Home > Jessie Nunery > Archives > 2008 > December > 12 > Entry
Tarboro vs. Newton-Conover
Newton-Conover has won the NCHSAA 2-A state championship with a 51-28 win over Tarboro. It is the Red Devils’ first state championship.
Brandon Dozier scored on a 3-yard run to pull Tarboro within 51-20 with 3:54 remaining in the contest.
Newton-Conover leads 51-14 with 5:09 remaining in the game after A.J. Bazzle’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Good for the Tarboro band. That group seems to be enjoying themselves despite the score of the game. Hey, they’ll remember this night, too.
A good memory for Bellamy. He just scampered 13 yards for a touchdown to pull Tarboro within 44-14 with 9:26 remaining in the season.
Joseph Bryant just intercepted a Bellamy pass and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. Newton-Conover leads 44-7 with 0:21 remaining in the third quarter. Bryant was ejected from the game after leaping into the end zone head-over-head on the play.
From bad to worse. Sam Royall’s 13-yard interception return has given Newton-Conover a 37-7 lead with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter.
A victory does not look likely for Tarboro tonight. Newton-Conover’s Dorian Jones sprinted into the end zone on a 21-yard run to put his team up 31-7 with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter.
Tarboro moved the ball 18 yards on its drive and will be forced to punt. Newton-Conover is enjoying good field position throughout this championship contest. Its worst field position was its own 19 on the first drive of the game. The Red Devils will take over on the Tarboro 48 with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter.
Another Red Devils score: Newton-Conover leads 24-7 after Spencer Linquist hit a 35-yard field goal with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter. Tarboro needs to score on this drive. It will not start with good field position. The ball is on the Tarboro 15.
Not a good start to the second half for the Vikings. Tarboro did not earn a first down for the third consecutive series. Jeremy Bellamy’s punt did not travel far. Newton-Conover takes over at the Tarboro 44.
One thought as Tarboro stretches on the field in preparation for the second half. The Vikings could use a little luck. Newton-Conover has two fumbles tonight, but has recovered both. A possible interception of an A.J. Bazzle pass went off the hands of defensive back Markel Pettaway. In this kind of game, you have to earn some turnovers. That is one way the Vikings can quickly re-establish themselves in the second half.
Halftime score: Newton-Conover 21, Tarboro 7. The Vikings’ second-half objective should be pretty simple: Stop the Red Devils and give the offense some chances. Tarboro cannot allow any more long drives during this contest. Newton-Conover is eating up clock with these nearly-five minute drives. Tarboro needs to find a way to play in space a bit more. The Red Devils are playing well against the ‘T’ and they don’t seem to be fooled as to where the ball is going.
- Halftime stats of note: Newton-Conover has 195 yards of total offense compared to just 86 for Tarboro. The Red Devils have 13 first downs, while Tarboro has only three.
Tarboro is losing the fight up front. Its offense went three and out for a second straight series. The Vikings will punt from their own 30 with 1:47 remaining in the half. Another Newton-Conover score could be disasterous.
Newton-Conover just had a very good 34 seconds. The Red Devils lead 21-7 with 3:24 remaining in the half. Thompson threw a halfback pass to Jordon Hill on first down, a 42-yard trick play that set up Thompson’s 13-yard touchdown run a play later. Tarboro needs to score before the half.
Tarboro did not answer. The Vikings just went three and out. Newton-Conover ball on its own 45-yard line with 3:58 to go in the half.
Well, the offense of both teams is as good as advertised. Newton-Conover leads 14-7 with 5:26 remaining in the second quarter after a 12-play, 69-yard drive. Wesley Hight ran in from the 7-yard line for the score, but it was his teammate Josh Thompson who did most of the damage. Thompson, the fullback, had three runs of 10 yards or more as the Red Devils often handed him the football on dives. Tarboro must sure up its inside rush defense and contain the outside lanes better. I’ve seen Vikings coach Jeff Craddock talk to his players a few times about that tonight.
It’s a ballgame. After 11 plays and 85 yards, Tarboro tied the game on Harper’s 2-yard run with 10:25 remaining in the second quarter. Tarboro 7, Newton-Conover 7.
Harper’s 16-yard run set up first and goal at the Red Devils’ 4-yard line. It is now third and goal at the 2. Newton-Conover called a defensive timeout. Tarboro is two yards away from sending this game closer to a tie.
A quick first quarter just ended. Tarboro trails 7-0 but has the ball on the Newton-Conover 21-yard line. The Vikings will begin the second quarter staring at a third down with four yards to go. Newton-Conover won that quarter, but Tarboro seems to be gaining momentum. Dozier’s run helped a bunch.
Damarius Harper just limped off the field. The Tarboro running back seems fine, but he hurt his ankle last week in the Eastern Regional. Brandon Dozier’s big run just moved the Vikings to the 27-yard line. 40-yard run for Dozier.
Newton-Conover just struck first. The Red Devils went 58 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 9-yard Dorian Jones touchdown run. Newton-Conover is running its triple-option well. Quarterback A.J. Bazzle is using Jones for the pitch often. Tarboro needs to shut off some of those gaps on the outside. Newton-Conover 7, Tarboro 0, 3:17 (1st quarter).
Comments
By Alfus Henderson
December 12, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this
Not this year. Too bad.