Bethel Christian advances to NCISAA 1A title game
Friday
Posted Nov 4, 2016 at 11:25 PM Updated Nov 4, 2016 at 11:27 PM
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By Scott Cole / Correspondent KINSTON FREE PRESS
The Bethel Christian Academy football team is on a roll. After dropping their first three games of the season, the Trojans have ripped off seven straight wins. On Friday night, they hosted the Wayne Christian Eagles, who they had defeated by 34 points a month ago.
Now, in the NCISAA state semifinal game, the Trojans ran all over the Eagles. Javon Edwards ran for 360 yards on 20 carries with six touchdowns as Bethel took the contest 48-16. With the win, BCA advances to the state championship next week against the winner of Halifax Academy and Community Christian; both of which the Trojans have beaten this season.
“This is getting fun for us and it is only going to get better,” said BCA coach Brick Crowder. “Our guys came out focused and strong and stayed that way throughout the first half. They scored early and held that lead. I’m very proud of how they played.”
The Trojans didn’t waste any time in this game. After receiving the opening kickoff, Edwards took the ball on a 12-yard run to the right. He followed that up with a 40-yard dash on the left before being pushed out of bounds at the 4-yard line. A slam up the middle capped off the drive as Edwards romped in for the first score of the game and then scored on the two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
The Eagles went three-and-out on their first drive and one play later, Edwards stormed up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown run. Bethel had a 14-0 lead after playing less than three minutes.
“The defense won this game for us with their hard hitting plays, pushing them back. And then on offense, the o-line made all the plays to get me open. I couldn’t do it without them,” said Edwards.
“It’s been a great season for us,” said offensive lineman Ikeem Kirkman. “It’s been great to set up the holes for Javon and watch him run through. This has been a fun year and I hope we get a ring next week.”
After the Eagles again went three-and-out, Edwards made three straight first down runs. As Wayne Christian stacked the line in anticipation of another run, quarterback Austin Eubanks dropped back and lofted a pass up to tight end Tyler Sutton for a 20-yard touchdown.
“We all played together and we all did what we needed to do to earn this win,” said Eubanks. “We did our jobs tonight, every one of us. Now it is up to us to bring home the ring next week.
Sincere McDonald recovered a fumble after a hard hit on WCA running back Austin Korengay. The turnover put the Trojan son the 45-yard line to set up another long Edwards touchdown run and a quick 28-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Cody Dunk recovered the ball for the Trojans. Again the Trojans marched down the field and Edwards would score, this time on a two-yard run.
“They have a great running back in Korengay and a good quarterback in Waters and our defense put a lot of pressure on their line to hold them up and not get comfortable enough to make plays,” said Coach Crowder.
The second quarter began with a huge five-yard sack by Eubanks to knock the Eagles back. Three plays later, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. Edwards got the ball on the first play of the drive. He took the handoff, went up the middle, shrugged off three tacklers, and then took off for a 65-yard run up the middle to put the Trojans up 42-0. Edwards would also score on a seven-yard run a few minutes later on BCA’s next drive.
“Javon is the leading rusher in the state and one of the tops in country; and that is both public and private schools,” said Coach Crowder. “He’s had a phenomenal year and he is a great kid. He is the first one out there to celebrate when someone else scores for us. He’s a great team leader. He’s done everything we could ask for. Great kid.”
Wayne Christian finally got on the board with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Kanin Preskitt recovered a Trojan fumble and ran up the field for 33 yards for the score. A two point conversion cut the deficit to 48-8.The Eagles would score again at the start of the fourth quarter when WCA’s quarterback D.J. Waters ran 10 yards for a score.
“This is all pretty cool for us,” said senior Cole Williams. “It was a hard decision not to play soccer this season, but it’s been worth it to play with this group of guys and to have a chance at the state championship. This has been a real big deal for us here at Bethel. Javon’s been great. Austin got us here too. It’s good because we are representing Jesus and representing our community.”
The Trojans will host the championship game next week. The game will be held either on Friday night at Barnett Park or on Saturday afternoon at Bethel Christian Academy.
“We just stepped on the gas and haven’t hit the brakes since that win over Parrott,” said Edwards. “And if we play calm and cool, we can win next week and bring a championship home for us. This is huge because everyone doubted us and wrote us off because we are a first year team, but we are proving them wrong every week. We keep rolling and we keep winning.”
“We started off slow but then we got healthy. And when we got healthy, especially getting guys like McDonald and Sutton back, it’s like a light bulb went off. We tasted success and we’ve been getting better every week,” said Coach Crowder. “It’s been exciting for us, for Bethel, our families and for the community. And after this season, the momentum is going to keep growing and it’s wonderful.”
Friday
Posted Nov 4, 2016 at 11:25 PM Updated Nov 4, 2016 at 11:27 PM
Share
By Scott Cole / Correspondent KINSTON FREE PRESS
The Bethel Christian Academy football team is on a roll. After dropping their first three games of the season, the Trojans have ripped off seven straight wins. On Friday night, they hosted the Wayne Christian Eagles, who they had defeated by 34 points a month ago.
Now, in the NCISAA state semifinal game, the Trojans ran all over the Eagles. Javon Edwards ran for 360 yards on 20 carries with six touchdowns as Bethel took the contest 48-16. With the win, BCA advances to the state championship next week against the winner of Halifax Academy and Community Christian; both of which the Trojans have beaten this season.
“This is getting fun for us and it is only going to get better,” said BCA coach Brick Crowder. “Our guys came out focused and strong and stayed that way throughout the first half. They scored early and held that lead. I’m very proud of how they played.”
The Trojans didn’t waste any time in this game. After receiving the opening kickoff, Edwards took the ball on a 12-yard run to the right. He followed that up with a 40-yard dash on the left before being pushed out of bounds at the 4-yard line. A slam up the middle capped off the drive as Edwards romped in for the first score of the game and then scored on the two-point conversion to make it 8-0.
The Eagles went three-and-out on their first drive and one play later, Edwards stormed up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown run. Bethel had a 14-0 lead after playing less than three minutes.
“The defense won this game for us with their hard hitting plays, pushing them back. And then on offense, the o-line made all the plays to get me open. I couldn’t do it without them,” said Edwards.
“It’s been a great season for us,” said offensive lineman Ikeem Kirkman. “It’s been great to set up the holes for Javon and watch him run through. This has been a fun year and I hope we get a ring next week.”
After the Eagles again went three-and-out, Edwards made three straight first down runs. As Wayne Christian stacked the line in anticipation of another run, quarterback Austin Eubanks dropped back and lofted a pass up to tight end Tyler Sutton for a 20-yard touchdown.
“We all played together and we all did what we needed to do to earn this win,” said Eubanks. “We did our jobs tonight, every one of us. Now it is up to us to bring home the ring next week.
Sincere McDonald recovered a fumble after a hard hit on WCA running back Austin Korengay. The turnover put the Trojan son the 45-yard line to set up another long Edwards touchdown run and a quick 28-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Cody Dunk recovered the ball for the Trojans. Again the Trojans marched down the field and Edwards would score, this time on a two-yard run.
“They have a great running back in Korengay and a good quarterback in Waters and our defense put a lot of pressure on their line to hold them up and not get comfortable enough to make plays,” said Coach Crowder.
The second quarter began with a huge five-yard sack by Eubanks to knock the Eagles back. Three plays later, the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. Edwards got the ball on the first play of the drive. He took the handoff, went up the middle, shrugged off three tacklers, and then took off for a 65-yard run up the middle to put the Trojans up 42-0. Edwards would also score on a seven-yard run a few minutes later on BCA’s next drive.
“Javon is the leading rusher in the state and one of the tops in country; and that is both public and private schools,” said Coach Crowder. “He’s had a phenomenal year and he is a great kid. He is the first one out there to celebrate when someone else scores for us. He’s a great team leader. He’s done everything we could ask for. Great kid.”
Wayne Christian finally got on the board with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Kanin Preskitt recovered a Trojan fumble and ran up the field for 33 yards for the score. A two point conversion cut the deficit to 48-8.The Eagles would score again at the start of the fourth quarter when WCA’s quarterback D.J. Waters ran 10 yards for a score.
“This is all pretty cool for us,” said senior Cole Williams. “It was a hard decision not to play soccer this season, but it’s been worth it to play with this group of guys and to have a chance at the state championship. This has been a real big deal for us here at Bethel. Javon’s been great. Austin got us here too. It’s good because we are representing Jesus and representing our community.”
The Trojans will host the championship game next week. The game will be held either on Friday night at Barnett Park or on Saturday afternoon at Bethel Christian Academy.
“We just stepped on the gas and haven’t hit the brakes since that win over Parrott,” said Edwards. “And if we play calm and cool, we can win next week and bring a championship home for us. This is huge because everyone doubted us and wrote us off because we are a first year team, but we are proving them wrong every week. We keep rolling and we keep winning.”
“We started off slow but then we got healthy. And when we got healthy, especially getting guys like McDonald and Sutton back, it’s like a light bulb went off. We tasted success and we’ve been getting better every week,” said Coach Crowder. “It’s been exciting for us, for Bethel, our families and for the community. And after this season, the momentum is going to keep growing and it’s wonderful.”
