FALLEN KNIGHTS

Late touchdown run by Cuthrell gives RMH win

One play, a few inches and a wealth of emotions symbolized Rocky Mount High’s 15-12 victory against Northern Nash on Friday night.

Rocky Mount High quarterback Collins Cuthrell’s 4-yard touchdown scramble with three seconds remaining in the contest sent the Gryphons to their second consecutive come-from-behind victory and eliminated Northern Nash from playoffs contention.

The play came with it’s share of controversy.

With the Gryphons’ trailing Northern Nash, 12-7, Cuthrell rolled out on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line and met a group of Knights defenders. Cuthrell stretched toward the goal line, and the line judge waited a few seconds before he raised his arms to signal the score that assured Rocky Mount (6-4, 4-1 Big East) a second-place finish in the Big East Conference.

Rocky Mount, which beat Northern Nash for the seventh consecutive season, will play host to a first-round playoffs game Friday.

“I felt like I got in,” Cuthrell said. “I heard everyone screaming. I didn’t know since we were on the road. I looked up and saw the official say touchdown.”

Northern Nash defenders were adamant that Cuthrell did not score. They waved their arms toward the line judge.

One Knights player stopped at the 1-yard line and yelled toward the Northern Nash chain gang, “He (Cuthrell) was stopped right here.”

Four Knights were ejected from the game in the aftermath, a fact not lost by Northern Nash coach Mickey Crouch.

“They’ve not been taught to act that way,” Crouch said afterward, sitting behind his desk in a deserted Knights fieldhouse. “I’m completely embarrassed and hurt. I’ll never get over that.”

The last play erased the Knights’ thoughts of sneaking into the playoffs. Northern Nash (2-9, 2-3 Big East) came into the contest winners of two consecutive games.

The Knights jumped out to a 12-0 lead midway through the second quarter, and they held an advantage until Cuthrell’s game-deciding play.

Rocky Mount drove 82 yards on 14 plays for the game-winning score. Its defense stopped Northern Nash with 4:16 remaining in the game on a fourth-and-one from the 18-yard line.

Cuthrell led his team down the field, including an 18-yard pass to Marquavis Alston in which he flipped the ball to the running back just before being taken to the ground by a pair of Knights defenders.

Alston advanced to the 5-yard line to set up first-and-goal.

Northern Nash stopped Rocky Mount on three consecutive plays until Cuthrell’s score on fourth down.

The two rivals saw the play two different ways.

“I thought he was in,” Rocky Mount coach Dickie Schock said of Cuthrell. “He’s tough. His judgement has gotten so much better throughout the year. He said, ‘Coach, I can get in down here.’ I said, ‘Let’s run it.”

Northern Nash’s season is over, just as the Knights were beginning to gain confidence and pile up victories.

“I know we should be going to the playoffs,” Crouch said. “Our season should not be over.”

Jessie H. Nunery can be reached at 407-9951 or jhnunery@rmtelegram.com

Rocky Mount High

Northern Nash

RMH 0 7 0 8 — 15

NN 6 6 0 0 — 12

First Quarter

NN — Rashad Hedgepeth 2 run (conversion failed), 7:37

Second Quarter

NN — Tevin Richardson 1 run (conversion failed), 8:31

RMH — Marquavis Alston 3 run (Tim Bishop kick), 1:15

Fourth Quarter

RMH — Collins Cuthrell 4 run (Diandre Harris conversion), 0:03

RMHe_SRitNN

15First downs9

48—272Rushes-yards41—190

74Passing yards15

7—13—0Passes1—2—0

346Total offense205

1—1Fumbles-Lost0—0

7—49Penalties-Yards3—25

Individual Statistics

Rushing — RMH: Marquavis Alston 22-115; Jordan Ford 9-26; Damien Bynum 11-19; Collins Cuthrell 6-12. NN: Rashad Hedgepeth 16-87; Joe Young 9-43; Artavious Jones 8-29; Tavis Richardson 4-1; Marquez Farmer 3-29; Brandon Dawes 1-1.

Passing — RMH: Collins Cuthrell 7-13, 74. NN: Marquez Farmer 1-1, 15; Tavis Richardson 0-1, 0.

Receiving — RMH: Marquavis Alston 1-18; Diandre Harris 2-28; Brandon Jones 2-21; Damien Bynum 2-7. NN: Tavis Richardson 1-15.