27-yard pass to bring the margin to three. But just like that, the Warriors, who got field position on the ensuing kick return to the Wonders 21, scored quickly in three plays with Bayha and Trevisan connecting for another 20-yard score before the half. Weddington would maintain a 10-point lead for the rest of the game. Bayha would throw once more to Goins and Cagle would run in short scores of five and eight yards, respectively, for their teams in the fourth.
“(Weddington) is a good football team, and they played better than we did tonight. We can't make that many mistakes,” said Newsome.
Not withstanding the turnovers, both teams were pretty evenly matched. A.L. Brown finished with 164 yards on the ground with another 124 in the air. Similarly, Weddington had 170 rushing and 133 passing yards.
“We had to stop their backs. They’re fast, quick. And their linemen up front have good size,” said Weddington coach Tim Carson. “You had to have a good run fix. The sweeps and all the things they do on the perimeter, we had to get it back to the inside. And offensively we wanted to try to control the ball. And we wound up controlling it a good bit but we also got some plays over top.”
Carson also acknowledged his respect for the team that gave his a “good opportunity to play good competition.” It helps us. They always do great traditionally. (A.L. Brown) does a great job.”
Along with Johnson’s 124 yards, Sandon McCoy led the Wonders on the ground, getting 17 touches for 86 yards. Casey Walker led the receivers with 3 catches for 34 yards. The Wonders host Berry Academy on Friday.
-Independent Tribune
“Penalties and turnovers. You can't be a good football team when you have those,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “We hurt ourselves. We really couldn't get rolling. Offensively, they had a good game plan. It wasn't our night.”
The loss puts A.L. Brown in a rare position, starting the season at 1-2 for the first time since 2003. Early on, the Wonders showed signs of playing like everyone expects. After Weddington quarterback David Bayha threw an interception deep in Warrior territory, junior Jalen Cagle capped off a four play drive with a 22-yard sprint to the end zone, his first of three scores on the night. Bayha would get Weddington on the board on the next drive, connecting with receiver Chris Trevisan for the 20-yard score. The game would be stopped on the Warriors next possession because of lightning. For Newsome, this was the “turning point” of the game.
“The delay hurt us,” he said. “I thought we were in a good position before the delay. I didn't think we came out as focused after that.”
Following the hour-long delay, Weddington would keep the ball going into the second quarter, with Bayha finding receiver Zach Goins for a quick 8-yard score. Adding a 22-yard field goal by the Warriors following the Wonders' first turnover, A.L. Brown made its next possession an 80-yard, 13-play drive golden with Cagle reeling in quarterback Damon Johnson’s 27-yard pass to bring the margin to three. But just like that, the Warriors, who got field position on the ensuing kick return to the Wonders 21, scored quickly in three plays with Bayha and Trevisan connecting for another 20-yard score before the half. Weddington would maintain a 10-point lead for the rest of the game. Bayha would throw once more to Goins and Cagle would run in short scores of five and eight yards, respectively, for their teams in the fourth.
“(Weddington) is a good football team, and they played better than we did tonight. We can't make that many mistakes,” said Newsome.
Not withstanding the turnovers, both teams were pretty evenly matched. A.L. Brown finished with 164 yards on the ground with another 124 in the air. Similarly, Weddington had 170 rushing and 133 passing yards.
“We had to stop their backs. They’re fast, quick. And their linemen up front have good size,” said Weddington coach Tim Carson. “You had to have a good run fix. The sweeps and all the things they do on the perimeter, we had to get it back to the inside. And offensively we wanted to try to control the ball. And we wound up controlling it a good bit but we also got some plays over top.”
Carson also acknowledged his respect for the team that gave his a “good opportunity to play good competition.” It helps us. They always do great traditionally. (A.L. Brown) does a great job.”
Along with Johnson’s 124 yards, Sandon McCoy led the Wonders on the ground, getting 17 touches for 86 yards. Casey Walker led the receivers with 3 catches for 34 yards. The Wonders host Berry Academy on Friday.
-Independent Tribune
Pre Game Gallery
Action Gallery #1
Action Gallery #2
Action Gallery #3
Game Statistics
Game #4
Kannapolis
vs
Berry Academy
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Wonders decided to start over. And by that measure, they are 1-0. After dropping two of their first three games, the Wonders regrouped to beat Berry Academy 42-21 Friday night, making A.L. Brown 2-0 at home this season. The Wonders led 21-0 through three quarters on the strength of Damon Johnson’s touchdown passes to Jalen Cagle, Sandon McCoy and Casey Walker. Berry (1-2) ran 78 plays – 46 of them passes.The teams combined for six touchdowns in the fourth quarter. For Kannapolis, McCoy ran 35 yards for a TD, Cagle broke a 99-yard kickoff return for a score and Tyren Washington added an 11-yard scoring run.A 31-yard loss on a punt snap led to the Wonders’ first touchdown following a scoreless first quarter.
When Johnson found Cagle for a 26-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter, it was the initial first down of the night for the home team. An interception by Brandon White set up the second Kannapolis touchdown. On the 35-yard scoring pass to McCoy, Johnson was able to whirl around and catch a high snap, then located a wide-open McCoy. In the third quarter, Johnson was scrambling to his left, reversed to his right and lofted the ball to Walker, who was all alone for a 22-yard score that followed a partially blocked punt. Corie Goss also had an interception. Logan Miller made numerous tackles. The Wonders are open next Friday before beginning MeCKa Conference play Sept. 26 at North Mecklenburg. -Independent Tribune
When Johnson found Cagle for a 26-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter, it was the initial first down of the night for the home team. An interception by Brandon White set up the second Kannapolis touchdown. On the 35-yard scoring pass to McCoy, Johnson was able to whirl around and catch a high snap, then located a wide-open McCoy. In the third quarter, Johnson was scrambling to his left, reversed to his right and lofted the ball to Walker, who was all alone for a 22-yard score that followed a partially blocked punt. Corie Goss also had an interception. Logan Miller made numerous tackles. The Wonders are open next Friday before beginning MeCKa Conference play Sept. 26 at North Mecklenburg. -Independent Tribune
Pre Game Gallery
Action Gallery #1
Action Gallery #2
Action Gallery #3
Action Gallery #4
Game Statistics
Game #5
Kannapolis
vs
North Mecklenburg
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Daveon Perry has been on the radar for a while. He was all-MeCKa Conference a year ago as a junior defensive back. But what Perry did Friday night at North Mecklenburg was special. In a 33-12 win for A.L. Brown in its league opener, Perry scored the first two Kannapolis touchdowns on a fumble return and a kickoff return.
With the Wonders’ offense struggling, those were big plays.
“He’s a special player,” Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said. “People need to recognize how good he is. If he keeps playing like this, we’ll be really, really good.”
Perry added an interception in the fourth quarter. By that time, the Wonders had taken control. Relying on Sandon McCoy’s running, the Wonders turned a 13-12 lead into a 20-12 margin, going 80 yards with McCoy scoring on a 5-yard run with 8:07 left in the first half. Before the half was over, the Wonders had upped their advantage to 26-12. Devin Gray’s interception and 23-yard return to the Viking 13 set up a 14-yard TD pass from Damon Johnson to Brylan Weaks. Weaks made a good catch on the play. Khari Wilkes also intercepted a pass for the Wonders (3-2 overall), returning it 12 yards to the 9. McCoy then scored on an 11-yard run.
“Overall a good win for us against a very athletic team,” Newsome said. “They lost their starting quarterback on Wednesday. I know that hurt them. Their running back (Corey Patton) played really, really well. The defense did a great job in the second half.”
Newsome said that McCoy ran well, but added, “we’ve got to get better offensively.
“We’ve got to get more efficient passing the ball. Damon’s going to come around; he’s going to get better and better each and every week. We had some open receivers that he missed, but he made some good throws, too.”
The Wonders host Vance next Friday.
“I feel like we’re not up to our full potential yet,” Perry said. “We’ve got a big game against Vance. We’ve got to be focused at practice this week.”
Perry said that on the 42-yard fumble return after a pass reception which put the Wonders ahead 6-0, “Honestly, I thought the play was over with.” Fortunately for the Wonders, it wasn’t. Then came the 91-yard kickoff return for a score.
“Great bIocking by my teammates,” Perry said. “I saw a big hole.”
The Wonders had an open Friday before playing the Vikings.
“One thing is we didn’t get anybody hurt,” Newsome said. “We got some things in. We got some more reps. We’ve just got to get reps at quarterback. Damon has to see pressure in his face at practice. We’re adjusting our practice schedule. Right now we really have only one quarterback. It’s hard to have him at three different places at practice. If you had a couple quarterbacks, you’d be able to send them to different drills. You don’t want to just have him throw the ball every single rep so you don’t make his arm sore.”
With the Wonders’ offense struggling, those were big plays.
“He’s a special player,” Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said. “People need to recognize how good he is. If he keeps playing like this, we’ll be really, really good.”
Perry added an interception in the fourth quarter. By that time, the Wonders had taken control. Relying on Sandon McCoy’s running, the Wonders turned a 13-12 lead into a 20-12 margin, going 80 yards with McCoy scoring on a 5-yard run with 8:07 left in the first half. Before the half was over, the Wonders had upped their advantage to 26-12. Devin Gray’s interception and 23-yard return to the Viking 13 set up a 14-yard TD pass from Damon Johnson to Brylan Weaks. Weaks made a good catch on the play. Khari Wilkes also intercepted a pass for the Wonders (3-2 overall), returning it 12 yards to the 9. McCoy then scored on an 11-yard run.
“Overall a good win for us against a very athletic team,” Newsome said. “They lost their starting quarterback on Wednesday. I know that hurt them. Their running back (Corey Patton) played really, really well. The defense did a great job in the second half.”
Newsome said that McCoy ran well, but added, “we’ve got to get better offensively.
“We’ve got to get more efficient passing the ball. Damon’s going to come around; he’s going to get better and better each and every week. We had some open receivers that he missed, but he made some good throws, too.”
The Wonders host Vance next Friday.
“I feel like we’re not up to our full potential yet,” Perry said. “We’ve got a big game against Vance. We’ve got to be focused at practice this week.”
Perry said that on the 42-yard fumble return after a pass reception which put the Wonders ahead 6-0, “Honestly, I thought the play was over with.” Fortunately for the Wonders, it wasn’t. Then came the 91-yard kickoff return for a score.
“Great bIocking by my teammates,” Perry said. “I saw a big hole.”
The Wonders had an open Friday before playing the Vikings.
“One thing is we didn’t get anybody hurt,” Newsome said. “We got some things in. We got some more reps. We’ve just got to get reps at quarterback. Damon has to see pressure in his face at practice. We’re adjusting our practice schedule. Right now we really have only one quarterback. It’s hard to have him at three different places at practice. If you had a couple quarterbacks, you’d be able to send them to different drills. You don’t want to just have him throw the ball every single rep so you don’t make his arm sore.”
Pre Game Gallery
Action Gallery #1
Action Gallery #2
Action Gallery #3
Action Gallery #4
Game Statistics
Game #6
Kannapolis
vs
Vance
Pre Game Gallery
Action Gallery #1
Action Gallery #2
Action Gallery #3
Action Gallery #4
**Game Statistics Unavailable**
Game #7
Kannapolis
vs
J.M. Robinson
KANNAPOLIS – Seven players scored touchdowns for the Wonders in a 55-0 MeCKa Conference win Friday night over Jay M. Robinson.Playing their homecoming game at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium, the Wonders (4-3, 2-1) led 27-0 after one quarter against the winless Bulldogs.
“Things went as we expected them to go,” Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said. “We wanted a big win tonight. We were able to do that. We got a lot of people in the game.”
Tyren Washington opened the scoring with a 35-yard run. Quarterback Damon Johnson went 2 yards for a touchdown, Christian Neal blocked a punt and returned it 16 yards for a score and Johnson passed 35 yards for a TD to Brylan Weaks, all in the first quarter. The Wonders were up 41-0 by halftime on Sandon McCoy’s 2-yard run and a 49-yard pass from Johnson to Weaks. R.J. Fowler’s 40-yard TD run started the mandatory running clock (triggered by a lead of at least 42 points) in the third quarter. Robert Lyles added a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Casey Walker rushed for 93 yards on five carries. McCoy added 83 yards on eight rushes.For the Bulldogs, D.J. Young rushed for 74 yards on 10 carries and Romello Stanback carried 14 times for 53 yards. Markel Dalton was on the receiving end of a 45-yard pass from Jahquil Brown.
Robinson had five turnovers. Denzeal Sherer and Brandon White recovered Bulldog fumbles. Daveon Perry, Corie Goss and Khari Wilkes intercepted passes. Jay Allenby made an interception for Robinson. The Wonders were penalized 15 times for 135 yards. The Wonders are at Hough on Friday. Hough lost 37-30 to Mallard Creek.
“We’ve got our work cut out next week,” Newsome said. “Hopefully this game was a catalyst for that.”
“Things went as we expected them to go,” Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said. “We wanted a big win tonight. We were able to do that. We got a lot of people in the game.”
Tyren Washington opened the scoring with a 35-yard run. Quarterback Damon Johnson went 2 yards for a touchdown, Christian Neal blocked a punt and returned it 16 yards for a score and Johnson passed 35 yards for a TD to Brylan Weaks, all in the first quarter. The Wonders were up 41-0 by halftime on Sandon McCoy’s 2-yard run and a 49-yard pass from Johnson to Weaks. R.J. Fowler’s 40-yard TD run started the mandatory running clock (triggered by a lead of at least 42 points) in the third quarter. Robert Lyles added a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Casey Walker rushed for 93 yards on five carries. McCoy added 83 yards on eight rushes.For the Bulldogs, D.J. Young rushed for 74 yards on 10 carries and Romello Stanback carried 14 times for 53 yards. Markel Dalton was on the receiving end of a 45-yard pass from Jahquil Brown.
Robinson had five turnovers. Denzeal Sherer and Brandon White recovered Bulldog fumbles. Daveon Perry, Corie Goss and Khari Wilkes intercepted passes. Jay Allenby made an interception for Robinson. The Wonders were penalized 15 times for 135 yards. The Wonders are at Hough on Friday. Hough lost 37-30 to Mallard Creek.
“We’ve got our work cut out next week,” Newsome said. “Hopefully this game was a catalyst for that.”
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Game #8
Kannapolis
vs
Hough
CORNELIUS – On the first play of the game, A.L. Brown quarterback Damon Johnson ran 75 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, the Wonders, who did not score against Hough a year ago, were on the board. Then Hough scored the next 38 points, all in the first half of the Huskies' homecoming game. The Huskies, who had lost 37-30 to MeCKa Conference leader Mallard Creek a week earlier, went on to post a 44-20 win. It wasn’t all good news for Hough, however. Two of the Huskies’ top players, Bishop Ford and Carl Tucker, left the game in the third quarter with injuries. Hough answered the Wonders’ early score with a 61-yard drive, capped by Ford’s 15-yard run. Until the final seconds of the first half, the Wonders (4-4, 2-2) did not have another first down. Ford’s nine-yard run gave Hough the lead for good with 7:26 left in the first quarter.
The Wonders had a great opportunity at the Hough 31 after recovering a fumble, the Huskies’ only turnover, which came on their third possession, still in the first quarter. But on the first play, an interception returned the ball to Hough. A 24-point second quarter for the Huskies broke the game open. Johnson broke a 55-yard scoring run in the third quarter. Jalen Cagle ran 29 yards for a Kannapolis touchdown with 2:45 to play in the game. The Wonders host Mallard Creek next week, their final home game of the season. Defending champion Mallard Creek took possession of first place Friday by beating Vance 29-22.
The Wonders had a great opportunity at the Hough 31 after recovering a fumble, the Huskies’ only turnover, which came on their third possession, still in the first quarter. But on the first play, an interception returned the ball to Hough. A 24-point second quarter for the Huskies broke the game open. Johnson broke a 55-yard scoring run in the third quarter. Jalen Cagle ran 29 yards for a Kannapolis touchdown with 2:45 to play in the game. The Wonders host Mallard Creek next week, their final home game of the season. Defending champion Mallard Creek took possession of first place Friday by beating Vance 29-22.
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Game #9
Kannapolis
vs
Mallard Creek
KANNAPOLIS: In their previous two games, the Mallard Creek Mavericks fell behind their opponents early only to rally for late comeback victories. Against the Kannapolis Brown Wonders on Friday, Mallard Creek used a different winning formula.The Mavericks (8-1 overall, 5-0 conference) raced to a three-touchdown lead at halftime then staved off a Kannapolis (4-5, 2-3) rally to grab a 52-35 MECKA 8 4A road victory. Mallard Creek quarterback James Smith accounted for four touchdowns and rushed for 175 yards on 12 carries. Tailback Chancery Bowman had three touchdowns and a game-high 188 yards on 16 rushes. Trailing 28-7 at halftime, Kannapolis played evenly with Mallard Creek for the final two quarters. Alexander Degrassi’s 21-yard field goal put the Mavericks up 31-14 early in the fourth quarter. The teams traded six touchdowns over the next 11 minutes, with two of Kannapolis’ scores coming on consecutive times the Wonders touched the ball. Brown’s smallest deficit was 45-35 with 1:50 left in the game when Sandon McCoy picked up his teammate’s fumble in the end zone for a score. Brown quarterback Damon Johnson, who carried nine times for 161 yards, raced for an 81-yard touchdown run and Jalen Cagle had an 84-yard kickoff return for a score in the fourth quarter. Bowman scored twice in the final period, including a 52-yard run.
“We wanted to start fast,” said Mallard coach Mike Palmieri. “(A.L. Brown) is a good football team. They have fast athletes.I just told our guys some games are offensive games, some games are defensive games. As long as we find ways to win games that’s what we’re all about.”
Mallard Creek scored on all its first-half possessions except the last. Smith had a hand in three of the four. The Mavericks needed just four plays after the opening kickoff to gain a 7-0 lead. Smith covered the final 43 yards of a 65-yard drive with an option run to the left in which he covered the last 30 yards being chased by three defenders. Brown tallied its only first-half points on the ensuing possession when it drove 74 yards on eight plays. Johnson’s 41-yard run set up Cagle’s 1-yard plunge to the right as the Wonders evened the score with 6:47 left in the first quarter. Mallard Creek needed just four plays again to build a lead which it would not relinquish. After a 36-yard kickoff return by Cam Stover, Smith followed his 22-yard scramble with a 23-yard option up the middle in which he nearly had open field after the first five yards. The Mavericks extended their lead to 21-7 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Chancery Bowman got separation at the line of scrimmage and cruised 44 yards for a score. Smith’s arm covered most of the ground on Mallard Creek’s next scoring drive. He connected on passes of 12 and 15 yards to Javon Harbison and Mahlon Medley, respectively, as the Mavericks reached the Wonders’ 7. On the next play, Smith hit Vernon Grier on an inside slant as Mallard Creek built a 28-7 halftime lead.
“We wanted to start fast,” said Mallard coach Mike Palmieri. “(A.L. Brown) is a good football team. They have fast athletes.I just told our guys some games are offensive games, some games are defensive games. As long as we find ways to win games that’s what we’re all about.”
Mallard Creek scored on all its first-half possessions except the last. Smith had a hand in three of the four. The Mavericks needed just four plays after the opening kickoff to gain a 7-0 lead. Smith covered the final 43 yards of a 65-yard drive with an option run to the left in which he covered the last 30 yards being chased by three defenders. Brown tallied its only first-half points on the ensuing possession when it drove 74 yards on eight plays. Johnson’s 41-yard run set up Cagle’s 1-yard plunge to the right as the Wonders evened the score with 6:47 left in the first quarter. Mallard Creek needed just four plays again to build a lead which it would not relinquish. After a 36-yard kickoff return by Cam Stover, Smith followed his 22-yard scramble with a 23-yard option up the middle in which he nearly had open field after the first five yards. The Mavericks extended their lead to 21-7 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Chancery Bowman got separation at the line of scrimmage and cruised 44 yards for a score. Smith’s arm covered most of the ground on Mallard Creek’s next scoring drive. He connected on passes of 12 and 15 yards to Javon Harbison and Mahlon Medley, respectively, as the Mavericks reached the Wonders’ 7. On the next play, Smith hit Vernon Grier on an inside slant as Mallard Creek built a 28-7 halftime lead.
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Game #10
Kannapolis
vs
West Charlotte
A 72-hour delay didn’t dim AL. Brown’s sense of urgency. The Wonders maintained their momentum and a chance at the postseason with a 42-14 win against West Charlotte in a MECKA 4A game at Jack Martin Stadium. The victory, which completed a game suspended on Friday due to weather, broke a fourth-place tie and put A.L. Brown (5-5, 3-3) in position to earn a playoff spot with a win against Hopewell on Friday.
“We needed to win tonight,” A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said. “We’ve got to win them out. We can’t afford any losses from here on out and that includes the playoffs.”
The Wonders, who led 28-7 Friday when play was halted, didn’t show any ill effects. A.L. Brown dominated on both sides of the ball and didn’t allow West Charlotte an opportunity to mount a second-half rally.
“I was real pleased with our guys,” Newsome said. “We were a little unfocused on the bur ride back and I was really disappointed with how some of the kids acted knowing we still had a half to play.
Sandon McCoy, who ran for a pair of touchdowns in the first half on Friday, added a 19-yarder in the third quarter to put the Wonders ahead 42-7. Brylan Weaks got the second half scoring underway by blocking a West Charlotte punt in the end zone and falling on the ball for a touchdown and 35-7 bulge.
“I was really pleased with the way they handled the situation playing on Monday night,” Newsome said. “The team that handles that the right way is usually the team that’s going to be successful and I thought our kids came ready to play and focused and firing on all cylinders.”
The loss closed a somber week for West Charlotte (4-6, 2-4), which has lost two straight without coach Mo Collins, who died Oct. 26 and was buried on Saturday. The Lions had a few bright spots, namely running back Pralowe Grier, who ran for 95 yards on eight second-half carries, including a 64-yarder that resulted in Ron Gant’s 5-yard keeper for a score.
“It was just a real long halftime,” interim coach Drew Hackett said. “It was probably the longest halftime in the state. We just tried to execute to the best of our ability tonight. It didn’t show up on the scoreboard, but I thought our kids fought hard.” -Charlotte Observer
The A.L. Brown football team evened its record at 5-5 with a 42-14 Mecka Conference win at West Charlotte. The Wonders (5-5, 3-3) rushed for 398 yards. Sandon McCoy carried 21 times for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Jalen Cagle rushed 12 times for 96 yards and a score. Damon Johnson added 80 yards on seven carries. Johnson was 9 of 11 passing for 137 yards, with Brylan Weaks catching four balls for 72 yards. Weaks scored two touchdowns, including one on a blocked punt. Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said he was concerned how the Wonders would respond when play resumed Monday after being suspended by weather Friday with Kannapolis ahead 28-7 at halftime. But he was pleased with how the Wonders played Monday.
“It’s the most focused we’ve been all year long,” he said. McCoy, Cagle and Johnson played well against the Lions. As for Weaks, “He’s had receiving touchdowns for us the last four games in a row,” Newsome said. “He’s been playing really, really good for us.”
The Wonders need to win at Hopewell on Friday in the regular season finale to match last year’s fourth-place finish. It will be the Wonders’ second straight Senior Night game on the road. -Independent Tribune
“We needed to win tonight,” A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said. “We’ve got to win them out. We can’t afford any losses from here on out and that includes the playoffs.”
The Wonders, who led 28-7 Friday when play was halted, didn’t show any ill effects. A.L. Brown dominated on both sides of the ball and didn’t allow West Charlotte an opportunity to mount a second-half rally.
“I was real pleased with our guys,” Newsome said. “We were a little unfocused on the bur ride back and I was really disappointed with how some of the kids acted knowing we still had a half to play.
Sandon McCoy, who ran for a pair of touchdowns in the first half on Friday, added a 19-yarder in the third quarter to put the Wonders ahead 42-7. Brylan Weaks got the second half scoring underway by blocking a West Charlotte punt in the end zone and falling on the ball for a touchdown and 35-7 bulge.
“I was really pleased with the way they handled the situation playing on Monday night,” Newsome said. “The team that handles that the right way is usually the team that’s going to be successful and I thought our kids came ready to play and focused and firing on all cylinders.”
The loss closed a somber week for West Charlotte (4-6, 2-4), which has lost two straight without coach Mo Collins, who died Oct. 26 and was buried on Saturday. The Lions had a few bright spots, namely running back Pralowe Grier, who ran for 95 yards on eight second-half carries, including a 64-yarder that resulted in Ron Gant’s 5-yard keeper for a score.
“It was just a real long halftime,” interim coach Drew Hackett said. “It was probably the longest halftime in the state. We just tried to execute to the best of our ability tonight. It didn’t show up on the scoreboard, but I thought our kids fought hard.” -Charlotte Observer
The A.L. Brown football team evened its record at 5-5 with a 42-14 Mecka Conference win at West Charlotte. The Wonders (5-5, 3-3) rushed for 398 yards. Sandon McCoy carried 21 times for 141 yards and three touchdowns. Jalen Cagle rushed 12 times for 96 yards and a score. Damon Johnson added 80 yards on seven carries. Johnson was 9 of 11 passing for 137 yards, with Brylan Weaks catching four balls for 72 yards. Weaks scored two touchdowns, including one on a blocked punt. Kannapolis coach Mike Newsome said he was concerned how the Wonders would respond when play resumed Monday after being suspended by weather Friday with Kannapolis ahead 28-7 at halftime. But he was pleased with how the Wonders played Monday.
“It’s the most focused we’ve been all year long,” he said. McCoy, Cagle and Johnson played well against the Lions. As for Weaks, “He’s had receiving touchdowns for us the last four games in a row,” Newsome said. “He’s been playing really, really good for us.”
The Wonders need to win at Hopewell on Friday in the regular season finale to match last year’s fourth-place finish. It will be the Wonders’ second straight Senior Night game on the road. -Independent Tribune
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Game #11
Kannapolis
vs
Hopewell
HUNTERSVILLE – The Wonders have a head of steam entering the state football playoffs after dominating Hopewell’s Senior Night from the opening kickoff in a 52-7 MeCKa Conference win Friday. The Wonders clinched fourth place while climbing over .500 at 6-5 (4-3 in league play). The Kannapolis football program has a streak of 36 winning seasons in a row going through 2013. The Wonders’ six wins are over teams with a combined won-loss record of 17-49. Their five losses are to opponents who are 47-8. Daveon Perry got things rolling for Kannapolis on a chilly Friday night. Perry took the opening kickoff and sprinted up the middle before cutting left to the sideline to complete a 95-yard touchdown. Then the Wonders’ pooch kickoff was mishandled by the Titans, with Sherrod Sutton recovering for Kannapolis at the Titan 40. It didn’t take long for quarterback Damon Johnson to run 36 yards for a score.
With only 1:06 gone, the Wonders were up 14-0. After holding Hopewell (2-9, 1-6) to a three-and-out, the Wonders went 73 yards in six plays, highlighted by Sandon McCoy’s 39-yard run. On the Wonders’ second possession, Jalen Cagle ran for a 14-yard touchdown and a 20-0 lead. Hopewell’s only touchdown followed an interception that set the Titans up at the Kannapolis 6 and made the score 20-7 with 3:22 left in the opening quarter. The Wonders answered by going 84 yards in eight plays that included a 41-yard pass from Johnson to Casey Ritchie. Johnson passed five yards to Brylan Weaks for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. After Brandon White blocked a Hopewell punt, the Wonders started at the Titan 32 and scored on Johnson’s 34-yard pass to Casey Walker. Late in the first half, Perry’s interception in the endzone ended a Hopewell threat. Hopewell started the second half driving from its 35 to the Wonders’ 10, but Kannapolis stopped the Titans on downs at the 19.
McCoy broke a 47-yard run on the first play for the Wonders. Cagle’s 14-yard run ended the seven-play, 81-yard scoring drive. The Titans fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Wonders advanced 24 yards in three plays. Johnson passed 10 yards to McCoy for a 46-7 lead with 4:18 left in the third quarter. Shortly thereafter, four minutes melted off the clock and the teams exchanged ends of the field to open the fourth quarter. Hopewell pointed out that time needed to be added to the clock for the third quarter, and the teams switched places again. The Wonders final scoring drive covered 50 yards in four plays. R.J. Fowler ran three yards for the score that put Kannapolis at 400 points for the season.The final 9:51 of the game flew by with a running clock mandated by a lead of 42 points or more.
With only 1:06 gone, the Wonders were up 14-0. After holding Hopewell (2-9, 1-6) to a three-and-out, the Wonders went 73 yards in six plays, highlighted by Sandon McCoy’s 39-yard run. On the Wonders’ second possession, Jalen Cagle ran for a 14-yard touchdown and a 20-0 lead. Hopewell’s only touchdown followed an interception that set the Titans up at the Kannapolis 6 and made the score 20-7 with 3:22 left in the opening quarter. The Wonders answered by going 84 yards in eight plays that included a 41-yard pass from Johnson to Casey Ritchie. Johnson passed five yards to Brylan Weaks for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. After Brandon White blocked a Hopewell punt, the Wonders started at the Titan 32 and scored on Johnson’s 34-yard pass to Casey Walker. Late in the first half, Perry’s interception in the endzone ended a Hopewell threat. Hopewell started the second half driving from its 35 to the Wonders’ 10, but Kannapolis stopped the Titans on downs at the 19.
McCoy broke a 47-yard run on the first play for the Wonders. Cagle’s 14-yard run ended the seven-play, 81-yard scoring drive. The Titans fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Wonders advanced 24 yards in three plays. Johnson passed 10 yards to McCoy for a 46-7 lead with 4:18 left in the third quarter. Shortly thereafter, four minutes melted off the clock and the teams exchanged ends of the field to open the fourth quarter. Hopewell pointed out that time needed to be added to the clock for the third quarter, and the teams switched places again. The Wonders final scoring drive covered 50 yards in four plays. R.J. Fowler ran three yards for the score that put Kannapolis at 400 points for the season.The final 9:51 of the game flew by with a running clock mandated by a lead of 42 points or more.
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State 4A Playoffs
Round #1
Game #12
Kannapolis
vs
Reagan
PFAFFTOWN --It was a night of firsts for the Reagan football team — its first home playoff football game, and subsequently, its first playoff victory. Fitting, then, that it was No. 1 — Chandler Belk — who had the game of his life to help lift the Raiders to a 50-42 victory over A.L. Brown in the first round of the NCHSAA Class 4A playoffs on Friday night in Pfafftown. Belk had 10 catches for 266 yards and three touchdowns — all in the first half — as Reagan (11-1) got its first playoff win, and earned a second-round matchup up with North Davidson on Friday night.
“You know, we talked about before the game, we felt like we’ve put ourselves on the map locally, and now we want to do it on the state level,” Coach Josh McGee of Reagan said. “And to play at home in a playoff game against these guys with so much tradition and to come away with a victory, speaks volumes to our program and our players.”
The loss snapped a Kannapolis run of 36 straight seasons with a winning record, as the Wonders finished 6-6. When Belk saw that the Wonders were willing to chance playing him man-to-man all night, his eyes lit up.
“I didn’t know it was going to be that kind of night at all, just came out and they put me in man coverage with one person, and I was like, ‘All right; it’s going to be a long night for them doing that.’”
Brown took a 21-14 lead in the second quarter after Reagan fumbled a handoff, but there was no panic on the Raiders’ sideline.
“Those guys have some running backs and a quarterback that can make plays, and you throw the Wing-T in there and it causes some problems,” McGee said. “Our guys are just resilient. They play with relentless effort, and they were able to do it again tonight.”
After Isaiah Anthony made a 33-yard field goal to make it 21-7, Reagan forced a punt and took over at its own 21 with 42 seconds remaining in the half. Reagan wasn’t content to go into halftime behind, and instead, dialed up a bomb from Jake Easter to Belk down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. There was nothing McGee saw in the Wonders’ coverage that suggested the play was automatic, but it ignited the Raiders and they never looked back.
“Just take a shot, what do you have to lose? Nothing in particular,” he said. “When you’ve got a guy like Jake who can throw it and you’ve got a guy like Chandler who can run and catch it, it’s always a good play.”
Easter completed 20 of 31 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 55 yards and two touchdowns, as the Raiders went to the ground in the second half to keep control. Each time the Wonders inched closer in the second half, the Raiders answered with a rushing touchdown, as Easter scored on 10- and 23-yard runs, A.J. Ikwechegh broke one for 56 yards and T.J. Griffin went 56 yards up the middle for a score. In all, the Raiders rushed for 191 yards, well above their season average of 123.
“It’s not that we want to run — we’d love to run the football more — but we have so much success throwing the ball,” McGee said. “T.J. Griffin, I’m so proud of him. He’s a senior who has worked so hard and he had a huge night for us.”
In all, Reagan piled up 522 yards of offense, while Brown amassed 482. Damon Johnson completed 14 of 22 passes for 265 yards for the Wonders, and Sandon McCoy had 120 yards on 27 carries. The victory pushed Reagan’s winning streak to eight, including a 28-20 thriller against North on Oct. 31 that paved the way for the Raiders’ surprising Central Piedmont championship. As for the rematch, McGee said the Raiders welcome the challenge.
“It’s going to be awesome — it’s playoff football,” McGee said. “Unfortunately, you’ve got to play somebody in your league, but hey — if you’re going to win it all, you’ve got to beat somebody great.”
“You know, we talked about before the game, we felt like we’ve put ourselves on the map locally, and now we want to do it on the state level,” Coach Josh McGee of Reagan said. “And to play at home in a playoff game against these guys with so much tradition and to come away with a victory, speaks volumes to our program and our players.”
The loss snapped a Kannapolis run of 36 straight seasons with a winning record, as the Wonders finished 6-6. When Belk saw that the Wonders were willing to chance playing him man-to-man all night, his eyes lit up.
“I didn’t know it was going to be that kind of night at all, just came out and they put me in man coverage with one person, and I was like, ‘All right; it’s going to be a long night for them doing that.’”
Brown took a 21-14 lead in the second quarter after Reagan fumbled a handoff, but there was no panic on the Raiders’ sideline.
“Those guys have some running backs and a quarterback that can make plays, and you throw the Wing-T in there and it causes some problems,” McGee said. “Our guys are just resilient. They play with relentless effort, and they were able to do it again tonight.”
After Isaiah Anthony made a 33-yard field goal to make it 21-7, Reagan forced a punt and took over at its own 21 with 42 seconds remaining in the half. Reagan wasn’t content to go into halftime behind, and instead, dialed up a bomb from Jake Easter to Belk down the sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. There was nothing McGee saw in the Wonders’ coverage that suggested the play was automatic, but it ignited the Raiders and they never looked back.
“Just take a shot, what do you have to lose? Nothing in particular,” he said. “When you’ve got a guy like Jake who can throw it and you’ve got a guy like Chandler who can run and catch it, it’s always a good play.”
Easter completed 20 of 31 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 55 yards and two touchdowns, as the Raiders went to the ground in the second half to keep control. Each time the Wonders inched closer in the second half, the Raiders answered with a rushing touchdown, as Easter scored on 10- and 23-yard runs, A.J. Ikwechegh broke one for 56 yards and T.J. Griffin went 56 yards up the middle for a score. In all, the Raiders rushed for 191 yards, well above their season average of 123.
“It’s not that we want to run — we’d love to run the football more — but we have so much success throwing the ball,” McGee said. “T.J. Griffin, I’m so proud of him. He’s a senior who has worked so hard and he had a huge night for us.”
In all, Reagan piled up 522 yards of offense, while Brown amassed 482. Damon Johnson completed 14 of 22 passes for 265 yards for the Wonders, and Sandon McCoy had 120 yards on 27 carries. The victory pushed Reagan’s winning streak to eight, including a 28-20 thriller against North on Oct. 31 that paved the way for the Raiders’ surprising Central Piedmont championship. As for the rematch, McGee said the Raiders welcome the challenge.
“It’s going to be awesome — it’s playoff football,” McGee said. “Unfortunately, you’ve got to play somebody in your league, but hey — if you’re going to win it all, you’ve got to beat somebody great.”