Daily Roundup: October 29, 2021

October 30, 2021, 12:42 am | by Tim Hower

FOOTBALL

North Brunswick 40, Ashley 31

***Click here to view a gallery of 30 photos from the action***

Junior middle linebacker Tucker Goss recovered a fumble with 5:35 remaining in the game to help the Scorpions escape with a hard-fought victory that clinched the Mideastern Conference’s lone automatic 3A playoff berth.

“A lot of credit has to go to Ashley,” North Brunswick coach Bryan Davis said. “They’ve made a lot of strides as a program, so they are going to be formidable going forward with all their youth.

“I’m really happy for our kids for staying the course. I also need to give a lot of credit to last year’s seniors. They were the ones who got all the kids together during the pandemic and kept the program afloat.”

North Brunswick (6-4, 4-3) built a 32-15 lead by scoring on its first two drives of the second half. Tre Baldwin found the end zone on a 3-yard run, and quarterback RJ Green hit Caden Cook in the corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.

Ashley (2-7, 1-6) responded nicely with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard keeper from quarterback Caleb Robles.

Michael Chapparo looked like he had a pick-6 on the ensuing possession, but a block in the back penalty negated the touchdown. The Screaming Eagles were still able to capitalize on great field possession, and Tyjhere Crudup scored from the 1-yard line to cut the deficit to 32-31 with 9:38 to play.

Ashley came up with another turnover two plays later when Bryson Horney jumped on a fumble. The visitors drove inside the North Brunswick 10-yard line and looked like they were poised to take the lead, but a costly fumble was recovered by Goss at the 13.

The Scorpions marched 77 yards in 10 plays (all runs by Baldwin) to increase their lead to 38-31 with 1:03 on the clock.

A personal foul penalty after Baldwin’s 3-yard touchdown run could have been assessed on the extra point or ensuing kickoff. Ashley coach Wilson Helms elected to have the penalty enforced on the kickoff, so North Brunswick decided to attempt a 2-point conversion and it turned out to be a wise move.

Green hit a wide-open Jaiden Granda in the end zone to make it a two-possession game.

“Tre is a big 210-pound back and he’s not easy to tackle,” Granda said. “It’s a lot of fun to see him tote the ball.”

Ashley’s final drive ended on an interception by Jordan Jackson.

Hoggard 35, New Hanover 7

The Vikings scored 32 unanswered points to cruise past their rival and finish unbeaten in the Mideastern Conference for a second straight season and fourth time in five years.

Hoggard (9-1, 7-0) evened up the all-time series at 29 wins a piece.

Cayden Hollar scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown on a 22-yard run with 3:49 left in the second quarter.

It came just minutes after New Hanover (5-5, 4-3) build a 7-3 lead on a 26-yard run from Caden Morton.

A 31-yard field goal Damien Sorrells with 46 seconds remaining in the opening half increased the Vikings’ lead to 13-7. Hoggard received the second half kickoff and marched 75 yards on six plays to add to its lead. The drive was capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from Sam Jones to tight end Carter Moses.

Sorrells also had field goals of 30 and 34 yards.

Senior offensive lineman Max Chew lined up at fullback and barreled his way into the end zone from 5-yards out late in the third quarter.

Hoggard’s final touchdown was a 3-yard run from Hollar, who finished with 15 carries for 105 yards.

Jones completed 14 of 25 passes for 183 yards. Conrad Newman caught four passes for 86 yards, while Moses finished with 60 yards on four receptions.

The Vikings’ defense put together another dominant performance. They forced four turnovers (interceptions from Jaxon King and Brice Eichelberger and fumble recoveries from Michael Yingling and Brian Valladares) and allowed only 116 yards of total offense.

West Brunswick 21, South Brunswick 14 (OT)

Duke commit Carter Wyatt came up with the game-winning tackle as the Trojans ended the regular season with a dramatic home victory.

West Brunswick (3-6, 3-4) got the ball first in overtime and needed only one play to score from the 10-yard line. Javan McCray lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone and JJ Cobb came down with it.

Needing a touchdown to extend the game, South Brunswick (6-4, 3-4) went to its workhorse – Danny Parker. He lined up in the Wildcat formation on the opening play and gained six yards down to the 4-yard line.

The second play was another direct snap to Parker, who pushed his way to the 1-yard line. The Cougars used the same formation a third time, but Noah Helms shot in off the edge and tackled Parker short of the goal line.

On fourth down, South Brunswick went back to a conventional formation with Jameson Prince in the shotgun and Parker behind him. The handoff went to Parker, but he was immediately met in the hole by Wyatt.

The Trojans scored the game’s first touchdown on a 4-yard keeper from McCray with 6:46 left in the opening quarter.

Parker scored on a 41-yard run five minutes later to even the score.

The score remained the same until Wyatt leaped over the line for a 1-yard score to put West Brunswick up 14-7 with 1:08 to play in the third quarter.

Parker’s second touchdown – this time on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line – tied the score again with 57 second remaining in regulation.

Laney 56, Topsail 6

A 35-point second quarter that featured four touchdown passes from junior quarterback Ty Little to senior wide receiver Connor Powe gave the Buccaneers a commanding 42-6 halftime lead.

Carson Adkins opened the scoring with a short touchdown catch. Following an interception, running back Eli Rivera found the end zone from 13-yards out to increase Laney’s (8-2, 5-2 Mideastern) lead to 21-0 with 10:51 left in the second quarter.

Little finished 16 of 21 for 300 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. Powe caught nine of those for 182 yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark on the season.

Mari Brown had the other receiving touchdown.

Freshman quarterback Kolbe Little got his first varsity action and complete 4 of 7 passes for 35 yards.

Other scores

Pender 62, Trask 0

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

NCISAA 3A State Championship

at Olsen Park

After finishing in the top five each of the past three seasons, Coastal Christian finally claimed the state championship in dominant fashion.

Sophomore Jack Sterrett cruised to a 32-second victory to earn the individual title, and the Centurions had five the top-20 finishers to earn 43 points.

Gaston Christian was second with 60 points. Forsyth Country Day (85), Cary Christian (147) and Asheville School (156) rounded out the top five. Cape Fear Academy finished sixth with 173 points.

Sterrett completed the course in 16:16.70 for his second-fastest time of the season.

Thad O’Neill was fourth with a time of 16:58.80, while Tyler Niloff (eighth in 17:05.90), Sam Morgan (10th in 17:17.80) and Caleb Cottle (20th in 17:52.70) had the other counting scores.

Cape Fear Academy’s top finisher was senior Tanner Macpherson, who was 25th in 18:06.20.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

NCISAA 3A State Championship

at Olsen Park

Coastal Christian placed third with 108 points and Cape Fear Academy was sixth with 144 points.

The top area finisher was CFA senior Avery Bishop, who was seventh after completing the course in 20:08. Coastal Christian junior Zoe Bos was right behind in 20:14.20.

Also finishing in the top 25 for the Centurions were: Cheyanne Grevin (17th in 21:26), Kaitlyn Harrison (21st in 21:41) and Ava Basler (24th in 21:58.90).

CFA also got a 19th-place finish from Avery Block (21:38.30).

GIRLS TENNIS

NCHSAA 4A State Championship

at Millbrook Exchange Park

A pair of doubles teams reached the quarterfinals before suffering straight set losses.

New Hanover’s Sophia Catino and Sara Frances Butler earned a hard-fougth 7-6(1), 5-7, 6-0 victory over Diya Ramchandani and Ariana Mohan of Green Level in the opening round.

The Mideastern Conference champions battled hard in their second match, but suffered a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Meredyth Barr and Ella Bumgardner of Myers Park.

Elena Berg and Margaret O’Malley knocked off East Chapel Hill’s Clara Mast and Olivia Xiao by a score of 6-4, 7-6(4) before suffering a 6-2, 6-1 loss to last year’s runner-up Jessica Brannon and Meira Volk of Hough.

NCHSAA 3A State Championship

at Piedmont Tennis Center

Sabrina Achki of North Brunswick ended her outstanding career with a thrilling three-set victory before falling in the quarterfinals.

Achki defeated Terry Sanford’s Annie Liberman 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4) to earn the first single victory at the state championship in school history.

Oak Grove’s Jessica Fuchs eliminated Achki by winning 6-1, 6-1.

South Brunswick’s Sarah Subach suffered a 6-1, 6-0 loss to Ryan Hanes of Carrboro in the first round. Teammates Allie Hicks and Annie Stidham also lost in the opening round by a score of 6-0, 6-1 to Avalyn Ward and Amelia Weaver of Western Alamance.

VOLLEYBALL

Wilmington Christian Academy 3, Union Grove Christian 0

(25-15, 27-25, 25-19)

Semifinals NCCSA 2A playoffs

Lauren Longbottom had an outstanding performance by finishing with 13 assists, six kills, six digs and four aces to help the Patriots knock off the defending state championship.

After winning seven straight titles from 2013-19, WCA (15-11) failed to reach the championship match a season ago. They are back this year and hoping to starting a new streak.

For the second night in a row, middle Keneigh Todd put down a team-high 13 kills. She also added five blocks, three digs and one of the team’s 11 aces.

Caroline Prease chipped in 12 digs, two assists and three aces, while Abby Pietro finished with six assists, four kills and two kills.

The Patriots will take on the winner of Wilson Christian Academy/Faith Christian at noon Saturday.