Kannapolis Football 2022
A.L. Brown Wonders 2022 Football Schedules
JV Football
Date: Opponent: Venue: Time: Conf: * Aug 18: North Meck Away 6:00 Aug 25: Sun Valley Home 7:00 Sep 01: Rocky River Away 7:00 Sep 08: **Idle** Sep 15: Hickory Ridge Away 7:00 * Sep 22: Lake Norman Home 6:30 * Sep 29: Cox Mill Away 6:00 * Oct 06: West Cabarrus Home 6:30 * Oct 13: South Iredell Home 6:30 * Oct 20: Mooresville Away 6:00 * Oct 27: Concord Home 6:30 * Season Results Kannapolis-0 North Mecklenburg-18 Kannapolis-26 Sun Valley-34 Kannapolis-24 Rocky River-6 Kannapolis-12 Hickory Ridge-40 Kannapolis-6 Lake Norman-24 Kannapolis-8 Cox Mill-20 Kannapolis-27 West Cabarrus-31 Kannapolis-16 South Iredell-46 Kannapolis-0 Mooresville-21 Kannapolis-44 Concord-14 |
Varsity Football
Date: Opponent: Venue: Time: Conf:* Aug 19: North Meck Home 7:30 Aug 26: Sun Valley Away 7:00 Sep 02: Rocky River Home 7:30 Sep 09: **Idle** Sep 16: Hickory Ridge Home 7:30 * Sep 23: Lake Norman Away 7:30 * Sep 30: Cox Mill Home 7:30 * Oct 07: West Cabarrus Away 7:30 * Oct 14: South Iredell Away 7:30 * Oct 21: Mooresville Home 7:30 * Oct 28: Concord Away 7:30 * Season Results Kannapolis-41 North Mecklenburg-7 Kannapolis-35 Sun Valley-31 Kannapolis-28 Rocky River-0 Kannapolis-24 Hickory Ridge-45 Kannapolis-7 Lake Norman-29 Kannapolis-35 Cox Mill-58 Kannapolis-31 West Cabarrus-13 Kannapolis-28 South Iredell-0 Kannapolis-26 Mooresville-27 Kannapolis-17 Concord-8 Playoffs Kannapolis-14 A.C. Reynolds-55 |
The Greater Metro 4A Conference
A.L. Brown: Cox Mill: Hickory Ridge: Lake Norman: Mooresville: South Iredell: West Cabarrus:
Combined Greater Metro 4A Season Schedules
Combined Greater Metro 4A Season Schedules
A.L. BROWN
Aug. 19 North Mecklenburg Aug. 26 at Sun Valley Sept. 2 Rocky River Sept. 9 BYE Sept. 16 Hickory Ridge Sept. 23 at Lake Norman Sept. 30 Cox Mill Oct. 7 at West Cabarrus Oct. 14 at South Iredell Oct. 21 Mooresville Oct. 28 at Concord |
COX MILL
Aug. 19 Hopewell Aug. 26 at Northwest Cabarrus Sept. 2 Sun Valley Sept. 9 at Hough Sept. 16 Mooresville Sept. 23 West Cabarrus Sept. 30 at A.L. Brown Oct. 7 BYE Oct. 14 at Lake Norman Oct. 21 Hickory Ridge Oct. 28 at South Iredell |
HICKORY RIDGE
Aug. 19 at Hunter Huss Aug. 26 Charlotte Catholic Sept. 2 at Porter Ridge Sept. 9 at Julius Chambers Sept. 16 at A.L. Brown Sept. 23 at Mooresville Sept. 30 South Iredell Oct. 7 Lake Norman Oct. 14 BYE Oct. 21 at Cox Mill Oct. 28 West Cabarrus |
LAKE NORMAN
Aug. 19 West Iredell Aug. 26 at North Iredell Sept. 2 Statesville Sept. 9 at Alexander Central Sept. 16 BYE Sept. 23 A.L. Brown Sept. 30 at West Cabarrus Oct. 7 at Hickory Ridge Oct. 14 Cox Mill Oct. 21 South Iredell Oct. 28 at Mooresville |
MOORESVILLE
Aug. 19 Davie County Aug. 26 at Hough Sept. 2 West Rowan Sept. 9 BYE Sept. 16 at Cox Mill Sept. 23 Hickory Ridge Sept. 30 at Providence Oct. 7 at South Iredell Oct. 14 West Cabarrus Oct. 21 at A.L. Brown Oct. 28 Lake Norman |
SOUTH IREDELL
Aug. 19 North Iredell Aug. 26 Statesville Sept. 2 at West Iredell Sept. 9 at East Forsyth Sept. 16 at West Cabarrus Sept. 23 BYE Sept. 30 at Hickory Ridge Oct. 7 Mooresville Oct. 14 A.L. Brown Oct. 21 at Lake Norman Oct. 28 Cox Mill |
WEST CABARRUS
Aug. 19 Northwest Cabarrus Aug. 26 at Porter Ridge Sept. 2 BYE Sept. 9 at Catawba Ridge Sept. 16 South Iredell Sept. 23 at Cox Mill Sept. 30 Lake Norman Oct. 7 A.L. Brown Oct. 14 at Mooresville Oct. 21 Hough Oct. 28 at Hickory Ridge |
A.L. Brown Varsity Wonders by Positions
2022 Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheerleaders
Meet The 2022 A.L. Brown Varsity Wonders
Game #1
Kannapolis
vs
North Mecklenburg
Kannapolis-41 North Mecklenburg-7
Kannapolis- Versatile junior Xavier Chambers scored on both sides of the ball as Cream of Cabarrus fourth-ranked A.L. Brown won its eighth straight season opener, steamrolling visiting non-conference foe North Mecklenburg Friday, 41-7.
As a free safety, Chambers’ interception and return for a touchdown in the first quarter covered most of the North Mecklenburg side of the field. As a slot receiver, Chambers scored on identical end-around runs in the third quarter as the Wonders pulled away in the second half.
“He’s a guy that starts for us both ways,” winning coach Mike Newsome told the Independent Tribune in a telephone interview. “He’s so electric with everything he does. He’s a fantastic player, but he needs to manage his time and his reps. It’s almost like holding back the reins because those guys want to be on the field all the time.”
Newsome says his team is deepest at the skilled positions, including “the best group of running backs we’ve had in a while.” Jamare Robinson, a senior who hasn’t played since his freshman year, and junior Navi Woods both scored on 2-yard runs. A.L. Brown (1-0) got solid play from both quarterbacks it sent onto the field: senior Ashnah Lowery and sophomore C.J. Gray. Lowery opened the game’s scoring with a 79-yard scramble for a touchdown on the Wonders’ third offensive play of the game.
A.L. Brown never trailed. Robinson followed with his short scoring run, and Chambers’ interception return gave A.L. Brown a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
North Mecklenburg (0-1) scored its only points on a short run to open the second quarter. The Wonders didn’t retaliate until Chambers’ pair of touchdown runs in the third quarter. After missing the state playoffs last year for the first time since 1996, Newsome was excited to have such a strong start to this season.
“From the season we had last year and all of us being disappointed where we ended up, it was really important for us to start off fast and in a good spot,” said Newsome, starting his 12th season at A.L. Brown. “I was hoping we would do that and we did. “I got worried when they scored right before halftime, which can give you a little momentum. So I got a little anxious about how we’d come out of the locker room. We challenged the kids at halftime to shut them down and we were able to do that.” A.L. Brown plays at Indian Trail Sun Valley next Friday.
Storyboard courtesy of Joe Habina-Independent Tribune
As a free safety, Chambers’ interception and return for a touchdown in the first quarter covered most of the North Mecklenburg side of the field. As a slot receiver, Chambers scored on identical end-around runs in the third quarter as the Wonders pulled away in the second half.
“He’s a guy that starts for us both ways,” winning coach Mike Newsome told the Independent Tribune in a telephone interview. “He’s so electric with everything he does. He’s a fantastic player, but he needs to manage his time and his reps. It’s almost like holding back the reins because those guys want to be on the field all the time.”
Newsome says his team is deepest at the skilled positions, including “the best group of running backs we’ve had in a while.” Jamare Robinson, a senior who hasn’t played since his freshman year, and junior Navi Woods both scored on 2-yard runs. A.L. Brown (1-0) got solid play from both quarterbacks it sent onto the field: senior Ashnah Lowery and sophomore C.J. Gray. Lowery opened the game’s scoring with a 79-yard scramble for a touchdown on the Wonders’ third offensive play of the game.
A.L. Brown never trailed. Robinson followed with his short scoring run, and Chambers’ interception return gave A.L. Brown a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
North Mecklenburg (0-1) scored its only points on a short run to open the second quarter. The Wonders didn’t retaliate until Chambers’ pair of touchdown runs in the third quarter. After missing the state playoffs last year for the first time since 1996, Newsome was excited to have such a strong start to this season.
“From the season we had last year and all of us being disappointed where we ended up, it was really important for us to start off fast and in a good spot,” said Newsome, starting his 12th season at A.L. Brown. “I was hoping we would do that and we did. “I got worried when they scored right before halftime, which can give you a little momentum. So I got a little anxious about how we’d come out of the locker room. We challenged the kids at halftime to shut them down and we were able to do that.” A.L. Brown plays at Indian Trail Sun Valley next Friday.
Storyboard courtesy of Joe Habina-Independent Tribune
Game #2
Kannapolis
vs
Sun Valley
Kannapolis-35 Sun Valley-31
Thank goodness for Cream of Cabarrus fourth-ranked A.L. Brown, there were only 34 seconds left when it scored the final points in its Friday game at Monroe Sun Valley. When Xavier Chambers connected with Kash Smith on a 22-yard touchdown pass, after having received his own pass behind the line of scrimmage from quarterback Ashnah Lowery, it was the fifth lead change of the second half.
The Spartans didn’t have enough time to respond, and the Wonders made the bus trip back to Kannapolis celebrating its second victory of the season, 35-31, over Sun Valley. Smith’s touchdown also completed a 16-point comeback, allowing A.L. Brown to overcome a large, self-inflicted first-quarter deficit.
“At the end of the day, when you come out with that big win,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “…even though it may be what somebody calls ‘a bad win or an ugly win,’ it’s a lot better coming out with a win.
“It doesn’t leave quite as bad taste in your mouth when you get the ‘W’ versus when you don’t.”
Sun Valley (0-2) scored the game’s first 16 points by rolling off an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of scrimmage, kicking a 35-yard field goal, and returning an A.L. Brown fumble 35 yards for a score. Junior transfer Gerard Evans is making a big splash in the early season for the Wonders, and he had one of those moments when he produced a 40-yard “Pick 6” to stop A.L. Brown’s bleeding.
Touchdown runs by senior running back Jamare Robinson in the second quarter (7 yards) and third quarter (8 yards) allowed A.L. Brown to erase all of its deficit and capture a 21-16 advantage. After the Spartans retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard run, the dual-threat Evans responded again, hauling in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Lowery.
“(Evans) is an unbelievable player,” said Newsome. “This is his first year with us, and he’s still learning the offense and defense. As he gets better and better, we’re going to get better and better.”
Sun Valley went up again, 31-28, on a 21-yard scoring pass. The Wonders’ game-clinching scoring drive started at their own 20-yard line. Lowery was poised in his leadership, completing several key passes on the possession.
“I told the kids winning a game like this can do great things for a team,” said Newsome. “Our kids, after winning big (over North Mecklenburg) the first Friday night, hear in and around the community about how good they’re going to be, and you still have to go on the field and play. I told them it was probably my fault a little bit because Sun Valley was a lot better than I anticipated them being watching their film. I came to practice (this week) with a feeling we probably couldn’t lose. Sometimes that mentality will get you beat. I told them I took them lightly, so that’s a learning experience.”
A.L. Brown will play host to Mint Hill Rocky River next Friday before opening conference play the following week.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune:
The Spartans didn’t have enough time to respond, and the Wonders made the bus trip back to Kannapolis celebrating its second victory of the season, 35-31, over Sun Valley. Smith’s touchdown also completed a 16-point comeback, allowing A.L. Brown to overcome a large, self-inflicted first-quarter deficit.
“At the end of the day, when you come out with that big win,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “…even though it may be what somebody calls ‘a bad win or an ugly win,’ it’s a lot better coming out with a win.
“It doesn’t leave quite as bad taste in your mouth when you get the ‘W’ versus when you don’t.”
Sun Valley (0-2) scored the game’s first 16 points by rolling off an 80-yard touchdown run on the first play of scrimmage, kicking a 35-yard field goal, and returning an A.L. Brown fumble 35 yards for a score. Junior transfer Gerard Evans is making a big splash in the early season for the Wonders, and he had one of those moments when he produced a 40-yard “Pick 6” to stop A.L. Brown’s bleeding.
Touchdown runs by senior running back Jamare Robinson in the second quarter (7 yards) and third quarter (8 yards) allowed A.L. Brown to erase all of its deficit and capture a 21-16 advantage. After the Spartans retook the lead early in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard run, the dual-threat Evans responded again, hauling in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Lowery.
“(Evans) is an unbelievable player,” said Newsome. “This is his first year with us, and he’s still learning the offense and defense. As he gets better and better, we’re going to get better and better.”
Sun Valley went up again, 31-28, on a 21-yard scoring pass. The Wonders’ game-clinching scoring drive started at their own 20-yard line. Lowery was poised in his leadership, completing several key passes on the possession.
“I told the kids winning a game like this can do great things for a team,” said Newsome. “Our kids, after winning big (over North Mecklenburg) the first Friday night, hear in and around the community about how good they’re going to be, and you still have to go on the field and play. I told them it was probably my fault a little bit because Sun Valley was a lot better than I anticipated them being watching their film. I came to practice (this week) with a feeling we probably couldn’t lose. Sometimes that mentality will get you beat. I told them I took them lightly, so that’s a learning experience.”
A.L. Brown will play host to Mint Hill Rocky River next Friday before opening conference play the following week.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune:
Game #3
A.L. Brown
vs
Rocky River
A.L. Brown’s offense was consistent enough to complement a dominating defensive effort as the Wonders captured an easy 28-0 victory over visiting Mint Hill Rocky River at Memorial Stadium Friday. The way they won allowed the Wonders to continue a defensive trend the respected program has established in every one of coach Mike Newsome’s 12 seasons. Kannapolis has posted at least one shutout in every season since 2011 and in 16 of the last 17 seasons.
“Defensively, it was (a dominating game) for us,” Newsome said in a telephone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We got the shutout. We played really, really well … We played a very intense game, had a lot of big hits. “(Outside linebacker) Jamare Robinson was awesome, coming up with several big hits. Our defensive front played really well all game, having a bunch of tackles for loss and a bunch of sacks.” The Wonders’ offense procured a touchdown in every quarter, including scoring passes from senior quarterback Ashnah Lowery in each of the first three.
He tossed a 9-yard strike to junior Derek Brazil in the first, a 24-yarder to junior Gerard Evans in the second, and one for five yards to junior Xavier Chambers in the third. Navi Woods, also a junior, finished the Wonders’ scoring with a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. For the game, Brazil caught eight passes for 137 yards. Both were likely career highs, according to Newsome. But Lowery totaled 187 yards on 14-of-32 passing, at least partly because of being chased around so much by the Ravens’ defenders.
“Offensively, we struggled a little bit with protection (of the quarterback),” Newsome said. “They had several big plays and some sacks they made against us, but we were still able to capitalize. “They’d get a sack, then we’d get a big scramble for a first down. Or they’d get a sack and we’d hit a long pass for a first down. We were able to come back from the sacks, but we’ve got to shore up our offensive line and play a little better up front to protect our quarterback from these pretty good teams we have coming up.”
A.L. Brown is idle next week, but then they Wonders open Greater Metro 4 Conference play at home with Cream of Cabarrus top-ranked Hickory Ridge on Sept. 16.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune:
“Defensively, it was (a dominating game) for us,” Newsome said in a telephone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We got the shutout. We played really, really well … We played a very intense game, had a lot of big hits. “(Outside linebacker) Jamare Robinson was awesome, coming up with several big hits. Our defensive front played really well all game, having a bunch of tackles for loss and a bunch of sacks.” The Wonders’ offense procured a touchdown in every quarter, including scoring passes from senior quarterback Ashnah Lowery in each of the first three.
He tossed a 9-yard strike to junior Derek Brazil in the first, a 24-yarder to junior Gerard Evans in the second, and one for five yards to junior Xavier Chambers in the third. Navi Woods, also a junior, finished the Wonders’ scoring with a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. For the game, Brazil caught eight passes for 137 yards. Both were likely career highs, according to Newsome. But Lowery totaled 187 yards on 14-of-32 passing, at least partly because of being chased around so much by the Ravens’ defenders.
“Offensively, we struggled a little bit with protection (of the quarterback),” Newsome said. “They had several big plays and some sacks they made against us, but we were still able to capitalize. “They’d get a sack, then we’d get a big scramble for a first down. Or they’d get a sack and we’d hit a long pass for a first down. We were able to come back from the sacks, but we’ve got to shore up our offensive line and play a little better up front to protect our quarterback from these pretty good teams we have coming up.”
A.L. Brown is idle next week, but then they Wonders open Greater Metro 4 Conference play at home with Cream of Cabarrus top-ranked Hickory Ridge on Sept. 16.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune:
Game #4
A.L. Brown
vs
Hickory Ridge
A.L. Brown-24 Hickory Ridge-45
Cream of Cabarrus top-ranked Hickory Ridge overcame a double-digit first-quarter deficit to capture a 45-24 conference-opening victory over host third-ranked A.L. Brown in high school football Friday. Christian Hamilton’s 61-yard touchdown reception from Caden Haywood midway through the third quarter was the fifth lead change of the game and gave the Ragin’ Bulls a 27-24 advantage, one they never relinquished. It was the first of four straight touchdowns Hickory Ridge (3-2 overall, 1-0 Greater Metro 4) scored over the final quarter-and-a-half to break open a close game.
“It’s always good to get a win,” said Hickory Ridge coach Jupiter Wilson in a phone interview with the Independent Tribune. “I’m definitely excited about (the team bouncing back).“Like I told the guys after the game, there’s an expectation to go out and win this game and go back and get ready for the next one. Winning is hard, but at the end of the day, we plan to be playing in December. So this is just another step in the journey.”
A.L. Brown (3-1, 0-1) looked like the superior team on both sides of the ball for all of the first quarter. The Wonders concluded the game’s opening drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Ashnah Lowery to Gerard Evans, who hauled it in as he was back-pedaling out of the rear of the end zone. Ashnah Lowery (9) gets sacked. A.L. Brown regained possession at the Hickory Ridge 27-yard line after an 8-yard Bulls’ punt. The Wonders didn’t gain much ground, but they turned it into a 45-yard Ty Woods field goal to build a 10-0 lead. From Hickory Ridge’s first offensive play, the A.L. Brown defense harassed the Bulls for most of the first quarter, taking up residence in their backfield on both running and passing opportunities.
A momentum-changing play seemed to take place on the Bulls’ third punt attempt of the opening period, although Hickory Ridge didn’t score any points as a result. Facing fourth-and-5 from its 41, the Bulls’ snap sailed high over punter Brandon Bowman’s head all the way back to the 16-yard line. Bowman retrieved the loose ball and managed to get off a punt under heavy fire, but the A.L. Brown defender that knocked him to the turf drew a penalty flag for roughing. Instead of having a disastrous loss of yardage, the Bulls were awarded a first down.
“The final score wasn’t indicative of how well we played,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview. “I think we played really, really well, especially at the beginning of the game. The play that cost us field position was huge early in the game.”
Hickory Ridge scored the next two touchdowns: on a 3-yard run by bruising ball carrier Jordan Wilkes, who is a college recruit at linebacker, and a 32-yard catch-and-run by Jalen Harris for a 13-10 edge. A.L. Brown regained the lead and held a 17-13 halftime advantage on Jamare Robinson’s 2-yard run late in the second quarter that was set up by Kash Smith’s 27-yard interception return. Wilkes gave the Bulls a short-lived lead by completing an 11-play, 66-yard touchdown drive with a 9- yard scoring run to open the second half. The teams then exchanged long touchdowns. Xavier Chambers gave A.L. Brown its final lead on a 73-yard touchdown catch up the left sideline. Hamilton followed four plays later with his 61-yarder that gave the Bulls the lead for good. A.L. Brown quickly crossed midfield on its next possession, but the Bulls’ Carlos Sharpe intercepted Lowery at the Hickory Ridge 9 near his team’s sideline.
“That was the biggest play to me,” said Wilson. “They were driving, and I thought they got a little greedy trying to make the pass, and it wasn’t there.”
Scoring fourth-quarter touchdowns for Hickory Ridge were Wilkes on a 5-yard run and Vincent Griffith (119 yards on seven carries) on runs of 49 and 71 yards. Haywood completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 281 yards, 136 of those to Hamilton, who had seven catches.
Next week, both teams play conference games on the road. Hickory Ridge is at Mooresville, and Lake Norman plays host to A.L. Brown.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Hickory Ridge 0 13 14 18 -- 45
A.L. Brown 10 7 7 0 -- 24
ALB – Gerard Evans 21 pass from Ashnah Lowery (Ty Woods kick)
ALB – Woods 45 FG
HR – Jordan Wilkes 3 run (kick failed)
HR – Jalen Harris 32 pass from Caden Haywood (Brandon Bowman kick)
ALB – Jamare Robinson 2 run (Woods kick)
HR – Jordan Wilkes 9 run (Bowman kick)
ALB – Xavier Chambers 73 pass from Lowery (Woods kick)
HR – Christian Hamilton 61 pass from Haywood (Bowman kick)
HR - Wilkes 5 run (kick failed)
HR – Vincent Griffin 49 run (kick failed)
HR – Griffin 71 run (kick failed)
Storyboard: Todd Maulden Independent Tribune
“It’s always good to get a win,” said Hickory Ridge coach Jupiter Wilson in a phone interview with the Independent Tribune. “I’m definitely excited about (the team bouncing back).“Like I told the guys after the game, there’s an expectation to go out and win this game and go back and get ready for the next one. Winning is hard, but at the end of the day, we plan to be playing in December. So this is just another step in the journey.”
A.L. Brown (3-1, 0-1) looked like the superior team on both sides of the ball for all of the first quarter. The Wonders concluded the game’s opening drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Ashnah Lowery to Gerard Evans, who hauled it in as he was back-pedaling out of the rear of the end zone. Ashnah Lowery (9) gets sacked. A.L. Brown regained possession at the Hickory Ridge 27-yard line after an 8-yard Bulls’ punt. The Wonders didn’t gain much ground, but they turned it into a 45-yard Ty Woods field goal to build a 10-0 lead. From Hickory Ridge’s first offensive play, the A.L. Brown defense harassed the Bulls for most of the first quarter, taking up residence in their backfield on both running and passing opportunities.
A momentum-changing play seemed to take place on the Bulls’ third punt attempt of the opening period, although Hickory Ridge didn’t score any points as a result. Facing fourth-and-5 from its 41, the Bulls’ snap sailed high over punter Brandon Bowman’s head all the way back to the 16-yard line. Bowman retrieved the loose ball and managed to get off a punt under heavy fire, but the A.L. Brown defender that knocked him to the turf drew a penalty flag for roughing. Instead of having a disastrous loss of yardage, the Bulls were awarded a first down.
“The final score wasn’t indicative of how well we played,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview. “I think we played really, really well, especially at the beginning of the game. The play that cost us field position was huge early in the game.”
Hickory Ridge scored the next two touchdowns: on a 3-yard run by bruising ball carrier Jordan Wilkes, who is a college recruit at linebacker, and a 32-yard catch-and-run by Jalen Harris for a 13-10 edge. A.L. Brown regained the lead and held a 17-13 halftime advantage on Jamare Robinson’s 2-yard run late in the second quarter that was set up by Kash Smith’s 27-yard interception return. Wilkes gave the Bulls a short-lived lead by completing an 11-play, 66-yard touchdown drive with a 9- yard scoring run to open the second half. The teams then exchanged long touchdowns. Xavier Chambers gave A.L. Brown its final lead on a 73-yard touchdown catch up the left sideline. Hamilton followed four plays later with his 61-yarder that gave the Bulls the lead for good. A.L. Brown quickly crossed midfield on its next possession, but the Bulls’ Carlos Sharpe intercepted Lowery at the Hickory Ridge 9 near his team’s sideline.
“That was the biggest play to me,” said Wilson. “They were driving, and I thought they got a little greedy trying to make the pass, and it wasn’t there.”
Scoring fourth-quarter touchdowns for Hickory Ridge were Wilkes on a 5-yard run and Vincent Griffith (119 yards on seven carries) on runs of 49 and 71 yards. Haywood completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 281 yards, 136 of those to Hamilton, who had seven catches.
Next week, both teams play conference games on the road. Hickory Ridge is at Mooresville, and Lake Norman plays host to A.L. Brown.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Hickory Ridge 0 13 14 18 -- 45
A.L. Brown 10 7 7 0 -- 24
ALB – Gerard Evans 21 pass from Ashnah Lowery (Ty Woods kick)
ALB – Woods 45 FG
HR – Jordan Wilkes 3 run (kick failed)
HR – Jalen Harris 32 pass from Caden Haywood (Brandon Bowman kick)
ALB – Jamare Robinson 2 run (Woods kick)
HR – Jordan Wilkes 9 run (Bowman kick)
ALB – Xavier Chambers 73 pass from Lowery (Woods kick)
HR – Christian Hamilton 61 pass from Haywood (Bowman kick)
HR - Wilkes 5 run (kick failed)
HR – Vincent Griffin 49 run (kick failed)
HR – Griffin 71 run (kick failed)
Storyboard: Todd Maulden Independent Tribune
Game #5
A.L. Brown
vs
Lake Norman
Kannapolis-7 Lake Norman-29
A couple of second quarter turnovers were too much for Cream of Cabarrus second-ranked A.L. Brown to overcome at Greater Metro 4A rival Lake Norman. The Wonders took a touchdown lead in the first quarter but surrendered 29 unanswered points in a 29-7 conference defeat Friday at the Wildcats Den.
A.L. Brown (3-2 overall, 0-2 conference) has lost its first two conference games after starting the season with three non-conference wins. Lake Norman is 5-0 overall after winning its conference opener over the Wonders.
Early on, it looked as if it was going to be a Wonders night.
Senior return man Kash Smith took the ball on the goal line on the opening kickoff, made a Lake Norman defender miss, and then raced up the right sideline as Wildcats gave chase. Smith wound up being pushed out bounds, but his effort gave the Wonders’ offense the ball around midfield, and A.L. Brown’s momentum continued, as it moved right down the field and closer to the opposing goal line.
It was there that quarterback Ashnah Lowery hit Derick Brazil for a short touchdown, and the Ty Woods extra point gave the Wonders a 7-0. But it was the only time they would reach the end zone the rest of the night.
On the first play of the second quarter, an A.L. Brown return man muffed a punt, and Lake Norman recovered the fumble at the Wonders’ 24-yard line. On first down, a Wildcats receiver caught a swing pass to the left, turned up field and crossed the goal line as he was being tackled for a 7-7 tie. On A.L. Brown’s ensuing possession, a stable drive was thwarted by a red-zone turnover. Facing a first-and-15 at the Wildcats’ 20, quarterback C.J. Gray lobbed a pass to his right that both a Wonders’ receiver and Lake Norman defensive back competed for. The defender came down with the ball just inside the goal line for the turnover.
Starting its next drive at its own 20, Lake Norman marched down the field confidently. The Wildcats completed the 80-yard drive with a short quarterback option run. A two-point conversion allowed Lake Norman to take a 15-7 lead to halftime.On the Wildcats’ first second-half possession, a 43-yard run from scrimmage reached the A.L. Brown 2-yard line. Lined up with an offset full-house backfield, the Wildcats’ running back followed the blocks of two fullbacks into the end zone and was never touched as he crossed the goal line.
Trailing 29-7 in the fourth quarter, A.L. Brown reached the red zone once again, but Gray was intercepted at the 15-yard line on the Wonders’ final chance to score. Next week, the Wonders play host to Cox Mill, which was fourth in the Cream of Cabarrus rankings this week.
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
A.L. Brown 7 0 0 0 -- 7
Lake Norman 0 15 7 7 -- 29
Storyboard Independent Tribune
In 2021, when Lake Norman met up with Kannapolis A.L. Brown, the entire game came down to the Wildcats facing a 4th and 1 at their own 24 in the waning seconds. Players urged head coach Jonathan Oliphant to go for it, he listened, and they picked up two yards to seal the victory. No such drama was required this year.
Lake Norman (5-0, 1-0 Greater Metro Conference), behind a great defensive effort and its bludgeoning ground game, dominated A.L. Brown (3-2, 0-2) on its way to a 29-7 victory on Friday Night.
“The guys responded really well to some early adversity tonight,” Oliphant said. “Being able to do that is important. That was just one of the many big games we’ll play this year, so to see our guys finish a game like that was impressive.”
The adversity that the Wildcats faced came quickly. A.L. Brown returned the game’s opening kickoff 53 yards to start its first possession just inside Lake Norman territory at the 47. From there, it took the Wonders just six plays over 1:56 to take a 7-0 lead when Ashnah Lowery found Derick Brazil for a three yard score through the air. A.L. Brown picked up right where it left off on its next two possessions, picking apart the Wildcats defense to gain over 110 yards. However, the Wonders came away with no points.
A missed 40-yard field goal following a myriad of penalties, including one that wiped a touchdown off the board, spoiled their second drive while a great, leaping interception made by Lake Norman’s Kavin White ended their third. That proved to be the Wonders’ final trip to the red zone until the fourth quarter.
“We settled in and didn’t hit the panic button,” Oliphant said of his defense’s turnaround. “We’re going to have to continue to get better, though.”
The Wildcats offense started off at a much slower pace, turning the ball over on downs on their first possession and punting on their second. But that punt ended up being the momentum shift in the game that Lake Norman was looking for. A solid kick left both A.L. Brown returnmen guessing and the ball bounced off of one of them and was eventually recovered by Lake Norman. On the first play after that turnover, Jackson Garlick lobbed the ball to Mozes Morris on a screen pass and the freshman running back did the rest, leaving a few Wonder defenders in his wake thanks to his lethal spin move. The 25-yard score tied the game at 7 with 11:40 to play in the second quarter.
“(Mozes) is gonna score a lot of touchdowns at Lake Norman,” Oliphant said. “It’s nice to be able to see him handle varsity football the way he is as a freshman because that’s not an easy thing to do.”
Morris finished with a game-high in both rush attempts with 12 and rushing yards with 81. He also caught two passes for 37 yards.
After that momentum swing, Lake Norman’s next three possessions, not counting a one-play kneel down to end the first half, ended with a Wildcat celebrating in the end zone, taking a game that was tied at seven and making it 29-7. In true Lake Norman fashion, the ground-and-pound offense also possessed the football for 18:12 of a possible 26:29 from the beginning of the second quarter through the 9:29 mark of the fourth, running 33 plays to Kannapolis’ 24. Much of that success was thanks to Garlick’s orchestration of the Wildcats’ triple option attack. The senior quarterback demonstrated his experience in the offense, always knowing when to handoff, pitch, or keep the ball himself.
“I’m so proud of that young man—the way he leads in practices and games and the way he takes care of the football every week…I’m excited to continue to watch him grow as a player,” Oliphant said. “We will go as far as he takes us. Our offense puts so much on him to make good decisions, and he’s done that.”
Garlick finished with 114 yards through the air on 8-of-11 passing while rushing for another 33 yards and a score. The Wildcats continue their conference slate Sept. 30 with their first-ever trip to West Cabarrus High School to face a Wolverines (0-5, 0-2) team coming off the worst loss in their program’s short history, a 56-0 drubbing at the hands of Cox Mill.
“We stress that it’s not who you play, it’s how you play,” Oliphant said. “We just have to come out every day next week and continue to get better. We’ll be ready for West Cabarrus.”
Storyboard Mooresville Tribune
A.L. Brown (3-2 overall, 0-2 conference) has lost its first two conference games after starting the season with three non-conference wins. Lake Norman is 5-0 overall after winning its conference opener over the Wonders.
Early on, it looked as if it was going to be a Wonders night.
Senior return man Kash Smith took the ball on the goal line on the opening kickoff, made a Lake Norman defender miss, and then raced up the right sideline as Wildcats gave chase. Smith wound up being pushed out bounds, but his effort gave the Wonders’ offense the ball around midfield, and A.L. Brown’s momentum continued, as it moved right down the field and closer to the opposing goal line.
It was there that quarterback Ashnah Lowery hit Derick Brazil for a short touchdown, and the Ty Woods extra point gave the Wonders a 7-0. But it was the only time they would reach the end zone the rest of the night.
On the first play of the second quarter, an A.L. Brown return man muffed a punt, and Lake Norman recovered the fumble at the Wonders’ 24-yard line. On first down, a Wildcats receiver caught a swing pass to the left, turned up field and crossed the goal line as he was being tackled for a 7-7 tie. On A.L. Brown’s ensuing possession, a stable drive was thwarted by a red-zone turnover. Facing a first-and-15 at the Wildcats’ 20, quarterback C.J. Gray lobbed a pass to his right that both a Wonders’ receiver and Lake Norman defensive back competed for. The defender came down with the ball just inside the goal line for the turnover.
Starting its next drive at its own 20, Lake Norman marched down the field confidently. The Wildcats completed the 80-yard drive with a short quarterback option run. A two-point conversion allowed Lake Norman to take a 15-7 lead to halftime.On the Wildcats’ first second-half possession, a 43-yard run from scrimmage reached the A.L. Brown 2-yard line. Lined up with an offset full-house backfield, the Wildcats’ running back followed the blocks of two fullbacks into the end zone and was never touched as he crossed the goal line.
Trailing 29-7 in the fourth quarter, A.L. Brown reached the red zone once again, but Gray was intercepted at the 15-yard line on the Wonders’ final chance to score. Next week, the Wonders play host to Cox Mill, which was fourth in the Cream of Cabarrus rankings this week.
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
A.L. Brown 7 0 0 0 -- 7
Lake Norman 0 15 7 7 -- 29
Storyboard Independent Tribune
In 2021, when Lake Norman met up with Kannapolis A.L. Brown, the entire game came down to the Wildcats facing a 4th and 1 at their own 24 in the waning seconds. Players urged head coach Jonathan Oliphant to go for it, he listened, and they picked up two yards to seal the victory. No such drama was required this year.
Lake Norman (5-0, 1-0 Greater Metro Conference), behind a great defensive effort and its bludgeoning ground game, dominated A.L. Brown (3-2, 0-2) on its way to a 29-7 victory on Friday Night.
“The guys responded really well to some early adversity tonight,” Oliphant said. “Being able to do that is important. That was just one of the many big games we’ll play this year, so to see our guys finish a game like that was impressive.”
The adversity that the Wildcats faced came quickly. A.L. Brown returned the game’s opening kickoff 53 yards to start its first possession just inside Lake Norman territory at the 47. From there, it took the Wonders just six plays over 1:56 to take a 7-0 lead when Ashnah Lowery found Derick Brazil for a three yard score through the air. A.L. Brown picked up right where it left off on its next two possessions, picking apart the Wildcats defense to gain over 110 yards. However, the Wonders came away with no points.
A missed 40-yard field goal following a myriad of penalties, including one that wiped a touchdown off the board, spoiled their second drive while a great, leaping interception made by Lake Norman’s Kavin White ended their third. That proved to be the Wonders’ final trip to the red zone until the fourth quarter.
“We settled in and didn’t hit the panic button,” Oliphant said of his defense’s turnaround. “We’re going to have to continue to get better, though.”
The Wildcats offense started off at a much slower pace, turning the ball over on downs on their first possession and punting on their second. But that punt ended up being the momentum shift in the game that Lake Norman was looking for. A solid kick left both A.L. Brown returnmen guessing and the ball bounced off of one of them and was eventually recovered by Lake Norman. On the first play after that turnover, Jackson Garlick lobbed the ball to Mozes Morris on a screen pass and the freshman running back did the rest, leaving a few Wonder defenders in his wake thanks to his lethal spin move. The 25-yard score tied the game at 7 with 11:40 to play in the second quarter.
“(Mozes) is gonna score a lot of touchdowns at Lake Norman,” Oliphant said. “It’s nice to be able to see him handle varsity football the way he is as a freshman because that’s not an easy thing to do.”
Morris finished with a game-high in both rush attempts with 12 and rushing yards with 81. He also caught two passes for 37 yards.
After that momentum swing, Lake Norman’s next three possessions, not counting a one-play kneel down to end the first half, ended with a Wildcat celebrating in the end zone, taking a game that was tied at seven and making it 29-7. In true Lake Norman fashion, the ground-and-pound offense also possessed the football for 18:12 of a possible 26:29 from the beginning of the second quarter through the 9:29 mark of the fourth, running 33 plays to Kannapolis’ 24. Much of that success was thanks to Garlick’s orchestration of the Wildcats’ triple option attack. The senior quarterback demonstrated his experience in the offense, always knowing when to handoff, pitch, or keep the ball himself.
“I’m so proud of that young man—the way he leads in practices and games and the way he takes care of the football every week…I’m excited to continue to watch him grow as a player,” Oliphant said. “We will go as far as he takes us. Our offense puts so much on him to make good decisions, and he’s done that.”
Garlick finished with 114 yards through the air on 8-of-11 passing while rushing for another 33 yards and a score. The Wildcats continue their conference slate Sept. 30 with their first-ever trip to West Cabarrus High School to face a Wolverines (0-5, 0-2) team coming off the worst loss in their program’s short history, a 56-0 drubbing at the hands of Cox Mill.
“We stress that it’s not who you play, it’s how you play,” Oliphant said. “We just have to come out every day next week and continue to get better. We’ll be ready for West Cabarrus.”
Storyboard Mooresville Tribune
Game #6
Kannapolis
vs
Cox Mill
Having delayed their game from last Friday in part because of the remnants of Hurricane Ian, the defensive units from Cream of Cabarrus second-ranked Cox Mill and fourth-ranked A.L. Brown may have stretched out their weekend a little too long. The defensive presence for each team was suspect, at best, as the visiting Chargers outscored the Wonders Monday night, 58-35, in a Greater Metro 4 Conference shootout at Kannapolis’ Memorial Stadium.
Having beaten West Cabarrus 56-0 last week, it was the third time Cox Mill (5-2, 2-1 GMC) scored more than 50 points this season. The Chargers opened 2022 with a 59-25 non-conference triumph over Huntersville Hopewell. The 58 points were the most the Wonders (3-3, 0-3 GMC) have allowed in a game since a 58-27 loss to Northwest Cabarrus in 2018. The Wonders lost their third straight game after starting the season 3-0. On Monday, they played without normal starting quarterback Ashnah Lowery, who went down early in last week’s loss at Lake Norman. Cox Mill senior quarterback Dymere Edwards and junior receiver Saxon Jenkins connected for three touchdowns passes, including one that the Chargers a 14-0 lead after one quarter.
“We’ve been off for three days, so the main thing for us was to start off fast and to get the tempo going,” said Cox Mill coach Shawn Baker in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We knew they had some guys that went both ways (offensively and defensively). We wanted to score fast so we could get our defense on the field and get a stop, which we were able to do.”
A long Jamare Robinson rushing touchdown near the end of the second quarter gave A.L. Brown hope, but it was laid to rest as Cox Mill’s Kendall Harris returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. It was Harris’ touchdown catch in the first quarter that opened the Chargers’ scoring.
“Our special teams coach (former NFL punter) Ken Walter has done a great job with our special teams,” said Baker. “(A.L. Brown) came back, then we took a kickoff at the 5- or 10-yard line and took it to the house.”
The Wonders opened the second half impressively, putting together solid drives and making some stops on defense. Quarterback C.J. Gray, who was filling in for Lowery, threw the first touchdown of his career when he hit Xavier Chambers in the corner of the end zone.
Trailing 37-14 midway through the third quarter, A.L. Brown made it a two-score game when Robinson rambled for a 72-yard touchdown run. But once more, Cox Mill was poised to build on its lead. Jenkins completed a 90-yard drive with a 60-yard catch-and-run as the Chargers established a 44-21 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
“The name of the game was turnovers for us in the first half,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome, also in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “When we did get some things going in the second half and trying to make it a one-score game and was pretty close to doing that, it seemed like we could never get it back to two solid scores.”
Defensively, Sam Weber and Vance Taylor had interceptions for Cox Mill. Teammate Izaunti Brooks recovered a fumble. On Friday, A.L. Brown plays at winless West Cabarrus, while Cox Mill takes a week off before travelling to Lake Norman on Oct. 21. The Wildcats are currently undefeated and are leading the conference heading into this week’s game against No. 1 Hickory Ridge.
“(Winning next week) is of dire importance,” said Newsome. “The best thing we can do is get back on the winning track. Winning fixes a lot of things.”
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
Cox Mill 14 20 10 14 -- 58
A.L. Brown 0 7 14 14 -- 35
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
Having beaten West Cabarrus 56-0 last week, it was the third time Cox Mill (5-2, 2-1 GMC) scored more than 50 points this season. The Chargers opened 2022 with a 59-25 non-conference triumph over Huntersville Hopewell. The 58 points were the most the Wonders (3-3, 0-3 GMC) have allowed in a game since a 58-27 loss to Northwest Cabarrus in 2018. The Wonders lost their third straight game after starting the season 3-0. On Monday, they played without normal starting quarterback Ashnah Lowery, who went down early in last week’s loss at Lake Norman. Cox Mill senior quarterback Dymere Edwards and junior receiver Saxon Jenkins connected for three touchdowns passes, including one that the Chargers a 14-0 lead after one quarter.
“We’ve been off for three days, so the main thing for us was to start off fast and to get the tempo going,” said Cox Mill coach Shawn Baker in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We knew they had some guys that went both ways (offensively and defensively). We wanted to score fast so we could get our defense on the field and get a stop, which we were able to do.”
A long Jamare Robinson rushing touchdown near the end of the second quarter gave A.L. Brown hope, but it was laid to rest as Cox Mill’s Kendall Harris returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. It was Harris’ touchdown catch in the first quarter that opened the Chargers’ scoring.
“Our special teams coach (former NFL punter) Ken Walter has done a great job with our special teams,” said Baker. “(A.L. Brown) came back, then we took a kickoff at the 5- or 10-yard line and took it to the house.”
The Wonders opened the second half impressively, putting together solid drives and making some stops on defense. Quarterback C.J. Gray, who was filling in for Lowery, threw the first touchdown of his career when he hit Xavier Chambers in the corner of the end zone.
Trailing 37-14 midway through the third quarter, A.L. Brown made it a two-score game when Robinson rambled for a 72-yard touchdown run. But once more, Cox Mill was poised to build on its lead. Jenkins completed a 90-yard drive with a 60-yard catch-and-run as the Chargers established a 44-21 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
“The name of the game was turnovers for us in the first half,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome, also in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “When we did get some things going in the second half and trying to make it a one-score game and was pretty close to doing that, it seemed like we could never get it back to two solid scores.”
Defensively, Sam Weber and Vance Taylor had interceptions for Cox Mill. Teammate Izaunti Brooks recovered a fumble. On Friday, A.L. Brown plays at winless West Cabarrus, while Cox Mill takes a week off before travelling to Lake Norman on Oct. 21. The Wildcats are currently undefeated and are leading the conference heading into this week’s game against No. 1 Hickory Ridge.
“(Winning next week) is of dire importance,” said Newsome. “The best thing we can do is get back on the winning track. Winning fixes a lot of things.”
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
Cox Mill 14 20 10 14 -- 58
A.L. Brown 0 7 14 14 -- 35
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
Game #7
Kannapolis
vs
West Cabarrus
Kannapolis-31 West Cabarrus-13
Having lost its last three games, including one earlier in the week on Monday, Cream of Cabarrus sixth-ranked A.L. Brown needed to find a way – any way – to get on track.Getting four rushing touchdowns, including two from senior running back Elijah Lawson, the Wonders overcame an early deficit and captured their first Greater Metro 4 Conference win of the season, 31-14, at Wolverine Stadium Friday.
The Wonders (4-3, 1-3 GMC) won for the first time since Sept. 2, while West Cabarrus (0-7, 0-4) remains in search of its first win.
“We needed to figure out a way to win, and we did tonight,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “It was great to get that (losing streak) off our backs, and hopefully we have several games here in a row that we can win and put ourselves back in a good spot.”
A.L. Brown took an early lead on a 27-yard Ty Woods field goal but fell behind shortly after when a long pass play put West Cabarrus in position to score a touchdown on a short run.Replacing quarterback Ashnah Lowery, who moved to the defensive backfield a couple games ago, sophomore quarterback C.J. Gray scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter to give A.L. Brown the lead for good, a 10-6 advantage going to halftime.
The Wonders continued to find success on the ground in the second half. Jamare Robinson’s 15-yard score gave his team some separation on the scoreboard, and Lawson scored on a 38-yard run for a 24-6 A.L. Brown lead. West Cabarrus made it a two-possession game with a 34-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, but the Wonders answered quickly with another Lawson scoring run, from 6 yards out.
“We rushed the ball for a lot of yards, so our running backs played well,” said Newsome. “Jamare Robinson had another big game with another touchdown. Elijah Lawson stepped in when we were trying to get Jamare some rest and had a great game.
“I don’t know how many yards rushing we had, but as many as we had, our offensive line had to play pretty well.”
Defensively, Newsome lauded the play of linemen Jack Schultz, Chaz Knox, and Todd Massey, who had a fumble recovery early in the game to give the Wonders good field position. Schultz batted a pass away that turned into an A.L. Brown interception in the third quarter.
Both teams are on the road for Greater Metro 4 games next Friday. A.L. Brown is at South Iredell, while West Cabarrus visits Mooresville.
SCORING BY QUARTER:
A.L. Brown 3 7 14 7 -- 31
West Cabarrus 6 0 0 7 -- 13
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
The Wonders (4-3, 1-3 GMC) won for the first time since Sept. 2, while West Cabarrus (0-7, 0-4) remains in search of its first win.
“We needed to figure out a way to win, and we did tonight,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “It was great to get that (losing streak) off our backs, and hopefully we have several games here in a row that we can win and put ourselves back in a good spot.”
A.L. Brown took an early lead on a 27-yard Ty Woods field goal but fell behind shortly after when a long pass play put West Cabarrus in position to score a touchdown on a short run.Replacing quarterback Ashnah Lowery, who moved to the defensive backfield a couple games ago, sophomore quarterback C.J. Gray scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter to give A.L. Brown the lead for good, a 10-6 advantage going to halftime.
The Wonders continued to find success on the ground in the second half. Jamare Robinson’s 15-yard score gave his team some separation on the scoreboard, and Lawson scored on a 38-yard run for a 24-6 A.L. Brown lead. West Cabarrus made it a two-possession game with a 34-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, but the Wonders answered quickly with another Lawson scoring run, from 6 yards out.
“We rushed the ball for a lot of yards, so our running backs played well,” said Newsome. “Jamare Robinson had another big game with another touchdown. Elijah Lawson stepped in when we were trying to get Jamare some rest and had a great game.
“I don’t know how many yards rushing we had, but as many as we had, our offensive line had to play pretty well.”
Defensively, Newsome lauded the play of linemen Jack Schultz, Chaz Knox, and Todd Massey, who had a fumble recovery early in the game to give the Wonders good field position. Schultz batted a pass away that turned into an A.L. Brown interception in the third quarter.
Both teams are on the road for Greater Metro 4 games next Friday. A.L. Brown is at South Iredell, while West Cabarrus visits Mooresville.
SCORING BY QUARTER:
A.L. Brown 3 7 14 7 -- 31
West Cabarrus 6 0 0 7 -- 13
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
Game #8
Kannapolis
vs
South Iredell
The stretch the A.L. Brown offense had over the first and second quarters at South Iredell may have been the most effective and disciplined the Wonders’ unit has been all season. It was during this period that A.L. Brown put together all of its scoring in an easy 28-0 high school football victory Friday at Viking Stadium. A.L. Brown, tied for sixth in the Independent Tribune’s Cream of Cabarrus poll, has strung together two straight lopsided wins to improve to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Greater Metro 4 Conference. South Iredell lost its third straight and fourth over its last five to drop to 4-4, 1-3. A.L. Brown’s defense recorded its second shutout of the season. The Wonders beat Mint Hill Rocky River by the same score on Sept.2.
“It was good to play well and get a shutout,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We put a lot of points on the board, and the defense played unbelievable.”
While A.L. Brown’s last three touchdown drives were quick and to the point, its first scoring possession was long, slow, and methodical. Elijah Lawson’s third touchdown in two games – a 3-yard run – finished a 13-play, 88-yard drive late in the first quarter.On A.L. Brown’s first possession of the second quarter, Christian Hopper was so open on his 30-yard touchdown reception, he might have appeared to be invisible to the South Iredell defense. The senior wide receiver was probably 20 yards from the nearest Vikings receiver when he hauled in C.J. Gray’s pass inside the 10-yard line and walked into the end zone.
“It was a (quarterback) scramble, and C.J. did a good job of keeping his eyes downfield and completing balls when he was pushed out of the pocket,” said Newsome. “Sometimes when the quarterback scrambles, you’ll get a safety or a corner(back) that doesn’t stay with a man. Especially in man(-to-man) coverage that leaves someone wide open, and that’s happened several times to us this year.”
Aided by a South Iredell pass interference penalty that put A.L. Brown inside the Vikings’ red zone, the Wonders scored when Gray found Xavier Chambers in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass and a 21-0 lead. Gray and Chambers hooked up for another, prettier touchdown later in the second quarter. Completing a 61-yard drive, Chambers’ 43-yard scoring reception came after gaining a step on his defender over the middle, catching Gray’s toss in stride, and taking it to the house. Until that point, South Iredell’s offense had not crossed midfield in the second period. But a 40-yard pass to the A.L. Brown 11-yard line gave the Vikings a prime opportunity to score.
On first down, an incomplete pass over the middle fell in the end zone. A quarterback run up the middle on second down yielded 2 yards. A swing pass to the left on third down also fell incomplete. The Vikings lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt, but their holder didn’t field the snap cleanly. A mad scramble for the loose ball allowed the Wonders to regain possession. In its final conference game next week, A.L. Brown plays host to Mooresville, which is undefeated in Greater Metro 4 play.
“All of them are huge,” said Newsome. “We have to win out to put ourselves where we want to be in the playoffs. “(The Blue Devils) a good football team. Our biggest thing is going to be our depth and our numbers. I think they’re probably going to dress about 70-some guys on their varsity, and we’re sitting with about 35 on ours … I think our guys are up for the challenge.”
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
On Friday night, Viking Valley welcomed back its most prestigious football team, the 2012 squad that, to date, lays claim to South Iredell’s only state championship on the gridiron. Many of the players from that team were in attendance, greeted during a halftime ceremony by loud cheers from the Viking faithful.
That team has become the standard by which all Viking teams are compared and, while the 2022 Vikings have shown improvement compared to years past, Friday night showed that they still have a bit further to go to get back to that level. The Vikings (4-4, 1-3 GMC) struggled to find their footing the first half, falling behind by multiple touchdowns early, and were never able to recover as Kannapolis A.L. Brown (5-3, 2-3) shut them out, 28-0.
“We’re still trying to set a precedence for our program,” South Iredell head coach Mitch Johnson said. “We just weren’t able to keep any of our momentum going in the first half and it slid really fast.”
The momentum that the Vikings were able to generate early all came on their first possession as they were able to move the ball into Wonders territory. However, after nine plays, they were forced to punt.
Their next four possessions also ended with a punt, but all four also saw the Vikings go backwards, totaling minus-13 yards on 12 plays.
“We kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Johnson said. “They’re an aggressive defense that puts pressure on us to make plays and we’re not executing at a high enough level to be successful against these defenses.”
The Vikings didn’t advance beyond their own 35-yard line until their final possession of the first half, but by that point, A.L. Brown had already built a 28-point lead. For the first 24 minutes of play, the Wonders were dominant on both sides of the ball. In the first half alone, Kannapolis outgained South Iredell 280-71 and started the game with three consecutive touchdown drives. The only thing that stopped the Wonders in the first half was themselves, with their only non-scoring drive ending in a turnover due to a botched handoff.
South Iredell generated a scoring opportunity at the end of the half when a 39-yard hookup from Brice Warren to Will Vuk set the Vikings up at the A.L. Brown 11 with a little over a minute to play. However, four plays later, a Viking field goal attempt was botched and resulted in no points. South Iredell never returned to the red zone. Warren played valiantly in the face of constant pressure from the Wonders defense, going 13-for-37 for 176 yards through the air despite being sacked eight times in the game. The senior quarterback also ran for 25 yards. The South Iredell defense bounced back from their struggles in the first half to hold Kannapolis to just 100 total yards in the second half. The first five possessions in the half for the Wonders all resulted in no first downs.
“Our defense works their butt off to keep us in ballgames,” Johnson said. “The way they executed in the second half to try and keep us in it made me very proud.”
Storyboard Jay Jerdzejek Statesville Record
“It was good to play well and get a shutout,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We put a lot of points on the board, and the defense played unbelievable.”
While A.L. Brown’s last three touchdown drives were quick and to the point, its first scoring possession was long, slow, and methodical. Elijah Lawson’s third touchdown in two games – a 3-yard run – finished a 13-play, 88-yard drive late in the first quarter.On A.L. Brown’s first possession of the second quarter, Christian Hopper was so open on his 30-yard touchdown reception, he might have appeared to be invisible to the South Iredell defense. The senior wide receiver was probably 20 yards from the nearest Vikings receiver when he hauled in C.J. Gray’s pass inside the 10-yard line and walked into the end zone.
“It was a (quarterback) scramble, and C.J. did a good job of keeping his eyes downfield and completing balls when he was pushed out of the pocket,” said Newsome. “Sometimes when the quarterback scrambles, you’ll get a safety or a corner(back) that doesn’t stay with a man. Especially in man(-to-man) coverage that leaves someone wide open, and that’s happened several times to us this year.”
Aided by a South Iredell pass interference penalty that put A.L. Brown inside the Vikings’ red zone, the Wonders scored when Gray found Xavier Chambers in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass and a 21-0 lead. Gray and Chambers hooked up for another, prettier touchdown later in the second quarter. Completing a 61-yard drive, Chambers’ 43-yard scoring reception came after gaining a step on his defender over the middle, catching Gray’s toss in stride, and taking it to the house. Until that point, South Iredell’s offense had not crossed midfield in the second period. But a 40-yard pass to the A.L. Brown 11-yard line gave the Vikings a prime opportunity to score.
On first down, an incomplete pass over the middle fell in the end zone. A quarterback run up the middle on second down yielded 2 yards. A swing pass to the left on third down also fell incomplete. The Vikings lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt, but their holder didn’t field the snap cleanly. A mad scramble for the loose ball allowed the Wonders to regain possession. In its final conference game next week, A.L. Brown plays host to Mooresville, which is undefeated in Greater Metro 4 play.
“All of them are huge,” said Newsome. “We have to win out to put ourselves where we want to be in the playoffs. “(The Blue Devils) a good football team. Our biggest thing is going to be our depth and our numbers. I think they’re probably going to dress about 70-some guys on their varsity, and we’re sitting with about 35 on ours … I think our guys are up for the challenge.”
Storyboard: Joe Habina Independent Tribune
On Friday night, Viking Valley welcomed back its most prestigious football team, the 2012 squad that, to date, lays claim to South Iredell’s only state championship on the gridiron. Many of the players from that team were in attendance, greeted during a halftime ceremony by loud cheers from the Viking faithful.
That team has become the standard by which all Viking teams are compared and, while the 2022 Vikings have shown improvement compared to years past, Friday night showed that they still have a bit further to go to get back to that level. The Vikings (4-4, 1-3 GMC) struggled to find their footing the first half, falling behind by multiple touchdowns early, and were never able to recover as Kannapolis A.L. Brown (5-3, 2-3) shut them out, 28-0.
“We’re still trying to set a precedence for our program,” South Iredell head coach Mitch Johnson said. “We just weren’t able to keep any of our momentum going in the first half and it slid really fast.”
The momentum that the Vikings were able to generate early all came on their first possession as they were able to move the ball into Wonders territory. However, after nine plays, they were forced to punt.
Their next four possessions also ended with a punt, but all four also saw the Vikings go backwards, totaling minus-13 yards on 12 plays.
“We kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Johnson said. “They’re an aggressive defense that puts pressure on us to make plays and we’re not executing at a high enough level to be successful against these defenses.”
The Vikings didn’t advance beyond their own 35-yard line until their final possession of the first half, but by that point, A.L. Brown had already built a 28-point lead. For the first 24 minutes of play, the Wonders were dominant on both sides of the ball. In the first half alone, Kannapolis outgained South Iredell 280-71 and started the game with three consecutive touchdown drives. The only thing that stopped the Wonders in the first half was themselves, with their only non-scoring drive ending in a turnover due to a botched handoff.
South Iredell generated a scoring opportunity at the end of the half when a 39-yard hookup from Brice Warren to Will Vuk set the Vikings up at the A.L. Brown 11 with a little over a minute to play. However, four plays later, a Viking field goal attempt was botched and resulted in no points. South Iredell never returned to the red zone. Warren played valiantly in the face of constant pressure from the Wonders defense, going 13-for-37 for 176 yards through the air despite being sacked eight times in the game. The senior quarterback also ran for 25 yards. The South Iredell defense bounced back from their struggles in the first half to hold Kannapolis to just 100 total yards in the second half. The first five possessions in the half for the Wonders all resulted in no first downs.
“Our defense works their butt off to keep us in ballgames,” Johnson said. “The way they executed in the second half to try and keep us in it made me very proud.”
Storyboard Jay Jerdzejek Statesville Record
Game #9
Kannapolis
vs
Mooresville
A.L. Brown, tied for sixth in the Cream of Cabarrus rankings, scored a late touchdown, but a blocked extra point attempt prevented it from tying the score in the final minutes as the Wonders dropped a heartbreaker to conference-leading Mooresville, 27-26, in high school football Friday at Memorial Stadium.
The visiting Blue Devils – who are ranked 13th in the state, according to Maxpreps.com – have clinched the Greater Metro 4 Conference championship heading into their final regular-season game with rival Lake Norman. It’s Mooresville’s first conference title since 2013. Friday was the closest conference game Mooresville had played this season. The Blue Devils' had won all their other GMC contests by at least 14 points.
The Blue Devils (8-1 overall, 5-0 Greater Metro 4 Conference), broke a tie with a 19-yard touchdown run by Kyjuan Westmoreland with about seven minutes left in the game to take a 27-20 lead. Mooresville converted two long third-down plays, including one from its 16-yard line, to maintain possession on the drive.
“That was the story of that drive,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “… They ended up getting some big first downs.”
A 29-yard kickoff return set up Kannapolis (5-4, 3-3 GMC) at its own 30, but a Wonders’ run on first down lost a yard. On second down, quarterback C.J. Gray laced a missile to Derek Brazil who barely had a step on his defender. The senior outran two Blue Devils in hot pursuit to the end zone for a 71-yard score as A.L. Brown trimmed its deficit to a point. After the blocked extra point, Mooresville took control at its 25-yard line. On first down, the Blue Devils completed a 48-yard pass to the Wonders’ 27. Kannapolis’ defense held, and the Wonders took over at their own 24.
Jamare Robinson ran for 10 yards on first down, but the next run yielded nothing. After two incomplete passes, Gray was sacked for a 7-yard loss on fourth down. Mooresville quarterback Jamere Cherry took a knee a on successive plays to run out the clock. A Gray touchdown pass to Gerard Evans (28 yards) and a Robinson scoring run (6 yards) inside the game’s first 16 minutes produced a 13-0 lead. A long touchdown from midfield by Jawarn Howell allowed Mooresville to tighten the score to 13-7. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first half’s final minutes, including a 45-yard Evans reception, and Kannapolis took a 20-14 lead to halftime.
A long punt return early in the third quarter gave the Blue Devils the ball at the A.L. Brown 8-yard line. On first down, Mooresville’s Cherry found a seam on the right side on a scoring run, tying the score 20-20. A.L. Brown closes the regular season next Friday with its non-conference rivalry “Battle for the Bell” matchup at Concord. Newsome feels a victory over the Spiders will likely secure a postseason berth for the Wonders.
“I guess that’s the positive you have to look at for our kids, getting their heads back in the game,” said Newsome. “That’s a very important game for our school and our community. We have a winning streak against them right now (seven games), and we want to keep that going. It definitely allows the kids to mentally bounce back because they know how important the game is.”
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune
The visiting Blue Devils – who are ranked 13th in the state, according to Maxpreps.com – have clinched the Greater Metro 4 Conference championship heading into their final regular-season game with rival Lake Norman. It’s Mooresville’s first conference title since 2013. Friday was the closest conference game Mooresville had played this season. The Blue Devils' had won all their other GMC contests by at least 14 points.
The Blue Devils (8-1 overall, 5-0 Greater Metro 4 Conference), broke a tie with a 19-yard touchdown run by Kyjuan Westmoreland with about seven minutes left in the game to take a 27-20 lead. Mooresville converted two long third-down plays, including one from its 16-yard line, to maintain possession on the drive.
“That was the story of that drive,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “… They ended up getting some big first downs.”
A 29-yard kickoff return set up Kannapolis (5-4, 3-3 GMC) at its own 30, but a Wonders’ run on first down lost a yard. On second down, quarterback C.J. Gray laced a missile to Derek Brazil who barely had a step on his defender. The senior outran two Blue Devils in hot pursuit to the end zone for a 71-yard score as A.L. Brown trimmed its deficit to a point. After the blocked extra point, Mooresville took control at its 25-yard line. On first down, the Blue Devils completed a 48-yard pass to the Wonders’ 27. Kannapolis’ defense held, and the Wonders took over at their own 24.
Jamare Robinson ran for 10 yards on first down, but the next run yielded nothing. After two incomplete passes, Gray was sacked for a 7-yard loss on fourth down. Mooresville quarterback Jamere Cherry took a knee a on successive plays to run out the clock. A Gray touchdown pass to Gerard Evans (28 yards) and a Robinson scoring run (6 yards) inside the game’s first 16 minutes produced a 13-0 lead. A long touchdown from midfield by Jawarn Howell allowed Mooresville to tighten the score to 13-7. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first half’s final minutes, including a 45-yard Evans reception, and Kannapolis took a 20-14 lead to halftime.
A long punt return early in the third quarter gave the Blue Devils the ball at the A.L. Brown 8-yard line. On first down, Mooresville’s Cherry found a seam on the right side on a scoring run, tying the score 20-20. A.L. Brown closes the regular season next Friday with its non-conference rivalry “Battle for the Bell” matchup at Concord. Newsome feels a victory over the Spiders will likely secure a postseason berth for the Wonders.
“I guess that’s the positive you have to look at for our kids, getting their heads back in the game,” said Newsome. “That’s a very important game for our school and our community. We have a winning streak against them right now (seven games), and we want to keep that going. It definitely allows the kids to mentally bounce back because they know how important the game is.”
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune
Game #10
Kannapolis
vs
Concord
CONCORD – Having played a small roll in letting the two-score lead it had in the fourth quarter slip away, the A.L. Brown defense vindicated itself with a key stop late in the game Friday night in the famed “Battle for the Bell.” As a result, the visiting Wonders, tied for fourth in The Independent Tribune’s Cream of Cabarrus rankings, held off Concord at E.Z. Smith Field at Robert C. Bailey Stadium Friday, 17-8. Kannapolis’ non-conference win was its eighth straight over its arch rival in the Bell Game. The Wonders (6-4 overall) now lead the series 46-43-4. A.L. Brown’s nine-point triumph was its narrowest margin of victory in the long-standing series since 2017, when it won 14-12.
“All-in-all, our kids played well,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We were able to stop them on defense when we had to … Offensively, we have to run the ball a little better. Up front we have to play a little better.”
Kannapolis led, 10-0, going into the fourth quarter. Having made its second entrance into the Wonders’ red zone in the second half, Concord faced a fourth-and-2 at the A.L. Brown 17-yard line early in the final period. Concord quarterback Keyon Phillips fielded a low snap, darted right, and threw a pass up for grabs toward the Wonders’ goal line. A.L. Brown defensive back Christian Hopper made the interception, but his return was stopped at the 1-yard line.
On the next play, A.L. Brown running back Jamare Robinson, who had a touchdown in the second quarter, was stuffed inside the end zone by Kobe Watts-Williams as Concord picked up points off a safety. The Spiders (3-7) made quick work of its ensuing possession. Concord completed a 56-yard drive when Nylon Fair-Steele broke a couple tackles up the left sideline for a 20-yard touchdown run. Attempting to tie the score, Jerell Redick was tackled in the backfield on the two-point conversion try with 7 minutes, 38 seconds left in the game.After a Wonders’ three-and-out, Concord took over at its own 26-yard line with a few minutes remaining.
The Spiders reached their own 43, but an intentional grounding penalty after a low and difficult shotgun snap pushed Concord back to the 18. Two plays later, on fourth-and-long, Phillips was sacked with fewer than three minutes left. A.L. Brown needed just three plays to cover 25 yards for a touchdown. Elijah Lawson had the last 7 yards on a scoring run with 2:24 left. The Wonders’ dodged a disaster early in the third quarter when Concord had a first-and-goal at their 3-yard line. A chop-block penalty on first down pulled the Spiders out of touchdown range, and what had been first-and-goal from inside the 10-yard-line turned into first and goal from the 27. They Spiders later missed a 34-yard field goal attempt.
Kannapolis’ first points of the game came on a 31-yard Ty Woods field goal in the first quarter. Robinson gave his team a 10-0 edge right before halftime on an 8-yard touchdown run. Neither team had much success through the air, as A.L. Brown quarterback C.J. Gray was limited to 7-of-18 passing for 87 yards with two interceptions. Phillips ended the night by completing only three of his 12 passes for 46 yards and three interceptions, but he had 91 yards rushing to finish with 1,062 on the season. Redick’s 39 yards rushing gave him 913 for 2022. Fair-Steele had 41 yards rushing and 28 receiving on Friday.
Junior linebacker Alex Petroff paced Concord’s defense with four tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage. Calee Davis had 3.5 tackles and an interception, and Ethan Treadway added three takedowns. Tyvonta Rushmeyer contributed an interception for the Spiders. Robinson led the Wonders with 35 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving, and Lawson added 25 yards on the ground and his touchdown.
Nyki Celestine was A.L. Brown’s top tackler with 11 stops, and senior defensive end Jack Schultz added nine tackles and a sack. Christian Hopper and Todd Massey tallied four tackles apiece. Hopper, Ashnah Lowery and Kash Smith each had interceptions. The Wonders will likely make the state playoffs and await the announcement of the 4A bracket on Saturday. Concord’s season ended with Friday’s loss.
“I’m proud of our players and our staff,” said Concord coach Darren Shepherd, also in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “It sounds simple, but these kids played hard in every single game … Our kids played with pride: school pride, program pride. And I think we have a shot to be pretty good next year.”
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
A.L. Brown 3 7 0 7 -- 17
Concord 0 0 0 8 -- 8
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune
“All-in-all, our kids played well,” said A.L. Brown coach Mike Newsome in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “We were able to stop them on defense when we had to … Offensively, we have to run the ball a little better. Up front we have to play a little better.”
Kannapolis led, 10-0, going into the fourth quarter. Having made its second entrance into the Wonders’ red zone in the second half, Concord faced a fourth-and-2 at the A.L. Brown 17-yard line early in the final period. Concord quarterback Keyon Phillips fielded a low snap, darted right, and threw a pass up for grabs toward the Wonders’ goal line. A.L. Brown defensive back Christian Hopper made the interception, but his return was stopped at the 1-yard line.
On the next play, A.L. Brown running back Jamare Robinson, who had a touchdown in the second quarter, was stuffed inside the end zone by Kobe Watts-Williams as Concord picked up points off a safety. The Spiders (3-7) made quick work of its ensuing possession. Concord completed a 56-yard drive when Nylon Fair-Steele broke a couple tackles up the left sideline for a 20-yard touchdown run. Attempting to tie the score, Jerell Redick was tackled in the backfield on the two-point conversion try with 7 minutes, 38 seconds left in the game.After a Wonders’ three-and-out, Concord took over at its own 26-yard line with a few minutes remaining.
The Spiders reached their own 43, but an intentional grounding penalty after a low and difficult shotgun snap pushed Concord back to the 18. Two plays later, on fourth-and-long, Phillips was sacked with fewer than three minutes left. A.L. Brown needed just three plays to cover 25 yards for a touchdown. Elijah Lawson had the last 7 yards on a scoring run with 2:24 left. The Wonders’ dodged a disaster early in the third quarter when Concord had a first-and-goal at their 3-yard line. A chop-block penalty on first down pulled the Spiders out of touchdown range, and what had been first-and-goal from inside the 10-yard-line turned into first and goal from the 27. They Spiders later missed a 34-yard field goal attempt.
Kannapolis’ first points of the game came on a 31-yard Ty Woods field goal in the first quarter. Robinson gave his team a 10-0 edge right before halftime on an 8-yard touchdown run. Neither team had much success through the air, as A.L. Brown quarterback C.J. Gray was limited to 7-of-18 passing for 87 yards with two interceptions. Phillips ended the night by completing only three of his 12 passes for 46 yards and three interceptions, but he had 91 yards rushing to finish with 1,062 on the season. Redick’s 39 yards rushing gave him 913 for 2022. Fair-Steele had 41 yards rushing and 28 receiving on Friday.
Junior linebacker Alex Petroff paced Concord’s defense with four tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage. Calee Davis had 3.5 tackles and an interception, and Ethan Treadway added three takedowns. Tyvonta Rushmeyer contributed an interception for the Spiders. Robinson led the Wonders with 35 yards rushing and 40 yards receiving, and Lawson added 25 yards on the ground and his touchdown.
Nyki Celestine was A.L. Brown’s top tackler with 11 stops, and senior defensive end Jack Schultz added nine tackles and a sack. Christian Hopper and Todd Massey tallied four tackles apiece. Hopper, Ashnah Lowery and Kash Smith each had interceptions. The Wonders will likely make the state playoffs and await the announcement of the 4A bracket on Saturday. Concord’s season ended with Friday’s loss.
“I’m proud of our players and our staff,” said Concord coach Darren Shepherd, also in a phone interview with The Independent Tribune. “It sounds simple, but these kids played hard in every single game … Our kids played with pride: school pride, program pride. And I think we have a shot to be pretty good next year.”
SCORING BY QUARTERS:
A.L. Brown 3 7 0 7 -- 17
Concord 0 0 0 8 -- 8
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune
Game #11
Kannapolis
vs
A.C. Reynolds
Six first half turnovers doomed A.L. Brown, tied for fourth in The Cream of Cabarrus rankings, as the visiting Wonders fell to Asheville Reynolds in the first round of the 4A high school state playoffs Friday, 55-14. The score was tied 7-7 before everything caved in for Kannapolis. The Rockets gained an early lead on a 52-yard run. But the Wonders’ responded with Jamare Robinson’s 5-yard touchdown run to knot the score.
The Rockets took the lead for good early in the second quarter when they returned a punt over half the length of the field for a touchdown. On A.L. Brown’s next possession, Reynolds intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty negated the score and the Rockets had to start their drive at the Wonders’ 17-yard line.
A couple of sacks pushed Reynolds out of field goal range, giving A.L. Brown hope. But the Wonders fumbled the punt return, and the Rockets recovered at the 10-yard line. They scored on the next play. Kannapolis turned the ball over on its next two possessions, both leading to Reynolds’ touchdowns. The sixth Kannapolis turnover was an interception returned to the A.L. Brown 1-yard line and led to a quarterback sneak. The Rockets led 41-7 at halftime. Ashnah Lowery threw a touchdown pass from around the 30-yard line in the fourth quarter to complete the Wonders’ scoring.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune:
The Rockets took the lead for good early in the second quarter when they returned a punt over half the length of the field for a touchdown. On A.L. Brown’s next possession, Reynolds intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty negated the score and the Rockets had to start their drive at the Wonders’ 17-yard line.
A couple of sacks pushed Reynolds out of field goal range, giving A.L. Brown hope. But the Wonders fumbled the punt return, and the Rockets recovered at the 10-yard line. They scored on the next play. Kannapolis turned the ball over on its next two possessions, both leading to Reynolds’ touchdowns. The sixth Kannapolis turnover was an interception returned to the A.L. Brown 1-yard line and led to a quarterback sneak. The Rockets led 41-7 at halftime. Ashnah Lowery threw a touchdown pass from around the 30-yard line in the fourth quarter to complete the Wonders’ scoring.
Storyboard Joe Habina Independent Tribune: