Northern Nash head football coach Andrew Farriss hoists the Eastern 3A Regional plaque after the Knights defeated Seventy-First 23-22 on Friday to advance to their first state championship contest since 2002.
Northern Nash's Keno Jones (5) celebrates with Kaleb Staton after the Knights remained unbeaten (15-0) by defeating Seventy-First (14-1) to advance to the Class 3A state championship game next weekend in Raleigh.
Tarboro running back Mason Satterfield (24) turns the corner against Rosewood in the Class 1A East Regional final on Friday night at Vikings Stadium.
JIM GREEN/ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Melvin Sherrod of the Vikings is all smiles during the East 1A Regional championship plaque presentation after Tarboro upended Rosewood 35-7.
JIM GREEN/ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Northern Nash head football coach Andrew Farriss hoists the Eastern 3A Regional plaque after the Knights defeated Seventy-First 23-22 on Friday to advance to their first state championship contest since 2002.
SAYLOR NEWTON/ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Northern Nash's Keno Jones (5) celebrates with Kaleb Staton after the Knights remained unbeaten (15-0) by defeating Seventy-First (14-1) to advance to the Class 3A state championship game next weekend in Raleigh.
SAYLOR NEWTON/ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM
Tarboro running back Mason Satterfield (24) turns the corner against Rosewood in the Class 1A East Regional final on Friday night at Vikings Stadium.
The song “You Need A Ride to Raleigh” by the 1970s rock band Nantucket blared out of the press box at Vikings Stadium just seconds after the final whistle on another victorious Friday night in Tarboro.
Just a few miles down the road in Red Oak, another celebration, and historic season, is continuing for the Northern Nash football team.
The Vikings (13-1), behind two touchdowns each from Omar Lewis and Mason Satterfield and one from Kamerin McDowell-Moore, pulled away in the second half to defeat Rosewood 35-7 to win the Class 1A East Regional championship and will advance to the 1A state championship game against the Western champion Mount Airy Granite Bears (14-1), who defeated Draughn 35-6. However, Tarboro may be without Lewis, its starting quarterback, who was ejected during a scuffle following the TD from McDowell-Moore in the fourth quarter.
Vikings head coach Jeff Craddock praised his team’s effort and resiliency and said they do plan to appeal the officials’ decision to eject Lewis.
Meanwhile, just 23 miles away, Northern Nash remained unbeaten (15-0) as a seven-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Keno Jones to senior tight end Ashton Rhodes with 58 seconds left proved to be the game-winner as the Knights handed Fayetteville Seventy-First (14-1) a season-ending 23-22 loss in the Class 3A East Regional final.
Northern Nash will play fellow unbeaten East Lincoln’s Mustangs (15-0), the Western champion, in the 3A state championship game.
The Class 1A state finals and Class 3A state finals will be played back-to-back on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. The Tarboro-Mount Airy contest will be at 3 p.m. followed by the Northern Nash-East Lincoln game at 7 p.m.
Northern Nash will be making its first appearance in a state title game since 2002.
Tarboro will be returning to the state finals to defend last year’s state 1A title. The Vikings will be playing in their sixth consecutive state championship game and go into the contest having won four of the last five titles.
