Wonder Football 2019
Meet the 2019 A.L. Brown Varsity Wonders
The 2019 A.L. Brown Varsity Wonders
Game #1
Kannapolis
vs
Ashbrook
Kannapolis-28 Ashbrook-6
KANNAPOLIS – Jakhiry Bennett didn’t get his first carry until the second quarter. But his last carry of the first half and his first run of the second half both produced touchdowns, as Cream of Cabarrus No. 2 A.L. Brown christened its new artificial turf field with a convincing 28-6 win over visiting Gastonia Ashbrook Friday.Bennett, whose given position is slotback, replaced feature back Todd Kennedy when he got injured in the first half. The senior, who spent the 2018 season at Northwest Cabarrus between stops at A.L. Brown, finished with 17 carries for 182 yards, 167 coming in the second half.
“It’s always great to get a first win, and at an unbelievable facility,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “I think the biggest thing is we fought through some adversity … To have this in the first game and this kind of power rush through a really tough schedule, I think it’s going to do a lot for us.”
Ashbrook’s misdirection rushing attack misdirected itself into four fumbles, all of them lost to A.L. Brown. One was recovered by Josiah Cauthen at the Kannapolis 2-yard line in the third quarter. But the two most costly ended up in the hands of Wonders’ defensive lineman Xavier Jordan. His 53-yard fumble return in the second quarter led to A.L. Brown’s first touchdown and his second was a 35-yard scoop-and-score that put the game away in the fourth period.
RECORDS:
Ashbrook 0-1 overall, 0-0 Big South 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 1-0, 0-0 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
With less than a minute remaining in the first half, A.L. Brown trailed 6-0 and Ashbrook was threatening to add to its lead. The Greenwave reached the Wonders’ 36-yard line, and quarterback Chandler Meeks faded back to attempt his first pass on second down.
Terry Williams chased Meeks down and forced the ball loose. Fellow lineman Jordan scooped up the loose ball and rambled toward the end zone before Ashbrook’s Nasir Williams chased him down at the Greenwave 7-yard line.
On the next play, Bennett scored his first touchdown, helping Kannapolis take the lead for good with 36 seconds remaining in the first half.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Ashbrook:
-- Senior running back Kendall Massey had a team-high 81 yards on 14 carries. He also chipped in defensively with nine tackles.
-- J’Don Sowell and Trey Byers both had second-quarter interceptions. Sowell’s came at the Ashbrook 8-yard line to thwart an A.L. Brown scoring opportunity.
A.L. Brown:
-- Senior defensive lineman Jatarius Mason also recovered an Ashbrook fumble to go along with seven tackles.
-- Senior linebacker B.J. Foster had eight tackles.
-- Freshman Jamarie Robinson scored the Wonders’ final touchdown with a 6-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Only in Kannapolis: Four A.L. Brown students rushed the field along with the Wonders players with flags raised in this order: a (large) white “K” with a Kelly green background, a United States flag, then a racing checkered flag with the number 3 honoring K-town native, the late Dale Earnhardt, then a smaller white K with a green background.
-- Longtime Memorial Stadium public address announcer Alan Cauble is usually good for a few on-air laughs. Early in the game, he announced he was a 1976 graduate of Ashbrook then added, “But I think you all know who I’m pulling for.” (A.L. Brown)
-- Ashbrook’s first official pass attempt (one of only three for the game), and only completion, came in the final minutes of the third quarter, a 10-yard gain.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Ashbrook plays host to East Lincoln next Friday, while A.L. Brown takes an early break in its schedule, then welcomes Mooresville on Sept. 13.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Ashbrook 0 6 0 0 -- 6
A.L. Brown 0 7 7 14 -- 28
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
ASH -- Trevon Crank 2 run (kick failed)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 7 run (Mario Carmona kick)
Third Quarter:
ALB – Bennett 54 run (Carmona kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Xavier Jordan 35 fumble return (Carmona kick)
ALB – Jamarie Robinson 6 run (Carmona kick) -Independent/Tribune
“It’s always great to get a first win, and at an unbelievable facility,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “I think the biggest thing is we fought through some adversity … To have this in the first game and this kind of power rush through a really tough schedule, I think it’s going to do a lot for us.”
Ashbrook’s misdirection rushing attack misdirected itself into four fumbles, all of them lost to A.L. Brown. One was recovered by Josiah Cauthen at the Kannapolis 2-yard line in the third quarter. But the two most costly ended up in the hands of Wonders’ defensive lineman Xavier Jordan. His 53-yard fumble return in the second quarter led to A.L. Brown’s first touchdown and his second was a 35-yard scoop-and-score that put the game away in the fourth period.
RECORDS:
Ashbrook 0-1 overall, 0-0 Big South 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 1-0, 0-0 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
With less than a minute remaining in the first half, A.L. Brown trailed 6-0 and Ashbrook was threatening to add to its lead. The Greenwave reached the Wonders’ 36-yard line, and quarterback Chandler Meeks faded back to attempt his first pass on second down.
Terry Williams chased Meeks down and forced the ball loose. Fellow lineman Jordan scooped up the loose ball and rambled toward the end zone before Ashbrook’s Nasir Williams chased him down at the Greenwave 7-yard line.
On the next play, Bennett scored his first touchdown, helping Kannapolis take the lead for good with 36 seconds remaining in the first half.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Ashbrook:
-- Senior running back Kendall Massey had a team-high 81 yards on 14 carries. He also chipped in defensively with nine tackles.
-- J’Don Sowell and Trey Byers both had second-quarter interceptions. Sowell’s came at the Ashbrook 8-yard line to thwart an A.L. Brown scoring opportunity.
A.L. Brown:
-- Senior defensive lineman Jatarius Mason also recovered an Ashbrook fumble to go along with seven tackles.
-- Senior linebacker B.J. Foster had eight tackles.
-- Freshman Jamarie Robinson scored the Wonders’ final touchdown with a 6-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Only in Kannapolis: Four A.L. Brown students rushed the field along with the Wonders players with flags raised in this order: a (large) white “K” with a Kelly green background, a United States flag, then a racing checkered flag with the number 3 honoring K-town native, the late Dale Earnhardt, then a smaller white K with a green background.
-- Longtime Memorial Stadium public address announcer Alan Cauble is usually good for a few on-air laughs. Early in the game, he announced he was a 1976 graduate of Ashbrook then added, “But I think you all know who I’m pulling for.” (A.L. Brown)
-- Ashbrook’s first official pass attempt (one of only three for the game), and only completion, came in the final minutes of the third quarter, a 10-yard gain.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Ashbrook plays host to East Lincoln next Friday, while A.L. Brown takes an early break in its schedule, then welcomes Mooresville on Sept. 13.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Ashbrook 0 6 0 0 -- 6
A.L. Brown 0 7 7 14 -- 28
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
ASH -- Trevon Crank 2 run (kick failed)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 7 run (Mario Carmona kick)
Third Quarter:
ALB – Bennett 54 run (Carmona kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Xavier Jordan 35 fumble return (Carmona kick)
ALB – Jamarie Robinson 6 run (Carmona kick) -Independent/Tribune
Game #2
Kannapolis
vs
Mooresville
KANNAPOLIS – On a night when the A.L. Brown football team couldn’t find an offensive spark and hurt themselves with first-half penalties, Mooresville had plenty of firepower in the foot of senior kicker Isaac Riffle, who led the Blue Devils to a 30-0 non-conference victory Friday night at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. Riffle had several booming kickoffs and punts, along with three field goals for Mooresville.
“What a weapon when you have a kicker that can make (opposing offenses) go 80 yards every time, and that’s tough to beat,” Wonders coach Mike Newsome said. “We have some injuries to some key positions that hurt us, but there are no excuses”
The Wonders were consistently pinned deep in their own territory and struggled with their own kicking game, giving Mooresville great field position throughout the first half. A.L. Brown was able to minimize the damage, though, and trailed 7-0 at halftime, thanks to its stout run defense led by B.J. Foster, Torren Wright and Jatarius Mason.
“Defensively, we played really well, but (the Blue Devils’) touchdowns were all short fields because we put our defense in some tough spots,” Newsome said. “Overall we just didn’t play very well tonight.”
Mooresville adjusted its game plan at halftime and came out with a pass-heavy attack in the third quarter, led by senior quarterback Hunter Deberardino and receivers Keshaun Black and Ashton Michael Edstrom. Debarardino spread the ball around with a combination of short passes to the flat, screen passes and jet sweeps to his receivers, who were extremely effective running in open space.
The Wonders couldn’t generate enough pressure in the backfield to disrupt the Mooresville passing attack and had difficultly making open-field tackles on the speedy Blue Devil receivers. For the Wonders, junior Isaiah Black got the start at quarterback, while sophomore Cam Kromah played most of the second half. Both showed great athleticism but were a combined 8-for-21 passing for 74 yards. A.L. Brown’s leading rusher was Todd Kennedy, who tallied only 12 yards on 11 carries.
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 1-1 overall, 0-0 in Southern Piedmont 3A Conference; Monroe 2-2 overall, 0-0 I-MECK 4A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
After a pass from the Wonders’ 15-yard-line from Black to receiver Jose Vargas for a nice gain, on the next play under pressure in the backfield, Black’s pass down the middle was intercepted in stride by Mooresville’s Keshaun Black, who returned the ball to A.L. Brown 4-yard-line.
Jebari Lackey then pounded it up the middle on a very tough run for the game’s first touchdown.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Mooresville:
-- Riffle hit on field goals of 29, 42 and 45 yards. But more important, Riffle consistently pinned the Wonders deep in their own territory.
-- Wide receiver/cornerback Keshaun Black was fantastic on both sides of the ball, putting up 81 yards total offense and an interception.
-- Defensive lineman Ray Watson got consistent pressure in the A.L. Brown backfield throughout the night and made several tackles for losses.
-- Debarardino was 14-for-25 passing for 119 yards.
-- Edstrom scored two rushing touchdowns.
A.L. Brown:
-- Junior defensive back Jacob Booker made an impressive interception in the end zone to save a Blue Devils’ touchdown and had several key stops in the first half.
-- Linebackers B.J. Foster, Torren Wright and Sam Calleja, and defensive linemen Terry Williams, Malik Morrison and Jatarius Mason stifled the Blue Devil running game in the first half.
--In the second half, running back Jakhiry Bennet carried the ball six times for 37 yards.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- A.L. Brown will need to eliminate the mental mistakes to take the next step forward. The Wonders had multiple illegal-procedure penalties in the first half and sometimes several in the same series.
--The A.L. Brown cheerleading team is amazing. It performed fantastic tumbling runs in front of the stands during breaks, rocked some super formations that went three people high, and is one of the only squads in the county with several male cheerleaders.
--Congratulations to Lilly Beaver for being named Miss A.L. Brown at halftime. All of the nominees and their ROTC escorts looked amazing.
WHAT’S UP NEXT:
A.L. Brown travels to Mocksville to play Davie in a non-conference game next Friday. Mooresville travels to North Mecklenburg.
GAME SUMMARY:
A.L. Brown 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Mooresville 0 7 9 14 -- 30
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
M – Jebari Lackey 4 run (Isaac Riffle kick)
Third Quarter:
M – Riffle 29 field goal
M -- Riffle 41 field goal
M -- Riffle 45 field goal
Fourth Quarter:
M – Ashton Edstrom 2 run (Riffle kick)
M – Ashton Edstrom 3-yard run (Riffle kick) -Independent Tribune
“What a weapon when you have a kicker that can make (opposing offenses) go 80 yards every time, and that’s tough to beat,” Wonders coach Mike Newsome said. “We have some injuries to some key positions that hurt us, but there are no excuses”
The Wonders were consistently pinned deep in their own territory and struggled with their own kicking game, giving Mooresville great field position throughout the first half. A.L. Brown was able to minimize the damage, though, and trailed 7-0 at halftime, thanks to its stout run defense led by B.J. Foster, Torren Wright and Jatarius Mason.
“Defensively, we played really well, but (the Blue Devils’) touchdowns were all short fields because we put our defense in some tough spots,” Newsome said. “Overall we just didn’t play very well tonight.”
Mooresville adjusted its game plan at halftime and came out with a pass-heavy attack in the third quarter, led by senior quarterback Hunter Deberardino and receivers Keshaun Black and Ashton Michael Edstrom. Debarardino spread the ball around with a combination of short passes to the flat, screen passes and jet sweeps to his receivers, who were extremely effective running in open space.
The Wonders couldn’t generate enough pressure in the backfield to disrupt the Mooresville passing attack and had difficultly making open-field tackles on the speedy Blue Devil receivers. For the Wonders, junior Isaiah Black got the start at quarterback, while sophomore Cam Kromah played most of the second half. Both showed great athleticism but were a combined 8-for-21 passing for 74 yards. A.L. Brown’s leading rusher was Todd Kennedy, who tallied only 12 yards on 11 carries.
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 1-1 overall, 0-0 in Southern Piedmont 3A Conference; Monroe 2-2 overall, 0-0 I-MECK 4A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
After a pass from the Wonders’ 15-yard-line from Black to receiver Jose Vargas for a nice gain, on the next play under pressure in the backfield, Black’s pass down the middle was intercepted in stride by Mooresville’s Keshaun Black, who returned the ball to A.L. Brown 4-yard-line.
Jebari Lackey then pounded it up the middle on a very tough run for the game’s first touchdown.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Mooresville:
-- Riffle hit on field goals of 29, 42 and 45 yards. But more important, Riffle consistently pinned the Wonders deep in their own territory.
-- Wide receiver/cornerback Keshaun Black was fantastic on both sides of the ball, putting up 81 yards total offense and an interception.
-- Defensive lineman Ray Watson got consistent pressure in the A.L. Brown backfield throughout the night and made several tackles for losses.
-- Debarardino was 14-for-25 passing for 119 yards.
-- Edstrom scored two rushing touchdowns.
A.L. Brown:
-- Junior defensive back Jacob Booker made an impressive interception in the end zone to save a Blue Devils’ touchdown and had several key stops in the first half.
-- Linebackers B.J. Foster, Torren Wright and Sam Calleja, and defensive linemen Terry Williams, Malik Morrison and Jatarius Mason stifled the Blue Devil running game in the first half.
--In the second half, running back Jakhiry Bennet carried the ball six times for 37 yards.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- A.L. Brown will need to eliminate the mental mistakes to take the next step forward. The Wonders had multiple illegal-procedure penalties in the first half and sometimes several in the same series.
--The A.L. Brown cheerleading team is amazing. It performed fantastic tumbling runs in front of the stands during breaks, rocked some super formations that went three people high, and is one of the only squads in the county with several male cheerleaders.
--Congratulations to Lilly Beaver for being named Miss A.L. Brown at halftime. All of the nominees and their ROTC escorts looked amazing.
WHAT’S UP NEXT:
A.L. Brown travels to Mocksville to play Davie in a non-conference game next Friday. Mooresville travels to North Mecklenburg.
GAME SUMMARY:
A.L. Brown 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Mooresville 0 7 9 14 -- 30
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
M – Jebari Lackey 4 run (Isaac Riffle kick)
Third Quarter:
M – Riffle 29 field goal
M -- Riffle 41 field goal
M -- Riffle 45 field goal
Fourth Quarter:
M – Ashton Edstrom 2 run (Riffle kick)
M – Ashton Edstrom 3-yard run (Riffle kick) -Independent Tribune
Action Gallery
Game #4
Kannapolis
vs
West Rowan
Kannapolis-34 West Rowan-20
MOUNT ULLA — The training wheels have long since been removed, but West Rowan’s football team still looks off-balance.
If nothing else, Friday night’s 34-20 loss to visiting A.L. Brown was a reminder that the Falcons still have some catching up to do.
“I just don’t think we played real well,” coach Joe Nixon said, moments after West (2-3) tarnished a strong offensive game with three costly turnovers. “I think our kids played hard, but we didn’t execute well. There are a lot of factors but at the end of the day, you can’t turn the ball over. That just puts you in a bad situation and they capitalized.”
Most damaging were the two fumbles Kannapolis (2-1) returned for touchdowns just a minute apart in the second quarter. The first came as the Falcons were threatening to open the scoring. The second as they were still shaking their heads.
“Giving up big plays — that’s what hurt us,” senior receiver Ty’Kese Warren said. The Wonders — still smarting from last week’s 30-0 loss to Mooresville — were backpedaling deep in their own territory when defensive tackle Xavier Jordan adroitly scooped up a loose ball in the West backfield and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.
“I don’t know,” said Jordan, who also returned a fumble for a TD in K-town’s season-opening win against Ashbrook. “I just found myself in the backfield and the ball was on the ground. I was just happy to be there.”
The 5-foot-9, 230-pound senior was suddenly encircled by teammates throwing block after block as he lumbered down the right sideline. “It was a high snap,” said West scatback Jalen Houston.
“I watched the whole play from our sideline. He wasn’t that fast.” “We were doing a good job running the football,” Nixon added. “But you can’t put it on the ground.”
Just 64 seconds later, a sloppy connection between West quarterback Noah Loeblein and running back Cayleb Brawley produced another miscue. This time A.L. Brown linebacker Dezmond Adams confiscated the ball and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
“Same situation,” Jordan said with a smile. “Right place at the right time. Only he’s a lot faster than me.”
The first half ended with another missed opportunity for West. Loeblein, who passed for 126 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, guided the Falcons from their own 31-yard line to the Brown 1. But on a second-and-goal and the game clock evaporating, he was tackled for no gain on what looked like a broken play.
“Yeah, we had some miscommunication at the line,” Nixon explained. “There’s no excuse. You get down that close to the goal line, you’ve got to be able to punch it in.”
West finally did late in the third quarter, when Houston (29 carries/164 yards) scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 7-yard burst off right tackle. The Wonders returned fire with a 68-yard scoring drive, capped when Todd Kennedy found a seam from five yards out just seconds into the final period. West inched as close as 20-13 midway through the final stanza when Houston — the senior who mixes three parts confidence with one part daylight — won a 7-yard race into the end zone.
“I’m disappointed, but happy that we stuck together after giving up some big plays,” he said. “We knew this was going to be a tough game and had to change our attitudes fast.”
The guests secured the win by reaching the end zone on each of their next two possessions. Kennedy scored on a 5-yard scamper and senior Jakhiry Bennett (16 carries/128 yards) put the Wonders ahead 34-13 when he burst into the secondary, then jogged 29 yards for a TD. “That was enough momentum,” he said. “It was still a close game and we needed a play.”
They made enough of them to forget the loss to Mooresville and win handily. “We just had to get ourselves right,” said Jordan. “We worked hard and our leaders stepped up. It’s all up from here.”
And all who-knows-where for West. While Warren believes the Falcons remain a state playoff contender, Nixon sees the rest of the season as a sturdy challenge.
“We’ve got a lot to play for and plenty of things to keep getting better at,” he said. “We’ve got to get back to work, make the most of an off-week and concentrate on West Rowan. We’ve got to get better at some things that we’re not very good at right now.”
NOTES: West played without injured running back Mike Gonsalves and tight end Luke Koppe. … Defensive end Chaz McCombs led a defense that limited Brown to 75 total yards in the first half. West ran 39 plays from scrimmage to Brown’s 21 in the opening two quarters. By game’s end, the Falcons had 21 first downs and a 357-242 edge in total yards. … West’s K.J. Hernandez and Brown’s Khalil Blanton had interceptions. … The Falcons play at Concord on Oct. 4 while the Wonders visit Davie County next Friday.
If nothing else, Friday night’s 34-20 loss to visiting A.L. Brown was a reminder that the Falcons still have some catching up to do.
“I just don’t think we played real well,” coach Joe Nixon said, moments after West (2-3) tarnished a strong offensive game with three costly turnovers. “I think our kids played hard, but we didn’t execute well. There are a lot of factors but at the end of the day, you can’t turn the ball over. That just puts you in a bad situation and they capitalized.”
Most damaging were the two fumbles Kannapolis (2-1) returned for touchdowns just a minute apart in the second quarter. The first came as the Falcons were threatening to open the scoring. The second as they were still shaking their heads.
“Giving up big plays — that’s what hurt us,” senior receiver Ty’Kese Warren said. The Wonders — still smarting from last week’s 30-0 loss to Mooresville — were backpedaling deep in their own territory when defensive tackle Xavier Jordan adroitly scooped up a loose ball in the West backfield and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.
“I don’t know,” said Jordan, who also returned a fumble for a TD in K-town’s season-opening win against Ashbrook. “I just found myself in the backfield and the ball was on the ground. I was just happy to be there.”
The 5-foot-9, 230-pound senior was suddenly encircled by teammates throwing block after block as he lumbered down the right sideline. “It was a high snap,” said West scatback Jalen Houston.
“I watched the whole play from our sideline. He wasn’t that fast.” “We were doing a good job running the football,” Nixon added. “But you can’t put it on the ground.”
Just 64 seconds later, a sloppy connection between West quarterback Noah Loeblein and running back Cayleb Brawley produced another miscue. This time A.L. Brown linebacker Dezmond Adams confiscated the ball and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
“Same situation,” Jordan said with a smile. “Right place at the right time. Only he’s a lot faster than me.”
The first half ended with another missed opportunity for West. Loeblein, who passed for 126 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, guided the Falcons from their own 31-yard line to the Brown 1. But on a second-and-goal and the game clock evaporating, he was tackled for no gain on what looked like a broken play.
“Yeah, we had some miscommunication at the line,” Nixon explained. “There’s no excuse. You get down that close to the goal line, you’ve got to be able to punch it in.”
West finally did late in the third quarter, when Houston (29 carries/164 yards) scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 7-yard burst off right tackle. The Wonders returned fire with a 68-yard scoring drive, capped when Todd Kennedy found a seam from five yards out just seconds into the final period. West inched as close as 20-13 midway through the final stanza when Houston — the senior who mixes three parts confidence with one part daylight — won a 7-yard race into the end zone.
“I’m disappointed, but happy that we stuck together after giving up some big plays,” he said. “We knew this was going to be a tough game and had to change our attitudes fast.”
The guests secured the win by reaching the end zone on each of their next two possessions. Kennedy scored on a 5-yard scamper and senior Jakhiry Bennett (16 carries/128 yards) put the Wonders ahead 34-13 when he burst into the secondary, then jogged 29 yards for a TD. “That was enough momentum,” he said. “It was still a close game and we needed a play.”
They made enough of them to forget the loss to Mooresville and win handily. “We just had to get ourselves right,” said Jordan. “We worked hard and our leaders stepped up. It’s all up from here.”
And all who-knows-where for West. While Warren believes the Falcons remain a state playoff contender, Nixon sees the rest of the season as a sturdy challenge.
“We’ve got a lot to play for and plenty of things to keep getting better at,” he said. “We’ve got to get back to work, make the most of an off-week and concentrate on West Rowan. We’ve got to get better at some things that we’re not very good at right now.”
NOTES: West played without injured running back Mike Gonsalves and tight end Luke Koppe. … Defensive end Chaz McCombs led a defense that limited Brown to 75 total yards in the first half. West ran 39 plays from scrimmage to Brown’s 21 in the opening two quarters. By game’s end, the Falcons had 21 first downs and a 357-242 edge in total yards. … West’s K.J. Hernandez and Brown’s Khalil Blanton had interceptions. … The Falcons play at Concord on Oct. 4 while the Wonders visit Davie County next Friday.
Action Gallery
Game #5
Kannapolis
vs
Davie County
Kannapolis-43 Davie County-40
MOCKSVILLE — Down 19-0 early, A.L. Brown came from behind to shock Davie County, 43-40, here Saturday morning, in the completion of a high school football game which was suspended by lightning on Friday night. Davie led, 33-29, when play was stopped at 9:34 p.m. Friday, with 8:34 remaining. Facing that deficit and another one at 40-36, the Wonders prevailed by doing the unthinkable — throwing a 55-yard touchdown with 23 seconds left. Brown quarterback Cam Kromah unleashed the winning rainbow. Isaiah Black went down the right sideline, the Davie defender got tangled and fell and Black hauled it in with no War Eagle in sight. There was an eruption of sheer joy on the Wonders’ sideline as they improved to 3-1.
“It was unbelievable,” Black said. “Cam gave me a great ball. I wasn’t even looking at the defender. I was just seeing where the ball is at.” “I trusted (Black),” Kromah said. “I had faith. We practice real hard together, I threw it to where he could get it and he executed.”
On the home sideline, the ending was an anesthesia-free root canal for the War Eagles, who have tumbled from 3-0 to 3-3 by losing by three points for the third straight week. It was the first loss of its kind in Davie’s 64-year history; it was 73-0 when scoring at least 40 points.
“That’s very tough,” Davie coach Tim Devericks said. “Everyone is going to look at one play, but there’s 11 guys on every play. You have to execute, but everyone only sees the one. I told them at the end: I will ride with that one and those two guys over there no matter what You’re under a minute, they’ve got to go (65 yards),” Devericks continued. “You have to feel pretty good.”
Play had resumed at 11 a.m. with the Wonders facing third-and-8 from their own 8-yard line. Kromah threw incomplete and the punt was not a good one as Davie took over at the Brown 35. But Davie’s momentum was squandered when linebacker BJ Foster intercepted at the Brown 27 and returned it 18 yards. Todd Kennedy scored six plays later to give the visitors a 36-33 lead.
In a second half full of momentum swings, Davie’s offense showed its mettle with a 13-play, 73-yard drive that chewed up 4:26. On fourth-and-4, quarterback Nate Hampton found Za’Haree Maddox for six yards. On third-and-5, DeVonte Lyerly ran for six yards. Hampton’s 16-yard keeper moved the ball to the Brown 2, and Hampton scored on the next play as Davie regained a 40-36 lead. With only 1:20 on the clock, Davie appeared destined for victory. Avery Taylor looked like the final Davie hero when he sacked Kromah for a 10-yard loss. Brown was in a desperate situation: second-and-20 from its 45 with 35 seconds left. Then Kromah and Black dialed up their breathtaking play. When the defender fell, there was no stopping Black, who scored the 11th TD of the game at :23. It was the seventh lead change in the final 18:17.
Brown finished with 21 first downs and 466 yards. Jakhiry Bennett had 21 carries for 162 yards. Kromah went 23 of 34 for 288 yards, without a turnover. Jose Vargas (nine catches for 107 yards) and Black (4-100) were the top receivers. Davie put up 22 first downs and 487 yards. Hampton was enormous with 24 completions for 388 yards, tossing four TDs and running for one. Jack Reynolds was huge with eight catches for 125 yards. Maddox was equally dazzling with seven for 109. Lyerly rushed for 91 yards in the sophomore’s second varsity game. Hampton threw for the third-most yards in Davie history; he also owns the No. 2 spot. It was his third game this year with four TD passes. Kicker Willy Moure was 1 for 3 on career field goals — with the make only a 26-yarder — before going 2 for 2 from 42 and 44 yards against the Wonders. It was all for naught due to Black’s game-deciding play, which came after Brown had averaged seven yards per pass attempt. Davie, which allowed 43 points in the final 24:39, has gone from 3-0 to 3-3 for the first time ever.
“It’s a life lesson,” Devericks said. Sometimes you put forth all the effort, you do almost everything right and you don’t get the outcome you’re looking for. I look around and it means something to these guys. They care about their teammates, and that’s a huge part (of being a team).” -Salisbury Post
MOCKSVILLE — In a non-conference battle with all kinds of twists and turns, Davie County charged to a 19-0 lead, A.L. Brown countered with 22 unanswered points and there were four lead changes in the second half. Then with 8:34 remaining, the game was suspended with the War Eagles in front, 33-29. The game will resume Saturday at 11 a.m.
The War Eagles scored on their first four possessions. QB Nate Hampton threw 55- and 27-yard touchdowns to Evan Little and Chase Robertson, respectively. Little got behind everybody, caught it at the Brown 22-yard line and cruised to the end zone. Robertson made a spectacular catch in the end zone, wrestling the ball away from the defender and barely keeping his feet in bounds. Junior Guillermo “Willy” Moure — who had made one field goal in his Davie career, a 26-yarder — knocked through 42- and 44-yarders to push Davie’s lead to 19-0. Davie had its foot on the Wonders’ throat before giving them life with 62 seconds remaining in the first half. Davie tried an option run and the pitch was off-target to running back DeVonte Lyerly. The fumble pin-balled backward 14 yards and Brown’s Josiah Cauthen recovered in the end zone to bring his team within 19-7 at intermission. The Wonders’ offense awakened with a fury in the third quarter. Jose Vargas triggered a scoring drive with a one-handed, 30-yard catch. Five runs later, A.L. Brown was in the end zone.
Davie drove from its 24-yard line to the Brown 22, thanks to Lyerly’s 16-yard run on third down and first-down receptions by Zymere Hudson and Jack Reynolds. Lyerly, though, lost a fumble at the Brown 15. The Wonders cashed in Davie’s second turnover. Jakhiry Bennett went 48 yards for a score on a jet sweep, and Cam Kromah threw a two-point pass to Austin Grunden, giving the Wonders a 22-19 lead. They had 45 rushing yards for the game before Bennett’s explosion. Davie answered in breathtaking style. Za’Haree Maddox caught a bubble screen. He threw a vicious stiff arm at the Davie 40, broke free and won a footrace down the right sideline for a 65-yard TD, as Davie regained a 26-22 lead. The Wonders came right back. Vargas’ 25-yard catch over the middle put the ball at the Davie 3-yard line, and Bennett scored on the next play to cap an 11-play, 81-yard drive. They were back ahead, 29-26.
After the teams exchanged punts, Davie drove 56 yards on its first possession of the fourth quarter. Hampton’s 14-yard completion to Reynolds converted third-and-7, and Reynolds’ 11-yarder moved the chains again. Then Hampton threw his fourth TD pass of the night, a 24-yard fade to Hudson. The Wonders’ fumbled the ensuing kickoff. They recovered but were backed up at their 6-yard line. Kristian Lyons’ minus-1 tackle on the edge set up third-and-8 from the Brown 8. That’s when, at 9:34 p.m., lightning was detected in the area and the game was stopped. For Brown, Bennett has 16 carries for 112 yards, Kromah is 19-of-29 for 210 passing yards and Vargas has eight grabs for 102 yards. For Davie, Hampton is 20-of-36 for 364 yards and four TDs, without a turnover. Reynolds has seven catches for 116 yards and Maddox four catches for 94 yards.
“It was unbelievable,” Black said. “Cam gave me a great ball. I wasn’t even looking at the defender. I was just seeing where the ball is at.” “I trusted (Black),” Kromah said. “I had faith. We practice real hard together, I threw it to where he could get it and he executed.”
On the home sideline, the ending was an anesthesia-free root canal for the War Eagles, who have tumbled from 3-0 to 3-3 by losing by three points for the third straight week. It was the first loss of its kind in Davie’s 64-year history; it was 73-0 when scoring at least 40 points.
“That’s very tough,” Davie coach Tim Devericks said. “Everyone is going to look at one play, but there’s 11 guys on every play. You have to execute, but everyone only sees the one. I told them at the end: I will ride with that one and those two guys over there no matter what You’re under a minute, they’ve got to go (65 yards),” Devericks continued. “You have to feel pretty good.”
Play had resumed at 11 a.m. with the Wonders facing third-and-8 from their own 8-yard line. Kromah threw incomplete and the punt was not a good one as Davie took over at the Brown 35. But Davie’s momentum was squandered when linebacker BJ Foster intercepted at the Brown 27 and returned it 18 yards. Todd Kennedy scored six plays later to give the visitors a 36-33 lead.
In a second half full of momentum swings, Davie’s offense showed its mettle with a 13-play, 73-yard drive that chewed up 4:26. On fourth-and-4, quarterback Nate Hampton found Za’Haree Maddox for six yards. On third-and-5, DeVonte Lyerly ran for six yards. Hampton’s 16-yard keeper moved the ball to the Brown 2, and Hampton scored on the next play as Davie regained a 40-36 lead. With only 1:20 on the clock, Davie appeared destined for victory. Avery Taylor looked like the final Davie hero when he sacked Kromah for a 10-yard loss. Brown was in a desperate situation: second-and-20 from its 45 with 35 seconds left. Then Kromah and Black dialed up their breathtaking play. When the defender fell, there was no stopping Black, who scored the 11th TD of the game at :23. It was the seventh lead change in the final 18:17.
Brown finished with 21 first downs and 466 yards. Jakhiry Bennett had 21 carries for 162 yards. Kromah went 23 of 34 for 288 yards, without a turnover. Jose Vargas (nine catches for 107 yards) and Black (4-100) were the top receivers. Davie put up 22 first downs and 487 yards. Hampton was enormous with 24 completions for 388 yards, tossing four TDs and running for one. Jack Reynolds was huge with eight catches for 125 yards. Maddox was equally dazzling with seven for 109. Lyerly rushed for 91 yards in the sophomore’s second varsity game. Hampton threw for the third-most yards in Davie history; he also owns the No. 2 spot. It was his third game this year with four TD passes. Kicker Willy Moure was 1 for 3 on career field goals — with the make only a 26-yarder — before going 2 for 2 from 42 and 44 yards against the Wonders. It was all for naught due to Black’s game-deciding play, which came after Brown had averaged seven yards per pass attempt. Davie, which allowed 43 points in the final 24:39, has gone from 3-0 to 3-3 for the first time ever.
“It’s a life lesson,” Devericks said. Sometimes you put forth all the effort, you do almost everything right and you don’t get the outcome you’re looking for. I look around and it means something to these guys. They care about their teammates, and that’s a huge part (of being a team).” -Salisbury Post
MOCKSVILLE — In a non-conference battle with all kinds of twists and turns, Davie County charged to a 19-0 lead, A.L. Brown countered with 22 unanswered points and there were four lead changes in the second half. Then with 8:34 remaining, the game was suspended with the War Eagles in front, 33-29. The game will resume Saturday at 11 a.m.
The War Eagles scored on their first four possessions. QB Nate Hampton threw 55- and 27-yard touchdowns to Evan Little and Chase Robertson, respectively. Little got behind everybody, caught it at the Brown 22-yard line and cruised to the end zone. Robertson made a spectacular catch in the end zone, wrestling the ball away from the defender and barely keeping his feet in bounds. Junior Guillermo “Willy” Moure — who had made one field goal in his Davie career, a 26-yarder — knocked through 42- and 44-yarders to push Davie’s lead to 19-0. Davie had its foot on the Wonders’ throat before giving them life with 62 seconds remaining in the first half. Davie tried an option run and the pitch was off-target to running back DeVonte Lyerly. The fumble pin-balled backward 14 yards and Brown’s Josiah Cauthen recovered in the end zone to bring his team within 19-7 at intermission. The Wonders’ offense awakened with a fury in the third quarter. Jose Vargas triggered a scoring drive with a one-handed, 30-yard catch. Five runs later, A.L. Brown was in the end zone.
Davie drove from its 24-yard line to the Brown 22, thanks to Lyerly’s 16-yard run on third down and first-down receptions by Zymere Hudson and Jack Reynolds. Lyerly, though, lost a fumble at the Brown 15. The Wonders cashed in Davie’s second turnover. Jakhiry Bennett went 48 yards for a score on a jet sweep, and Cam Kromah threw a two-point pass to Austin Grunden, giving the Wonders a 22-19 lead. They had 45 rushing yards for the game before Bennett’s explosion. Davie answered in breathtaking style. Za’Haree Maddox caught a bubble screen. He threw a vicious stiff arm at the Davie 40, broke free and won a footrace down the right sideline for a 65-yard TD, as Davie regained a 26-22 lead. The Wonders came right back. Vargas’ 25-yard catch over the middle put the ball at the Davie 3-yard line, and Bennett scored on the next play to cap an 11-play, 81-yard drive. They were back ahead, 29-26.
After the teams exchanged punts, Davie drove 56 yards on its first possession of the fourth quarter. Hampton’s 14-yard completion to Reynolds converted third-and-7, and Reynolds’ 11-yarder moved the chains again. Then Hampton threw his fourth TD pass of the night, a 24-yard fade to Hudson. The Wonders’ fumbled the ensuing kickoff. They recovered but were backed up at their 6-yard line. Kristian Lyons’ minus-1 tackle on the edge set up third-and-8 from the Brown 8. That’s when, at 9:34 p.m., lightning was detected in the area and the game was stopped. For Brown, Bennett has 16 carries for 112 yards, Kromah is 19-of-29 for 210 passing yards and Vargas has eight grabs for 102 yards. For Davie, Hampton is 20-of-36 for 364 yards and four TDs, without a turnover. Reynolds has seven catches for 116 yards and Maddox four catches for 94 yards.
Action Gallery
Game #5
Kannapolis
vs
Carson
KANNAPOLIS — A.L. Brown won for the second time on the new turf field at Memorial Stadium, stopping Carson for a 28-0 non-conference victory. The Wonders (4-1) have won three in a row since losing 30-0 at home to Mooresville on Sept. 13. They built some momentum prior to Friday with good road wins at West Rowan and Davie. Carson (2-5) was shut out for the third time this season.
Carson began a series with A.L. Brown in 2017 and has lost all three meetings by at least four touchdowns. Carson has dropped its last six games against Cabarrus schools. Sophomore Cam Kromah continued his fine work since taking over quarterback duties for the Wonders. He threw two touchdown passes to Jose Vargas. The first one provided a 7-0 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The second one provided the final TD of the night late in the third quarter. A.L. Brown got a rushing touchdown from Todd Kennedy to take a 14-0 halftime lead.
The pivotal play of the game came when Carson was driving in the third quarter with a chance to make it a 14-7 contest. That’s when Dezmond Adams, a 200-pound linebacker who is a sprinter on the Wonders’ track team, scooped up a Carson fumble at the A.L. Brown 5 and raced 95 yards to score. Instead of 14-3 or 14-7, it was 21-0. Adams also had a fumble return touchdown against West Rowan. Josiah Cauthen intercepted a pass for the Wonders. Kicker Mario Carmona returned to action and was 4-for-4 on PATs. Except for two turnovers, Carson did a good job of executing a power-running offensive game plan. The Cougars made a concerted effort to control the ball and the clock and tried to keep A.L. Brown’s offense off the field as much as possible.
Carson used most of the 40-second clock between snaps and ran the ball more than 50 times. Evan Johnston, who had a big game in the win against North Iredell last week, shouldered most of the offensive load with 29 carries for 76 yards. Carson is off next week before starting North Piedmont Conference play at East Rowan (3-3) on Oct. 18. A.L. Brown starts South Piedmont Conference play at home against Central Cabarrus (4-2) on Oct. 11. -Salisbury Post
Carson 0 0 0 0 — 0
A.L. Brown 7 7 14 0 — 28
First Quarter:
ALB – Vargas 15 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), 4:40
Second Quarter:
ALB – Kennedy 3 run (Carmona kick), 3:59
Third Quarter:
ALB – Adams 95 fumble return (Carmona kick), 8:56
ALB – Vargas 25 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), 0:40
KANNAPOLIS – Following back-to-back road victories, the A.L. Brown football team continued its groove in front of the home crowd.
Jose Vargas caught a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Cam Kromah to lead A.L. Brown to a 28-0 win over Carson Friday night at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. The Cream of Cabarrus No. 5 Wonders won their third game in a row, and their defense scored a touchdown for the fifth time this season. The Wonders’ defense forced two turnovers, one of which was a one-handed interception by Josiah Cauthen.
“We are always needing it, but I’m glad we are able to make those plays when it happens in front of them,” A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said.
Vargas caught a 15-yard touchdown pass to give A.L. Brown a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. He added a 25-yard touchdown grab to put the game out of reach late in the third quarter.
“We work at practice and after practice,” Vargas said. “We work on extra routes and go over plays so we will be able to communicate and get things done in the game.”
Carson slowed the game down, ran the ball 52 times and often waited until the play clock got all the way down before running a play.
“(Carson) had a great game plan,” Newsome said. “They slowed the game down and really controlled the clock by running the ball and using the whole 40-second clock, so that just limited our opportunities.“When we had an opportunity, in the first half, we only had the ball five times and we scored on two of them. When you are about 50 percent scoring percentage, that’s not a bad night. Then we took care of business in the second half.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 4-1 overall, 0-0 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Carson 2-5 North Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
A.L. Brown had a 14-0 lead early in the third quarter when Carson was driving inside the 5-yard line. Carson running back Evan Johnston fumbled, and Wonders linebacker Dezmond Adams scooped the ball up and raced 95 yards for the touchdown.
Instead of Carson cutting its deficit in half, it found itself trailing 21-0 in the third quarter.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Kromah completed 10-of-18 passes for 133 yards and threw an interception in the end zone just before halftime. He connected on two touchdown passes.
-- In addition to his two touchdown catches, Vargas had another reception and finished with 49 yards.
-- Running back Todd Kennedy made the most of his eight rushing attempts. He gained 44 yards and scored a rushing touchdown with just under four minutes to go in the second quarter, giving A.L. Brown a 14-0 lead.
Carson
-- Johnston was a workhorse. He carried the ball 29 times for 76 yards. He also caught a 27-yard pass.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Carson tried to control the game clock as much as possible. The Cougars were still forced to punt six times, had two turnovers and gave the ball away by turning the ball over on downs on several other occasions.
-- Carson’s band provided some joy, playing fight songs from The Ohio State University. O-H-
(Editor’s note: The writer is an Ohio native and a huge Buckeyes fan!)
-- I’m not sure if any colleges are recruiting Vargas, but they need to. The senior is a massive weapon in that offense -- tall, athletic and strong.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?:
A.L. Brown hosts Central Cabarrus next Friday. Carson travels to East Rowan. -Independent Tribune
SCORING SUMMARY:
Carson 0 0 0 0 -- 0
A.L. Brown 7 7 14 0 – 28
First Quarter:
ALB – Jose Vargas 15 pass from Cam Kromah (Mario Carmona kick), 4:40
Second Quarter:
ALB – Todd Kennedy 3 run (Carmona kick), 3:59u
Third Quarter:
ALB – Dezmond Adams 95 fumble return (Carmona kick), 8:56
ALB – Vargas 25 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), :40
Fourth Quarter:
Carson began a series with A.L. Brown in 2017 and has lost all three meetings by at least four touchdowns. Carson has dropped its last six games against Cabarrus schools. Sophomore Cam Kromah continued his fine work since taking over quarterback duties for the Wonders. He threw two touchdown passes to Jose Vargas. The first one provided a 7-0 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The second one provided the final TD of the night late in the third quarter. A.L. Brown got a rushing touchdown from Todd Kennedy to take a 14-0 halftime lead.
The pivotal play of the game came when Carson was driving in the third quarter with a chance to make it a 14-7 contest. That’s when Dezmond Adams, a 200-pound linebacker who is a sprinter on the Wonders’ track team, scooped up a Carson fumble at the A.L. Brown 5 and raced 95 yards to score. Instead of 14-3 or 14-7, it was 21-0. Adams also had a fumble return touchdown against West Rowan. Josiah Cauthen intercepted a pass for the Wonders. Kicker Mario Carmona returned to action and was 4-for-4 on PATs. Except for two turnovers, Carson did a good job of executing a power-running offensive game plan. The Cougars made a concerted effort to control the ball and the clock and tried to keep A.L. Brown’s offense off the field as much as possible.
Carson used most of the 40-second clock between snaps and ran the ball more than 50 times. Evan Johnston, who had a big game in the win against North Iredell last week, shouldered most of the offensive load with 29 carries for 76 yards. Carson is off next week before starting North Piedmont Conference play at East Rowan (3-3) on Oct. 18. A.L. Brown starts South Piedmont Conference play at home against Central Cabarrus (4-2) on Oct. 11. -Salisbury Post
Carson 0 0 0 0 — 0
A.L. Brown 7 7 14 0 — 28
First Quarter:
ALB – Vargas 15 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), 4:40
Second Quarter:
ALB – Kennedy 3 run (Carmona kick), 3:59
Third Quarter:
ALB – Adams 95 fumble return (Carmona kick), 8:56
ALB – Vargas 25 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), 0:40
KANNAPOLIS – Following back-to-back road victories, the A.L. Brown football team continued its groove in front of the home crowd.
Jose Vargas caught a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Cam Kromah to lead A.L. Brown to a 28-0 win over Carson Friday night at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. The Cream of Cabarrus No. 5 Wonders won their third game in a row, and their defense scored a touchdown for the fifth time this season. The Wonders’ defense forced two turnovers, one of which was a one-handed interception by Josiah Cauthen.
“We are always needing it, but I’m glad we are able to make those plays when it happens in front of them,” A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said.
Vargas caught a 15-yard touchdown pass to give A.L. Brown a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. He added a 25-yard touchdown grab to put the game out of reach late in the third quarter.
“We work at practice and after practice,” Vargas said. “We work on extra routes and go over plays so we will be able to communicate and get things done in the game.”
Carson slowed the game down, ran the ball 52 times and often waited until the play clock got all the way down before running a play.
“(Carson) had a great game plan,” Newsome said. “They slowed the game down and really controlled the clock by running the ball and using the whole 40-second clock, so that just limited our opportunities.“When we had an opportunity, in the first half, we only had the ball five times and we scored on two of them. When you are about 50 percent scoring percentage, that’s not a bad night. Then we took care of business in the second half.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 4-1 overall, 0-0 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Carson 2-5 North Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
A.L. Brown had a 14-0 lead early in the third quarter when Carson was driving inside the 5-yard line. Carson running back Evan Johnston fumbled, and Wonders linebacker Dezmond Adams scooped the ball up and raced 95 yards for the touchdown.
Instead of Carson cutting its deficit in half, it found itself trailing 21-0 in the third quarter.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Kromah completed 10-of-18 passes for 133 yards and threw an interception in the end zone just before halftime. He connected on two touchdown passes.
-- In addition to his two touchdown catches, Vargas had another reception and finished with 49 yards.
-- Running back Todd Kennedy made the most of his eight rushing attempts. He gained 44 yards and scored a rushing touchdown with just under four minutes to go in the second quarter, giving A.L. Brown a 14-0 lead.
Carson
-- Johnston was a workhorse. He carried the ball 29 times for 76 yards. He also caught a 27-yard pass.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Carson tried to control the game clock as much as possible. The Cougars were still forced to punt six times, had two turnovers and gave the ball away by turning the ball over on downs on several other occasions.
-- Carson’s band provided some joy, playing fight songs from The Ohio State University. O-H-
(Editor’s note: The writer is an Ohio native and a huge Buckeyes fan!)
-- I’m not sure if any colleges are recruiting Vargas, but they need to. The senior is a massive weapon in that offense -- tall, athletic and strong.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?:
A.L. Brown hosts Central Cabarrus next Friday. Carson travels to East Rowan. -Independent Tribune
SCORING SUMMARY:
Carson 0 0 0 0 -- 0
A.L. Brown 7 7 14 0 – 28
First Quarter:
ALB – Jose Vargas 15 pass from Cam Kromah (Mario Carmona kick), 4:40
Second Quarter:
ALB – Todd Kennedy 3 run (Carmona kick), 3:59u
Third Quarter:
ALB – Dezmond Adams 95 fumble return (Carmona kick), 8:56
ALB – Vargas 25 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick), :40
Fourth Quarter:
Game #6
Kannapolis
vs
Central Cabarrus
KANNAPOLIS – Cream of Cabarrus third-ranked Central Cabarrus built a four-touchdown lead, then held off a second-half comeback by fourth-ranked A.L. Brown to secure a 31-27 victory in Friday at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium. After losing the first 25 games in this series, Central Cabarrus has now won two games in a row against the Wonders. Last year, the Vikings defeated the Wonders, 33-30, capped by an overtime touchdown run by then-sophomore DeAndre Boykins. With the help of three interceptions Friday, including a “Pick 6” by senior Khalil Ford, the Vikings held a 28-0 advantage fewer than two minutes into the second quarter.
Central Cabarrus withstood the Wonders’ response with a serviceable ball-control offense, especially in the fourth quarter. The Vikings gained first downs four times on third down in the final period and held the ball for more than 10 minutes during that span.
“I thought our offensive line played extremely well,” said winning coach Kenneth McClamrock. “I thought Solomon Faulkner (74 yards) and DeAndre Boykins (101 yards) ran the ball extremely well. “And I was really proud of (quarterback) Dajon Johnson, the way he led the team late in the game. He converted a first down himself late, which was a huge play.”
Senior running back Jakhiry Bennett and the combination of quarterback Cameron Kromah and receiver Jose Vargas led the A.L. Brown comeback. Bennett scored on runs of 60 and 66 yards, and finished with 188 yards on 13 carries. Kromah and Vargas connected on two third-quarter touchdown passes.
“Too little, too late,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome. “If you take away the first 14 minutes of the game, we win 27-3. That just ain’t enough to win the rest of it. We just have to figure out how to start faster. That’s killed us all year long.”
RECORDS:
Central Cabarrus 5-2 overall, 1-0 South Piedmont 3A; A.L. Brown 4-2, 0-1 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
At the time, Ford’s 35-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the second quarter seemed like just another score in Central Cabarrus’ early onslaught. It was the Vikings’ fourth touchdown, but it ended up being the game’s decisive points.
The senior defensive back scored by smothering an errant pass in a wide-open space and heading up the right sideline. He sidestepped a tackler inside the 5-yard line and escaped across the goal line.
The only points Central Cabarrus scored after Ford’s touchdown were a third-quarter field goal by Jaciel Garibo.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Central Cabarrus
-- Johnson completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 151 yards. His lone scoring toss came on a fourth-and-5 play from the Wonders’ 20 to Arthur Bailey.
-- Boykins’ interception on the second play of the game gave Central Cabarrus the ball at the A.L. Brown 10-yard line. He scored on a four-yard run two plays later. Boykins added a six-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter.
-- Kevin Clerge had one of Central Cabarrus’ interceptions, and Austin Himes and Native Johnson both recovered fumbles.
A.L. Brown
-- Vargas caught four passes for 88 yards and two scores. On his 43-yard touchdown catch, he made the grab at the Central Cabarrus 32, stiffed-armed a tackler around the 20 and stumbled the rest of the way before flipping over the goal line.
-- Defensively, Josiah Cauthen, Khalil Blanton, Torren Wright, Brycen Schenck, and Terry Williams all had at least five tackles.
OBSERVATIONS:
-- In a simple, understated homecoming ceremony, A.L. Brown still brought the spirit. Numerous musicians participated in Alumni Band night, and the varsity and junior squads fielded at least 37 cheerleaders. Fellow cheerleader Jakira Gaither was crowned homecoming queen.
-- Dajon Johnson was extremely valuable on Central Cabarrus’ final possession when it was trying to kill the clock. He gained 18 yards to the Wonders’ 16 on a third-and-7 with 2 ½ minutes left. Then he intentionally ran backward twice and took a knee, losing 24 yards just to wipe off time. On fourth down, he pooched a punt into the A.L. Brown end zone, leaving fewer than four seconds on the clock.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Central Cabarrus hosts top-ranked Northwest Cabarrus next Friday, while A.L. Brown plays at Cox Mill.
GAME SUMMARY:
Central Cabarrus 21 7 3 0 -- 31
A.L. Brown 0 7 14 6 -- 27
First Quarter:
CC – DeAndre Boykins 4 run (Jay Rodgers-Freeman run)
CC – Arthur Bailey 20 pass from Dajon Johnson (Jaciel Garibo kick)
CC – Boykins 6 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter:
CC – Khalil Ford 35 interception return (Garibo kick)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 60 run (Mario Carmona kick)
Third Quarter:
ALB – Jose Vargas 25 pass from Cameron Kromah (Carmona kick)
CC – Garibo 23 field goal
ALB – Vargas 43 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Bennett 66 run (kick blocked)
Central Cabarrus withstood the Wonders’ response with a serviceable ball-control offense, especially in the fourth quarter. The Vikings gained first downs four times on third down in the final period and held the ball for more than 10 minutes during that span.
“I thought our offensive line played extremely well,” said winning coach Kenneth McClamrock. “I thought Solomon Faulkner (74 yards) and DeAndre Boykins (101 yards) ran the ball extremely well. “And I was really proud of (quarterback) Dajon Johnson, the way he led the team late in the game. He converted a first down himself late, which was a huge play.”
Senior running back Jakhiry Bennett and the combination of quarterback Cameron Kromah and receiver Jose Vargas led the A.L. Brown comeback. Bennett scored on runs of 60 and 66 yards, and finished with 188 yards on 13 carries. Kromah and Vargas connected on two third-quarter touchdown passes.
“Too little, too late,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome. “If you take away the first 14 minutes of the game, we win 27-3. That just ain’t enough to win the rest of it. We just have to figure out how to start faster. That’s killed us all year long.”
RECORDS:
Central Cabarrus 5-2 overall, 1-0 South Piedmont 3A; A.L. Brown 4-2, 0-1 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
At the time, Ford’s 35-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the second quarter seemed like just another score in Central Cabarrus’ early onslaught. It was the Vikings’ fourth touchdown, but it ended up being the game’s decisive points.
The senior defensive back scored by smothering an errant pass in a wide-open space and heading up the right sideline. He sidestepped a tackler inside the 5-yard line and escaped across the goal line.
The only points Central Cabarrus scored after Ford’s touchdown were a third-quarter field goal by Jaciel Garibo.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Central Cabarrus
-- Johnson completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 151 yards. His lone scoring toss came on a fourth-and-5 play from the Wonders’ 20 to Arthur Bailey.
-- Boykins’ interception on the second play of the game gave Central Cabarrus the ball at the A.L. Brown 10-yard line. He scored on a four-yard run two plays later. Boykins added a six-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter.
-- Kevin Clerge had one of Central Cabarrus’ interceptions, and Austin Himes and Native Johnson both recovered fumbles.
A.L. Brown
-- Vargas caught four passes for 88 yards and two scores. On his 43-yard touchdown catch, he made the grab at the Central Cabarrus 32, stiffed-armed a tackler around the 20 and stumbled the rest of the way before flipping over the goal line.
-- Defensively, Josiah Cauthen, Khalil Blanton, Torren Wright, Brycen Schenck, and Terry Williams all had at least five tackles.
OBSERVATIONS:
-- In a simple, understated homecoming ceremony, A.L. Brown still brought the spirit. Numerous musicians participated in Alumni Band night, and the varsity and junior squads fielded at least 37 cheerleaders. Fellow cheerleader Jakira Gaither was crowned homecoming queen.
-- Dajon Johnson was extremely valuable on Central Cabarrus’ final possession when it was trying to kill the clock. He gained 18 yards to the Wonders’ 16 on a third-and-7 with 2 ½ minutes left. Then he intentionally ran backward twice and took a knee, losing 24 yards just to wipe off time. On fourth down, he pooched a punt into the A.L. Brown end zone, leaving fewer than four seconds on the clock.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Central Cabarrus hosts top-ranked Northwest Cabarrus next Friday, while A.L. Brown plays at Cox Mill.
GAME SUMMARY:
Central Cabarrus 21 7 3 0 -- 31
A.L. Brown 0 7 14 6 -- 27
First Quarter:
CC – DeAndre Boykins 4 run (Jay Rodgers-Freeman run)
CC – Arthur Bailey 20 pass from Dajon Johnson (Jaciel Garibo kick)
CC – Boykins 6 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter:
CC – Khalil Ford 35 interception return (Garibo kick)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 60 run (Mario Carmona kick)
Third Quarter:
ALB – Jose Vargas 25 pass from Cameron Kromah (Carmona kick)
CC – Garibo 23 field goal
ALB – Vargas 43 pass from Kromah (Carmona kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Bennett 66 run (kick blocked)
Game #7
Kannapolis
vs
Cox Mill
CONCORD – With less than a minute to go and Cream of Cabarrus fourth-ranked A.L. Brown’s lead seemingly slipping away with every Cox Mill pass completion that gained a first down, it became likely that the only thing that would save the Wonders was an expiration of the clock or something heroic. The fifth-ranked Chargers had covered 67 yards in fewer than two minutes on seven plays and an A.L. Brown roughing-the-passer penalty. On second down from the Wonders’ 16-yard line, A.L. Brown junior defensive back Jacob Booker waited on an errant Cox Mill pass just a few yards downfield and returned his interception 90 yards up the left sideline for a score. Booker’s “Pick-6” clinched a 29-19 victory, allowing the A.L. Brown football team to complete a comeback from a nine-point deficit it faced late in the third quarter.
“I saw that the linebackers got pressure (on the quarterback) and my man (I was covering) slowed down, so I just saw the ball and picked it off,” said Booker. “I saw green grass from there.”
Jakhiry Bennett, who rushed for a career-high 270 yards on 28 carries, scored from five yards with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game to give A.L. Brown a 23-19 advantage, its first lead of the game. After an exchange of possessions, Cox Mill took over at its 17 with 2:40 remaining. Pass completions from quarterback Varney Farhnbullah to Jelynn Barnett, Wesley Poindexter and Luke Sutton all gained first downs and led to the Chargers’ scoring threat before Booker’s interception.
“At that point and time, (A.L. Brown) can kind of pin their ears back and come get us and get a shot at it,” said Cox Mill coach Craig Stewart of the fate-sealing interception. “You kind of hope you can get rid of the football in time. I think (Farhnbullah) was right in the middle of his throw and got hit, and they made a good play.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 5-2, 1-1 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Cox Mill 4-4, 1-1 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
The most admirable part of Booker’s long interception return was how the play ended. Booker was noticeably exhausted after scampering 90 yards for the game-clinching touchdown, but he kept his cool.
After being swarmed by all of his teammates who were on the field during the play, Booker, who was still holding on to the ball, went well out of his way to seek out a referee so that he could gently flip it to him. Booker was visibly stumbling with fatigue as he then made his way to the Wonders’ bench.
“I was about to fall out on the field,” said Booker. “That was a show of respect. I didn’t want to showboat.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Todd Kennedy, Jr. scored two short touchdowns but had only 17 yards rushing on five carries.
-- Josiah Cauthen, Khalil Blanton, Dezmond Adams, Booker, Brycen Schenck and Jatarius Mason all had at least five tackles. Adams also had an interception, and Blanton recovered a fumble.
Cox Mill
-- Sam Weber kicked field goals of 26 and 25 yards.
-- Farhnbullah completed 20 of 39 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown.
-- In the first half, Christian Henry caught nine Farhnbullah completions in a row for 157 yards but did not make a reception after halftime.
-- Sutton had all three of his receptions in the second half for 120 yards, including a 68-yard catch-and-run to the A.L. Brown 8-yard line that set up one of Weber’s field goals.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Cox Mill intercepted A.L. Brown’s last pass of the second half and its first pass of the second half. The second one was returned 45 yards for a touchdown by Cameron Webb.
-- The Chargers’ first interception came with 13 seconds left in the second quarter. Cox Mill completed two quick passes, and a third attempt was ruled incomplete in the end zone, even though it appeared the Chargers’ receiver was blatantly pushed out of bounds by a defender well before the ball arrived.
-- The game was delayed almost 30 minutes in the fourth quarter when Cox Mill receiver Kendrick Caldwell was injured on a catch and was taken from the field by ambulance.
“The doctors and the trainers were sitting down there (on the field with Caldwell), and they were talking low so I’m not quite sure what (the injury) was,” said Stewart. “More or less, it seemed like it was precautionary just to send him to the hospital.”
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
A.L. Brown visits top-ranked Northwest Cabarrus next week, while Cox Mill travels to Jay M. Robinson.
SCORING SUMMARY
A.L. Brown 0 10 6 13 -- 29
Cox Mill 0 10 9 0 -- 19
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
CM – Christian Henry 35 pass from Varney Farhnbullah (Sam Weber kick)
ALB – Mario Carmona 25 field goal
ALB – Todd Kennedy Jr. 4 run (Carmona kick)
CM – Weber 26 field goal
Third Quarter:
CM – Weber 25 field goal
CM – Cameron Webb 45 interception return (kick failed)
ALB -- Kennedy, Jr. 1 run (kick blocked)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 5 run (Carmona kick)
ALB – Jacob Booker 90 interception return (kick failed) -Independent Tribune
“I saw that the linebackers got pressure (on the quarterback) and my man (I was covering) slowed down, so I just saw the ball and picked it off,” said Booker. “I saw green grass from there.”
Jakhiry Bennett, who rushed for a career-high 270 yards on 28 carries, scored from five yards with 6 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game to give A.L. Brown a 23-19 advantage, its first lead of the game. After an exchange of possessions, Cox Mill took over at its 17 with 2:40 remaining. Pass completions from quarterback Varney Farhnbullah to Jelynn Barnett, Wesley Poindexter and Luke Sutton all gained first downs and led to the Chargers’ scoring threat before Booker’s interception.
“At that point and time, (A.L. Brown) can kind of pin their ears back and come get us and get a shot at it,” said Cox Mill coach Craig Stewart of the fate-sealing interception. “You kind of hope you can get rid of the football in time. I think (Farhnbullah) was right in the middle of his throw and got hit, and they made a good play.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 5-2, 1-1 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Cox Mill 4-4, 1-1 South Piedmont 3A
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
The most admirable part of Booker’s long interception return was how the play ended. Booker was noticeably exhausted after scampering 90 yards for the game-clinching touchdown, but he kept his cool.
After being swarmed by all of his teammates who were on the field during the play, Booker, who was still holding on to the ball, went well out of his way to seek out a referee so that he could gently flip it to him. Booker was visibly stumbling with fatigue as he then made his way to the Wonders’ bench.
“I was about to fall out on the field,” said Booker. “That was a show of respect. I didn’t want to showboat.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Todd Kennedy, Jr. scored two short touchdowns but had only 17 yards rushing on five carries.
-- Josiah Cauthen, Khalil Blanton, Dezmond Adams, Booker, Brycen Schenck and Jatarius Mason all had at least five tackles. Adams also had an interception, and Blanton recovered a fumble.
Cox Mill
-- Sam Weber kicked field goals of 26 and 25 yards.
-- Farhnbullah completed 20 of 39 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown.
-- In the first half, Christian Henry caught nine Farhnbullah completions in a row for 157 yards but did not make a reception after halftime.
-- Sutton had all three of his receptions in the second half for 120 yards, including a 68-yard catch-and-run to the A.L. Brown 8-yard line that set up one of Weber’s field goals.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Cox Mill intercepted A.L. Brown’s last pass of the second half and its first pass of the second half. The second one was returned 45 yards for a touchdown by Cameron Webb.
-- The Chargers’ first interception came with 13 seconds left in the second quarter. Cox Mill completed two quick passes, and a third attempt was ruled incomplete in the end zone, even though it appeared the Chargers’ receiver was blatantly pushed out of bounds by a defender well before the ball arrived.
-- The game was delayed almost 30 minutes in the fourth quarter when Cox Mill receiver Kendrick Caldwell was injured on a catch and was taken from the field by ambulance.
“The doctors and the trainers were sitting down there (on the field with Caldwell), and they were talking low so I’m not quite sure what (the injury) was,” said Stewart. “More or less, it seemed like it was precautionary just to send him to the hospital.”
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
A.L. Brown visits top-ranked Northwest Cabarrus next week, while Cox Mill travels to Jay M. Robinson.
SCORING SUMMARY
A.L. Brown 0 10 6 13 -- 29
Cox Mill 0 10 9 0 -- 19
First Quarter:
None
Second Quarter:
CM – Christian Henry 35 pass from Varney Farhnbullah (Sam Weber kick)
ALB – Mario Carmona 25 field goal
ALB – Todd Kennedy Jr. 4 run (Carmona kick)
CM – Weber 26 field goal
Third Quarter:
CM – Weber 25 field goal
CM – Cameron Webb 45 interception return (kick failed)
ALB -- Kennedy, Jr. 1 run (kick blocked)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 5 run (Carmona kick)
ALB – Jacob Booker 90 interception return (kick failed) -Independent Tribune
Game #8
Kannapolis
vs
Northwest Cabarrus
KANNAPOLIS – The Cream of Cabarrus top-ranked Northwest Cabarrus football team scored twice in the game’s first six minutes and garnered a pedestrian 38-7 victory over No. 4 A.L. Brown Friday at Trojan Stadium.This was the Trojans’ second straight triumph over rival A.L. Brown after previously not having done so since 1976. It also was Northwest Cabarrus’ 21st straight regular-season win, dating back to 2017. A.L. Brown pulled to within 20-7 midway through the second quarter, but Northwest Cabarrus followed the game’s only turnover – an interception by the Trojans’ George Miller-Duncan – with a touchdown to take a 26-7 cushion into halftime.
“It was extremely important (to build an early lead),” said winning coach Brandon Gentry. “Our guys wanted to get their confidence back. We started slow last week (against Central Cabarrus), so it was important for us to start fast.”
Northwest Cabarrus quarterback Nick Wilds-Lawing rushed for a season-high 93 yards, including a 45-yard score in the third quarter. Three running backs rushed for at least 35 yards, including starter L.J. Currie, whose action was limited after he came up grasping his left elbow late in the first quarter while playing defense. Miller-Duncan carried eight times for 44 yards, and Avarion Cole gained 45 yards and a touchdown on seven rushes. Senior linebacker Andre White led a defense that held A.L. Brown running back Jakhiry Bennett to his lowest yardage output (110 yards) since the Wonders’ second game of the season, when he totaled 44 against Mooresville. Bennett had gained at least 150 yards in each of his last three games.
“You hope you keep your pride intact (after a loss such as Friday’s),” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome. “We talked about that at halftime. We have to finish the season. Our kids put so much into winning that this will be hard to rebound from. But we’ll get them right next week. We have (Jay M.) Robinson and Concord to finish up.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 5-3, 1-2 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Northwest Cabarrus 9-0, 3-0
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
Bryson Mason’s 58-yard touchdown catch was far from being routine. He was heavily covered by A.L. Brown’s Dezmond Adams, and when the pass reached its destination it looked like either player had a chance of catching it. At the Wonders’ 33-yard line, Mason stole it from Adams’ grasp and turned upfield. Had Adams not thought he had a chance at an interception, he would have been in perfect position to make the tackle. Instead, Mason had a clear path to the end zone, and his long catch-and-run score provided the game’s first points.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Senior wide receiver Jose Vargas had five catches for 136 yards. Three other Wonders receivers combined for four catches for eight yards.
-- Bennett scored A.L. Brown’s only points when he took a handoff from the 12-yard line, spun to break a tackle, and waltzed into the end zone.
Northwest Cabarrus
-- Mason finished with 94 yards on five catches.
-- Receiver Cam Saunders caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.
-- Wilds-Lawing passed for 255 yards by completing 22-of-33 attempts.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- There were at least eight Northwest Cabarrus fans wearing orange T-shirts with the words “The Deep Freeze, 77” on them. Presumably, it was a cool way to support the Trojans’ freezer-sized lineman (No. 77) Mason Waller, whose physique (6 feet, 2 inches and 305 pounds) embodies the spirit of what a Hungry Man frozen meal is made for.
-- Northwest Cabarrus’ K.J. Pierce single-handedly shut down A.L. Brown’s scoring threat inside the Trojans’ 30-yard line on the Wonders’ last drive of the first half. The senior lineman dropped Jakhiry Bennett for a 3-yard loss on a third down screen pass, then sacked quarterback Cam Kromah for 8 yards on the next play.
-- Wilds-Lawing’s 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was impressive. He faded back to pass but quickly stepped up in the pocket to avoid two oncoming linemen. When he saw a seam up the right side, he kicked it up a gear as if he knew big yardage lay ahead.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Next Friday, A.L. Brown hosts Jay M. Robinson, while Northwest Cabarrus plays at Concord.
SCORING SUMMARY:
A.L. Brown 0 7 0 0 -- 7
Northwest Cabarrus 14 12 12 0 -- 38
First Quarter:
NW – Bryson Mason 58 pass from Nick Wilds-Lawing (Ezekial Senegal kick)
NW – L.J. Currie 3 run (Senegal kick)
Second Quarter:
NW – Wilds-Lawing 1 run (run failed)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 12 run (Mario Carmona kick)
NW – Cam Saunders 12 pass from Wilds-Lawing (pass failed)
Third Quarter:
NW – Wilds-Lawing 45 run (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter:
None -Independent Tribune
“It was extremely important (to build an early lead),” said winning coach Brandon Gentry. “Our guys wanted to get their confidence back. We started slow last week (against Central Cabarrus), so it was important for us to start fast.”
Northwest Cabarrus quarterback Nick Wilds-Lawing rushed for a season-high 93 yards, including a 45-yard score in the third quarter. Three running backs rushed for at least 35 yards, including starter L.J. Currie, whose action was limited after he came up grasping his left elbow late in the first quarter while playing defense. Miller-Duncan carried eight times for 44 yards, and Avarion Cole gained 45 yards and a touchdown on seven rushes. Senior linebacker Andre White led a defense that held A.L. Brown running back Jakhiry Bennett to his lowest yardage output (110 yards) since the Wonders’ second game of the season, when he totaled 44 against Mooresville. Bennett had gained at least 150 yards in each of his last three games.
“You hope you keep your pride intact (after a loss such as Friday’s),” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome. “We talked about that at halftime. We have to finish the season. Our kids put so much into winning that this will be hard to rebound from. But we’ll get them right next week. We have (Jay M.) Robinson and Concord to finish up.”
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 5-3, 1-2 South Piedmont 3A Conference; Northwest Cabarrus 9-0, 3-0
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
Bryson Mason’s 58-yard touchdown catch was far from being routine. He was heavily covered by A.L. Brown’s Dezmond Adams, and when the pass reached its destination it looked like either player had a chance of catching it. At the Wonders’ 33-yard line, Mason stole it from Adams’ grasp and turned upfield. Had Adams not thought he had a chance at an interception, he would have been in perfect position to make the tackle. Instead, Mason had a clear path to the end zone, and his long catch-and-run score provided the game’s first points.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Senior wide receiver Jose Vargas had five catches for 136 yards. Three other Wonders receivers combined for four catches for eight yards.
-- Bennett scored A.L. Brown’s only points when he took a handoff from the 12-yard line, spun to break a tackle, and waltzed into the end zone.
Northwest Cabarrus
-- Mason finished with 94 yards on five catches.
-- Receiver Cam Saunders caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.
-- Wilds-Lawing passed for 255 yards by completing 22-of-33 attempts.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- There were at least eight Northwest Cabarrus fans wearing orange T-shirts with the words “The Deep Freeze, 77” on them. Presumably, it was a cool way to support the Trojans’ freezer-sized lineman (No. 77) Mason Waller, whose physique (6 feet, 2 inches and 305 pounds) embodies the spirit of what a Hungry Man frozen meal is made for.
-- Northwest Cabarrus’ K.J. Pierce single-handedly shut down A.L. Brown’s scoring threat inside the Trojans’ 30-yard line on the Wonders’ last drive of the first half. The senior lineman dropped Jakhiry Bennett for a 3-yard loss on a third down screen pass, then sacked quarterback Cam Kromah for 8 yards on the next play.
-- Wilds-Lawing’s 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was impressive. He faded back to pass but quickly stepped up in the pocket to avoid two oncoming linemen. When he saw a seam up the right side, he kicked it up a gear as if he knew big yardage lay ahead.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Next Friday, A.L. Brown hosts Jay M. Robinson, while Northwest Cabarrus plays at Concord.
SCORING SUMMARY:
A.L. Brown 0 7 0 0 -- 7
Northwest Cabarrus 14 12 12 0 -- 38
First Quarter:
NW – Bryson Mason 58 pass from Nick Wilds-Lawing (Ezekial Senegal kick)
NW – L.J. Currie 3 run (Senegal kick)
Second Quarter:
NW – Wilds-Lawing 1 run (run failed)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 12 run (Mario Carmona kick)
NW – Cam Saunders 12 pass from Wilds-Lawing (pass failed)
Third Quarter:
NW – Wilds-Lawing 45 run (kick failed)
Fourth Quarter:
None -Independent Tribune
Game #9
Kannapolis
vs
J.M. Robinson
KANNAPOLIS – The Cream of Cabarrus No. 2-ranked A.L Brown football team used the first three drives of the game to stamp its night during a 49-0 victory over Jay M. Robinson Friday at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium.The first drive was by Jay M. Robinson; the Bulldogs fumbled, and the Wonders turned that into a touchdown. That was followed by a Wonders 52-yard touchdown drive and then a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown after a Bulldogs possession. That early 21-0 lead carried the Wonders to the big win.
“I felt like we had a couple good drives going, and then we fumbled, we threw an interception, we gave up a punt, and next thing you know, we’re playing from behind,” said Bulldogs coach Rich Williams. “We just made too many mistakes too early.”
The punt return touchdown gave the ball right back to Jay M. Robinson, and it had a promising drive going until senior quarterback Kam Robinson threw an interception that Josiah Cauthen returned 101 yards for another Wonders score. That touchdown made it 21-0 with 3:18 left in the first quarter. Junior running back Todd Kennedy Jr., who scored the first Wonders offensive touchdown, scored on the next possession to make it 28-0 off a one-play, 73-yard touchdown drive. That set the tone as A.L. Brown relied on defense and the running game for the remainder of the night to pickup a win with only one regular-season game left: The “Battle for the Bell” against archrival Concord.
“Tonight, we wanted to get a big win where we could get our confidence up going into the Bell game and going into the playoffs,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “We’ve moved the ball down the field and just not scored. And tonight, to be on fire at the beginning of the game, is something that we’ve been wanting to do, and we’re glad we got it done.”
RECORDS:
Jay M. Robinson 1-9 overall, 0-4 South Piedmont 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 6-3, 2-2
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
On the second Bulldogs drive of the night, they sent away a punt that was returned by Khalil Blanton 70 yards for a Wonders touchdown.
It was the Wonders second touchdown of the night and made it 14-0 only halfway through the first quarter.
Jay M. Robinson got the ball right back and had a nice drive going before safety Josiah Cauthen had his 101-yard interception return.
The Wonders got off to the fast start they wanted, and all three phases were part of the action.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Jay M. Robinson
-- Kam Robinson passed for 104 yards with a long pass of 23-yards highlighting his night.
A.L. Brown
-- Kennedy Jr. had 93 rushing yards, two scores and 24 receiving yards after just one quarter of play and ended his night with 131 yards total offense.
-- Jakhiry Bennett got the second-half start at running back and scored on the Wonders’ first possession of the half. He ended his night with 55 yards on the ground.
-- Cauthen had the 101-yard “Pick-6” in the first quarter and later added a second interception to end the third quarter.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Tonight felt like football season, something we haven’t seen much this fall. The air was crisp but tolerable, the sky was clear, and the crowd came with blankets. The game, the weather and the A.L. Brown fans, made for a good night of football.
-- The Wonders have a team that can score in a hurry. They are armed at every position, play well defensively and on special teams. They play complimentary football and did that exceptionally well on this night for a big win.
-- Tonight was my first time seeing a football game on the new turf of Kannapolis Memorial Stadium, and it looks amazing. I’ve only seen it as a soccer field before tonight, so to see it under the Friday Night Lights was nice.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Jay M. Robinson plays host to Central Cabarrus next Friday, while the Wonders welcome Concord for the “Battle for the Bell.”
GAME SUMMARY:
Jay M. Robinson 0 0 0 0 -- 0
A.L. Brown 28 7 14 0 – 49
First Quarter:
ALB -- Kennedy Jr. 3 run (Ty Woods kick)
ALB -- Khalil Blanton 62 punt return (Woods kick)
AL -- Cauthen 101 interception return (Woods kick)
AL -- Kennedy Jr. 73 run (Woods kick)
Second Quarter:
AL -- Amereon Plummer 2 run (Woods kick)
Third Quarter:
AL -- Bennett 3 run (Woods kick)
AL - Dezmond Adams 52 interception return (Woods kick)
Fourth Quarter:
None -Independent Tribune
“I felt like we had a couple good drives going, and then we fumbled, we threw an interception, we gave up a punt, and next thing you know, we’re playing from behind,” said Bulldogs coach Rich Williams. “We just made too many mistakes too early.”
The punt return touchdown gave the ball right back to Jay M. Robinson, and it had a promising drive going until senior quarterback Kam Robinson threw an interception that Josiah Cauthen returned 101 yards for another Wonders score. That touchdown made it 21-0 with 3:18 left in the first quarter. Junior running back Todd Kennedy Jr., who scored the first Wonders offensive touchdown, scored on the next possession to make it 28-0 off a one-play, 73-yard touchdown drive. That set the tone as A.L. Brown relied on defense and the running game for the remainder of the night to pickup a win with only one regular-season game left: The “Battle for the Bell” against archrival Concord.
“Tonight, we wanted to get a big win where we could get our confidence up going into the Bell game and going into the playoffs,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome. “We’ve moved the ball down the field and just not scored. And tonight, to be on fire at the beginning of the game, is something that we’ve been wanting to do, and we’re glad we got it done.”
RECORDS:
Jay M. Robinson 1-9 overall, 0-4 South Piedmont 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 6-3, 2-2
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
On the second Bulldogs drive of the night, they sent away a punt that was returned by Khalil Blanton 70 yards for a Wonders touchdown.
It was the Wonders second touchdown of the night and made it 14-0 only halfway through the first quarter.
Jay M. Robinson got the ball right back and had a nice drive going before safety Josiah Cauthen had his 101-yard interception return.
The Wonders got off to the fast start they wanted, and all three phases were part of the action.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Jay M. Robinson
-- Kam Robinson passed for 104 yards with a long pass of 23-yards highlighting his night.
A.L. Brown
-- Kennedy Jr. had 93 rushing yards, two scores and 24 receiving yards after just one quarter of play and ended his night with 131 yards total offense.
-- Jakhiry Bennett got the second-half start at running back and scored on the Wonders’ first possession of the half. He ended his night with 55 yards on the ground.
-- Cauthen had the 101-yard “Pick-6” in the first quarter and later added a second interception to end the third quarter.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- Tonight felt like football season, something we haven’t seen much this fall. The air was crisp but tolerable, the sky was clear, and the crowd came with blankets. The game, the weather and the A.L. Brown fans, made for a good night of football.
-- The Wonders have a team that can score in a hurry. They are armed at every position, play well defensively and on special teams. They play complimentary football and did that exceptionally well on this night for a big win.
-- Tonight was my first time seeing a football game on the new turf of Kannapolis Memorial Stadium, and it looks amazing. I’ve only seen it as a soccer field before tonight, so to see it under the Friday Night Lights was nice.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Jay M. Robinson plays host to Central Cabarrus next Friday, while the Wonders welcome Concord for the “Battle for the Bell.”
GAME SUMMARY:
Jay M. Robinson 0 0 0 0 -- 0
A.L. Brown 28 7 14 0 – 49
First Quarter:
ALB -- Kennedy Jr. 3 run (Ty Woods kick)
ALB -- Khalil Blanton 62 punt return (Woods kick)
AL -- Cauthen 101 interception return (Woods kick)
AL -- Kennedy Jr. 73 run (Woods kick)
Second Quarter:
AL -- Amereon Plummer 2 run (Woods kick)
Third Quarter:
AL -- Bennett 3 run (Woods kick)
AL - Dezmond Adams 52 interception return (Woods kick)
Fourth Quarter:
None -Independent Tribune
Game #10
Kannapolis
vs
Concord
KANNAPOLIS - The Bell was technically up for grabs in the annual “Battle for the Bell” football rivalry, but it didn’t take long to realize it was staying at A.L. Brown High School after the Wonders dominated Concord, 59-21, at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium Friday night. The game was featured as part of the Great American Rivalry Series, a nationwide organization honoring the best high school football rivalries in America. It’s the fifth straight win for the Wonders against Concord, and now the series is deadlocked at 43-43-4.
“We just came out on fire, really, in all aspects of the game -- defense, offense, special teams. They all played great,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome.
The Wonders got off to a quick start, scoring on their first two possessions. After Jahkiry Bennett rushed seven straight times for 61 yards, quarterback Cameron Kromah hit Isaiah Black on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Then, Todd Kennedy Jr. ran for a 2-yard score to make it 14-0. In the second quarter, the scoreboard really blew up. The Wonders scored 24 points to make it 38-0. Ty Woods nailed a 27-yard field goal, and then the Wonders recovered a fumble. Bennett scored on a 24-yard touchdown run. After a turnover on downs, the Wonders faced a fourth-and-8 near the red zone. Kromah pump-faked and then hit Black on a 23-yard touchdown pass. The following drive, Kromah found Jose Vargas for a 47-yard touchdown pass. At that point, the score was 38-0.
“(I was) just seeing open shots that I can take,” said Kromah, who finished with four touchdowns and 216 passing yards.. “Taking those shots in practice helped me in this game, so I was just taking what’s there.”
Concord finally woke up with 46 seconds left in the half. Nijel Robinson returned the kickoff, breaking multiple tackles, 70 yards for a touchdown. The Spiders then recovered an onside kick and had a 43-yard play that was unfortunately erased on a penalty. The score was 38-7 at half. The Spiders started the second half with two huge plays: a fourth and 22 fake punt conversion and then a 51-yard touchdown pass from Deonte Brown to Robinson. After that, A.L. Brown’s defense took over again.
“We got some exciting players on defense,” Newsome said. “They can make great plays all over the field. They’ve been able to keep us in games all year long, and they can make plays at any time.”
RECORDS:
Concord 1-10 overall, 1-4 South Piedmont 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 7-3, 3-2
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
After allowing 14 unanswered points and the second onside kick of the game, Concord was gaining momentum and closing the deficit. A.L. Brown cornerback Josiah Cauthen shut down any hope for a comeback.
On fourth-and-2 near the red zone, Concord running back Travion Wilson took a handoff to the left side. He tried to break some tackles, but the ball popped out of his grip. Cauthen picked it up, broke a tackle and ran 73 yards for the score.
“We forced a fumble, and I saw the ball went through some people,” Cauthen said. “I picked it up, and I saw green grass. I made sure I didn’t get caught.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Concord
-- Robinson did it all for Concord. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown and caught three passes for 64 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown reception.
-- Jacori James rushed for 45 yards on 10 carries and caught one pass for 15 yards.
-- Punter Isaiah Clark converted a fourth-and-22 fake punt near his own 20-yard line, running for 23 yards. He also had a punt that went more than 50 yards and had two onside kicks recovered.
A.L. Brown
-- Jakhiry Bennett won the Great American Rivalry Series MVP, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
-- Black scored three touchdowns on five receptions and had 130 yards
-- Cauthen had an interception and a 73-yard fumble recovery touchdown
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- If it weren’t for a penalty, the Wonders would have scored a touchdown on special teams, too. A penalty also erased a third defensive touchdown. Four possible non-offensive touchdowns shows how well they were clicking on all cylinders.
-- Concord’s special teams did extremely well. They returned a kickoff for a touchdown, recovered two onside kicks and converted a fourth-and-22 fake punt. All in all, the special teams gave life to Concord.
-- As part of the Great American Rivalry Series, there’s a pull-up competition between students of each school. A.L. Brown won that as well, knocking out 1,497 pull-ups to Concord’s 1,145.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Concord’s season is likely complete, while the Wonders wait to learn their playoff fate on Saturday.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Concord 0 7 7 7 — 21
AL Brown 14 24 7 14 — 59
First Quarter:
ALB -Isaiah Black 9 pass from Cameron Kromah (Ty Woods kick)
ALB - Todd Kennedy Jr 2 run (Woods kick)
Second Quarter:
ALB - Woods 27 field goal
ALB - Jakhiry Bennett 24 run (Woods kick)
ALB - Black 23 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
ALB - Jose Vargas 47 pass from. Kromah (Woods kick)
C - Nijel Robinson 70 kickoff return (Isaiah Clark kick)
Third Quarter:
C - Robinson 51 pass from Deonte Brown (Clark kick)
ALB - Josiah Cauthen 73 fumble recovery (Woods kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB - Black 53 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
ALB - Xavier Jordan 35 fumble recovery (Justin Giraldo kick)
C - Travion Wilson 18 run (Clark kick)
“We just came out on fire, really, in all aspects of the game -- defense, offense, special teams. They all played great,” said Wonders coach Mike Newsome.
The Wonders got off to a quick start, scoring on their first two possessions. After Jahkiry Bennett rushed seven straight times for 61 yards, quarterback Cameron Kromah hit Isaiah Black on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Then, Todd Kennedy Jr. ran for a 2-yard score to make it 14-0. In the second quarter, the scoreboard really blew up. The Wonders scored 24 points to make it 38-0. Ty Woods nailed a 27-yard field goal, and then the Wonders recovered a fumble. Bennett scored on a 24-yard touchdown run. After a turnover on downs, the Wonders faced a fourth-and-8 near the red zone. Kromah pump-faked and then hit Black on a 23-yard touchdown pass. The following drive, Kromah found Jose Vargas for a 47-yard touchdown pass. At that point, the score was 38-0.
“(I was) just seeing open shots that I can take,” said Kromah, who finished with four touchdowns and 216 passing yards.. “Taking those shots in practice helped me in this game, so I was just taking what’s there.”
Concord finally woke up with 46 seconds left in the half. Nijel Robinson returned the kickoff, breaking multiple tackles, 70 yards for a touchdown. The Spiders then recovered an onside kick and had a 43-yard play that was unfortunately erased on a penalty. The score was 38-7 at half. The Spiders started the second half with two huge plays: a fourth and 22 fake punt conversion and then a 51-yard touchdown pass from Deonte Brown to Robinson. After that, A.L. Brown’s defense took over again.
“We got some exciting players on defense,” Newsome said. “They can make great plays all over the field. They’ve been able to keep us in games all year long, and they can make plays at any time.”
RECORDS:
Concord 1-10 overall, 1-4 South Piedmont 3A Conference; A.L. Brown 7-3, 3-2
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
After allowing 14 unanswered points and the second onside kick of the game, Concord was gaining momentum and closing the deficit. A.L. Brown cornerback Josiah Cauthen shut down any hope for a comeback.
On fourth-and-2 near the red zone, Concord running back Travion Wilson took a handoff to the left side. He tried to break some tackles, but the ball popped out of his grip. Cauthen picked it up, broke a tackle and ran 73 yards for the score.
“We forced a fumble, and I saw the ball went through some people,” Cauthen said. “I picked it up, and I saw green grass. I made sure I didn’t get caught.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS:
Concord
-- Robinson did it all for Concord. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown and caught three passes for 64 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown reception.
-- Jacori James rushed for 45 yards on 10 carries and caught one pass for 15 yards.
-- Punter Isaiah Clark converted a fourth-and-22 fake punt near his own 20-yard line, running for 23 yards. He also had a punt that went more than 50 yards and had two onside kicks recovered.
A.L. Brown
-- Jakhiry Bennett won the Great American Rivalry Series MVP, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
-- Black scored three touchdowns on five receptions and had 130 yards
-- Cauthen had an interception and a 73-yard fumble recovery touchdown
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- If it weren’t for a penalty, the Wonders would have scored a touchdown on special teams, too. A penalty also erased a third defensive touchdown. Four possible non-offensive touchdowns shows how well they were clicking on all cylinders.
-- Concord’s special teams did extremely well. They returned a kickoff for a touchdown, recovered two onside kicks and converted a fourth-and-22 fake punt. All in all, the special teams gave life to Concord.
-- As part of the Great American Rivalry Series, there’s a pull-up competition between students of each school. A.L. Brown won that as well, knocking out 1,497 pull-ups to Concord’s 1,145.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Concord’s season is likely complete, while the Wonders wait to learn their playoff fate on Saturday.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Concord 0 7 7 7 — 21
AL Brown 14 24 7 14 — 59
First Quarter:
ALB -Isaiah Black 9 pass from Cameron Kromah (Ty Woods kick)
ALB - Todd Kennedy Jr 2 run (Woods kick)
Second Quarter:
ALB - Woods 27 field goal
ALB - Jakhiry Bennett 24 run (Woods kick)
ALB - Black 23 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
ALB - Jose Vargas 47 pass from. Kromah (Woods kick)
C - Nijel Robinson 70 kickoff return (Isaiah Clark kick)
Third Quarter:
C - Robinson 51 pass from Deonte Brown (Clark kick)
ALB - Josiah Cauthen 73 fumble recovery (Woods kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB - Black 53 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
ALB - Xavier Jordan 35 fumble recovery (Justin Giraldo kick)
C - Travion Wilson 18 run (Clark kick)
Action Gallery
"The 5-Peat Heard Round the World"
The A.L. Brown Wonders victory over Concord on November 8, 2019 was a history making moment in the Battle for the Bell game and for the Kannapolis Football Program. The Wonders victory evened the series record for the first time in ninety years at 43-43-4. The 59 points scored by the Wonders eclipsed the 2008 Wonders 56 points scored on the Spiders, making it the most points scored for either team in the history of the rivalry. Finally, the 89th Annual Meeting between the two teams was the 1000th game of football for the Kannapolis Football program since 1930, and that landmark contest will be forever be recorded as a Big Green "W" for the Wonders. Congratulations to the 2019 Wonders on cementing your spot in the history of this rivalry and the Kannapolis Football Program. This was long overdue!! -The editor
Game #11
Kannapolis
vs
T.C. Roberson
SKYLAND - Rodney McDay knelt on the turf at Memorial Stadium and watched as Roberson's first round opponent celebrated a wild playoff win.The junior receiver had put it all on the line, catching 16 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns - but it wasn't enough. He looked around at his emotional senior teammate after falling just short during a 56-50 loss to No. 10 A.L Brown.
McDay didn't want to take his helmet off.
"I don't know what to say," he said. "I could've played better. We're coming back harder next year."
Rams fans will have to wait another year for their team to win its first playoff game since 2007, but they were treated to quite the show.
Both offenses combined for over 1,000 yards with Roberson junior quarterback Brody Whitson threw for a career-high 445 yards and six touchdowns while senior Cameron Phillips caught a career-high 14 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
"What can you say, we played well enough to win," Roberson coach J.D Dinwiddie said. "It was just back and forth all night. I couldn't be prouder of this team and their fight. It goes to show that we're doing the right things in this program to get these kids to come out and play like this."
While A.L Brown had no answer for Roberson's passing game, the Rams' defense had the same problem with the Wonders' running game. Senior Jakhiry Bennett rushed for 322 yards and four touchdowns, adding two catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Bennett's 14-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left in the game sealed the win for his team. A Roberson fumble with less than three minutes left in the game gave the Wonders the ball back with the score tied at 50 that set up the winning score. Roberson led 28-21 at halftime behind four touchdown passes from Whitson who connected twice each with McDay and Phillips. Zharius Looper led Roberson with 45 rushing yards and a 19-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. A.L Brown outscored Roberson 20-7 in the fourth quarter to steal the win.
"I hate this for our seniors," Dinwiddie said. "I love this team to death, and I hate that it has to end like this." -Asheville Citizen Times
SKYLAND — The A.L. Brown football team scored twice in the last 3½ minutes — on Cam Kromah’s bomb to Jose Vargas, then Jakhiry Bennett’s 14-yard run — to defeat Asheville T.C. Roberson, 56-50, in a thriller to open the Class 3AA playoffs at Ensley Memorial Stadium. Bennett, who ran for a career-high 322 yards and four touchdowns, scored the game-winner with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining. The Wonders return to the mountains next week to face second-seeded Watauga (11-1) in Boone for a second-round matchup. A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome told the victors in the post-game huddle that a ground battle will be coming up next.
By contrast, the Wonders faced an aerial attack on Friday night, as T.C. Roberson quarterback Brody Whitson passed for 445 yards and six touchdowns. Both teams had more than 520 net yards, about 135 kickoff return yards, three sacks, lefty quarterbacks, and similar time of possession (25:27 for T.C. Roberson and 22:33 for A.L. Brown). But playoff-savvy A.L. Brown, the 10th seed, came through in the clutch. The teams exchanged touchdowns throughout the game until Kannapolis scored the final two TDs.
“Great stuff can happen” when you bear down and “play tough,” Newsome told his troops.
RECORDS:
A.L. Brown 8-3; T.C. Roberson 5-7
THE PLAY OF THE GAME:
The Rams scorched the A.L. Brown defense for most of this chilly night. But in the late going, the Wonders forced T.C. Roberson into its only turnover. Whitson tossed to lanky receiver Cameron Phillips, who dashed down the left sideline for a 46-yard gain. Just before he headed out of bounds, the ball was poked away. It bounced inbounds and into the hands of senior cornerback Nico Harris. Harris had been beaten by Ram receivers much of the night, as Newsome noted, but vindicated himself on that huge play.
Instead of T.C. Roberson being set up at the Wonders 25-yard line, the Wonders got the ball back with score tied, 50-50, with 3:12 to play. The Wonders went back to their devastating ground attack. Three plays in, Bennett breezed 21 yards. Then Todd Kennedy gained 25 on a pass from Kromah. Bennett ran for 6 yards, then Bennett scored the go-ahead TD, a 14-yard jaunt with 1:19 to go. The PAT kick missed, for the second time of the night, but A.L. Brown seized back the lead and momentum. T.C. Roberson was down merely six points, but had barely a minute to pull it out and acted dazed. Whitson again threw to Phillips down the left side, this time on a deep route. The ball got there, but he couldn’t hang on to it. Go-to receiver Rodney McDay bobbled a fourth-down pass, as the Rams turned it over on downs. A.L. Brown ran out the clock.
PRIMETME PERFORMERS:
A.L. Brown
-- Bennett averaged 11.5 yards per carry, and his 322 rushing yards were more than 100 yards more than the Wonders’ team average. The senior scored five of the eight A.L. Brown touchdowns, which included two receptions for 81 yards and a score.
-- Kromah played well in his first playoff game. The sophomore completed seven of 11 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yarder score to Bennett.
-- Kennedy scored twice on runs and added 63 yards.
-- Ty Woods averaged 46 yards on his two points, including one that went for 62 yards.
-- Terry Williams and Dezmond Adams had one sack apiece, while Jatarius Mason and B.J. Foster each registered a half-sack.
T.C. Roberson:
-- Whitson attempted 53 passes, completing 32, while posting his 445-yard, six-touchdown night. He didn’t throw any interceptions against a strong A.L. Brown secondary. His longest pass was a 49-yarder to Phillips for a score.
-- The Rams nearly had two players with 200 receiving. Phillips had 10 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns, while McDay hauled in 16 passes for 199 yards and three scores.
-- Michael Morris had a sack for the Rams.
3 OBSERVATIONS:
-- For the third year in a row, A.L. Brown opened the playoffs against a Western Mountain Athletic Conference pass-happy spread offense. The Wonders beat Erwin in 2017, lost to WMAC powerhouse Asheville A.C. Reynolds last year, and this time wore out T.C. Roberson’s defense and scoreboard.
-- The biggest lead of the night was eight points, 21-13 by the Rams.
-- Kromah’s late 41-yard touchdown pass to Vargas was a key play. The 6-foot-3 Vargas said he was overjoyed to see the spiral coming to him as he was in full stride along the sideline. He breezed into the end zone for the score, and Woods’ extra point tied the game at 50 with 3:33 left.
“That was a huge play,” Newsome said.
SCORING SUMMARY:
A.L. Brown 13 8 15 20 -- 56
T.C. Roberson 14 14 15 7 – 50
First Quarter:
TCR – Rodney McDay 26 pass from Brody Whitson (Adam Porter kick)
ALB – Jakhiry Bennett 1 run (kick failed)
TCR – McDay 25 pass from Whitson (Porter kick)
ALB – Bennett 55 run (Ty Woods kick)
Second Quarter:
TCR – Cameron Phillips 49 pass from Whitson (Porter kick)
ALB – Bennett 75 pass from Cam Kromah (Todd Kennedy run)
TCR – Phillips 27 pass from Whitson (Porter kick)
Third Quarter:
ALB – Kennedy 1 run (Kennedy pass from Kromah)
TCR – Phillips 23 pass from Whitson (McDay pass from Whitson)
ALB – Kennedy 1 run (Woods kick)
TCR – Zharius Looper 19 run (Porter kick)
Fourth Quarter:
ALB -- Bennett 4 run (Woods kick)
TCR – McDay 7 pass from Whitson (Porter kick)
ALB – Jose Vargas 41 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
ALB – Bennett 14 run (kick failed)
Action Gallery
Game #12
Kannapolis
vs
Watauga
BOONE — It’s no secret that Watauga’s offense is capable of piling up big yardage to go along with the big points the Pioneers have scored this season. In a 55-27 Watauga win over Kannapolis Brown at Jack Groce Stadium in the second round of the state 3-AA western bracket, the Pioneers pushed it to a different level. The Pioneers pilled up 659 yards of total offense, including 602 yards rushing.
Watauga (12-1), the No. 2 seed in the bracket, also had two runners — wingback Jaiden Bond and quarterback Anderson Castle — rush for more than 250 yards. Bond gained 259 yards rushing on just 14 carries, which is an average of 18.5 yards per rush. Bond also scored touchdown runs of 58 and 13 yards. Castle needed more carries to reach his totals of 252 yards on 28 carries and five touchdowns. Castle scored touchdown runs of four, three, 56 and four yards. Watauga also collected 39 first downs, 34 of them rushing.
“We’ve got some football players who are pretty talented and pretty focused,” Watauga coach Ryan Habich said. “Our guys are playing both ways but I told them a lot of these teams from Concord and Charlotte, they talk about how good their conference is and we can’t move the ball on them because they’re battle tested. Our guys take a lot of pride in that.”
Watauga’s defense posted big numbers in a different ways. The Pioneers held the Wonders, seeded 10th in the bracket, to zero total yards in the first quarter and just 83 yards rushing in the game. A.L. Brown’s top running back Jakhiry Bennett, who gained 322 yards in a 56-50 Brown win over T.C. Roberson in the first round of the playoffs, was held to just 36 yards on 10 carries by the Pioneers.
“Our defense really played well in the first half,” Habich said. “Our offense played average in the first half and our special teams did not give up a big play, which was crucial for us. The defense played well in the first half and our offense really picked it up in the second half.
The Wonders (8-4) collected 283 yards in total offense, including 200 yards passing and three touchdown passes from quarterback Cam Kromah. He completed 12-of-26 passes, including a 55-yard touchdown to Isaiah Black in the third quarter. Kromah also tossed an 11-yard touchdown to Austin Grunden and 17-yard touchdown to Jose Vargas. Both were in the third quarter that saw Watauga score 28 points and Brown score 20.
“The plan was to take (Bennett) away and I thought we did,” Habich said. “We wanted to take away their big plays and they hit the big pass and we didn’t want that to happen. I thought for the most part our defense did a good job of not letting them get in any rhythm and we neutralized (Bennett).”
A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said the Wonders lost an offensive lineman earlier in the week, which hurt the team’s running game.
“I didn’t think it was going to affect us really that much,” Newsome said. “We you lose a kid who has been a starter all season long, it’s tough.”
The Pioneers took control of their game in the first half. Castle scored his first two touchdowns in the first quarter with plunges of four and three yards on the Pioneers’ first two drives. Watauga drove to the Wonders’ 1-yard line before Jake Watson capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown run. Watauga got the ball back, but Castle fumbled after getting hit from behind and Brown’s Terry Williams scooped the ball and returned it 74 yards for a score. The Pioneers responded with a 58-yard Bond touchdown run and a 27-7 halftime lead. Watauga took a 33-7 lead on a Castle 4-yard touchdown run at the start of the third quarter that seemed to be the Pioneers’ knockout punch. Brown came back with Kromah’s touchdown pass to Black, but Castle came back with a 56-yard touchdown run that gave Watauga a 41-14 lead that was never in jeopardy.
“They have a team full of really good players and (Castle) is undoubtedly one of the best players we’ve seen all season,” Newsom said. “They are really good at what they do. They’re very disciplined and tough and a good football team.”
Watauga hosts sixth-seeded Mount Tabor, a 37-21 winner over third-seeded Greensboro Dudley.
Scoring summary:
First quarter
WHS—Castle 4 run (Everett kick)
WHS—Castle 3 run (Everett kick)
Second quarter
WHS—Watson 1 run (Kick failed)
ALB—Williams 74 fumble return (Woods kick)
WHS—Bond 58 run (Everett kick)
Third quarter
WHS—Castle 4 run (Everett kick)
ALB—Black 55 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
WHS—Castle 56 yards (Everett kick)
WHS—Castle 3 run (Everett kick)
Fourth quarter
ALB—Grunden 11 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
WHS—Bond 13 run (Everett kick)
ALB—Vargas 17 pass from Kromah
Individuals;
Rushing: A.L. Brown—Kromah 6-41, Bennett 10-36, Kennedy 2-6; Watauga—Bond 14-259, Castle 28-252, Watson 10-46, Best 5-45.
Passing: A.L. Brown—Kromah 12-26-0 200; Watauga—Castle 2-3-1 15, Bond 0-1-0 0.
Receiving: Vargas 3-35, Black 2-65, Grunden 2-24, Bennett 2-6, Wilson 1-41, Johnson 1-20, Thompson 1-9; Watauga—Bond 1-36, Best 1-21.
Watauga (12-1), the No. 2 seed in the bracket, also had two runners — wingback Jaiden Bond and quarterback Anderson Castle — rush for more than 250 yards. Bond gained 259 yards rushing on just 14 carries, which is an average of 18.5 yards per rush. Bond also scored touchdown runs of 58 and 13 yards. Castle needed more carries to reach his totals of 252 yards on 28 carries and five touchdowns. Castle scored touchdown runs of four, three, 56 and four yards. Watauga also collected 39 first downs, 34 of them rushing.
“We’ve got some football players who are pretty talented and pretty focused,” Watauga coach Ryan Habich said. “Our guys are playing both ways but I told them a lot of these teams from Concord and Charlotte, they talk about how good their conference is and we can’t move the ball on them because they’re battle tested. Our guys take a lot of pride in that.”
Watauga’s defense posted big numbers in a different ways. The Pioneers held the Wonders, seeded 10th in the bracket, to zero total yards in the first quarter and just 83 yards rushing in the game. A.L. Brown’s top running back Jakhiry Bennett, who gained 322 yards in a 56-50 Brown win over T.C. Roberson in the first round of the playoffs, was held to just 36 yards on 10 carries by the Pioneers.
“Our defense really played well in the first half,” Habich said. “Our offense played average in the first half and our special teams did not give up a big play, which was crucial for us. The defense played well in the first half and our offense really picked it up in the second half.
The Wonders (8-4) collected 283 yards in total offense, including 200 yards passing and three touchdown passes from quarterback Cam Kromah. He completed 12-of-26 passes, including a 55-yard touchdown to Isaiah Black in the third quarter. Kromah also tossed an 11-yard touchdown to Austin Grunden and 17-yard touchdown to Jose Vargas. Both were in the third quarter that saw Watauga score 28 points and Brown score 20.
“The plan was to take (Bennett) away and I thought we did,” Habich said. “We wanted to take away their big plays and they hit the big pass and we didn’t want that to happen. I thought for the most part our defense did a good job of not letting them get in any rhythm and we neutralized (Bennett).”
A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome said the Wonders lost an offensive lineman earlier in the week, which hurt the team’s running game.
“I didn’t think it was going to affect us really that much,” Newsome said. “We you lose a kid who has been a starter all season long, it’s tough.”
The Pioneers took control of their game in the first half. Castle scored his first two touchdowns in the first quarter with plunges of four and three yards on the Pioneers’ first two drives. Watauga drove to the Wonders’ 1-yard line before Jake Watson capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown run. Watauga got the ball back, but Castle fumbled after getting hit from behind and Brown’s Terry Williams scooped the ball and returned it 74 yards for a score. The Pioneers responded with a 58-yard Bond touchdown run and a 27-7 halftime lead. Watauga took a 33-7 lead on a Castle 4-yard touchdown run at the start of the third quarter that seemed to be the Pioneers’ knockout punch. Brown came back with Kromah’s touchdown pass to Black, but Castle came back with a 56-yard touchdown run that gave Watauga a 41-14 lead that was never in jeopardy.
“They have a team full of really good players and (Castle) is undoubtedly one of the best players we’ve seen all season,” Newsom said. “They are really good at what they do. They’re very disciplined and tough and a good football team.”
Watauga hosts sixth-seeded Mount Tabor, a 37-21 winner over third-seeded Greensboro Dudley.
Scoring summary:
First quarter
WHS—Castle 4 run (Everett kick)
WHS—Castle 3 run (Everett kick)
Second quarter
WHS—Watson 1 run (Kick failed)
ALB—Williams 74 fumble return (Woods kick)
WHS—Bond 58 run (Everett kick)
Third quarter
WHS—Castle 4 run (Everett kick)
ALB—Black 55 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
WHS—Castle 56 yards (Everett kick)
WHS—Castle 3 run (Everett kick)
Fourth quarter
ALB—Grunden 11 pass from Kromah (Woods kick)
WHS—Bond 13 run (Everett kick)
ALB—Vargas 17 pass from Kromah
Individuals;
Rushing: A.L. Brown—Kromah 6-41, Bennett 10-36, Kennedy 2-6; Watauga—Bond 14-259, Castle 28-252, Watson 10-46, Best 5-45.
Passing: A.L. Brown—Kromah 12-26-0 200; Watauga—Castle 2-3-1 15, Bond 0-1-0 0.
Receiving: Vargas 3-35, Black 2-65, Grunden 2-24, Bennett 2-6, Wilson 1-41, Johnson 1-20, Thompson 1-9; Watauga—Bond 1-36, Best 1-21.