PA's season ends against Cary Christian in NCISAA semifinals
Story by Keith Spence
An otherwise fantastic season didn’t end the way Parrott Academy wanted, and it certainly didn’t end like anyone else expected.
Visiting Cary Christian scored on the game’s first play and never looked back as the Knights shocked the Patriots 64-22 in the semifinals of the NCISAA 8-man playoffs Friday at Hodges Field.
Parrott, which opened the season with seven straight wins, dropped its final two to finish 7-2.
Cary Christian (8-2) advances to next week’s state championship game at John Paul II in Greenville. The win also snapped an 11-game Knights losing streak to Parrott dating back to 2011.
“I think one loss became two,” said APA coach Matt Beaman, whose team fell 28-6 in last week’s regular-season finale at John Paul. “We got hit in the mouth and had our eyes opened last week, and we just never recovered.”
The Knights prolonged Parrott’s lingering hangover by executing a 65-yard TD pass from Luke Harvey to Chide Ogan on the game’s first play.
Although the Patriots were able to re-take the lead 10-8 following a safety and a 12-yard run from Morgan McPhaul, their offense struggled to move the ball consistently, and their defense was shredded by big play after big play.
Ogan reached the end zone six times, four on plays that covered 60 or more yards.
Knights signal caller Harvey, the son of former standout N. C. State QB Terry Harvey, completed 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-0, 185-pound senior also ran for 79 yards and a pair of TD’s.
“Their best players played extremely well,” Beaman said. “They’re an excellent football team, and when they’re clicking on all cylinders like they were tonight, they’re tough to beat.”
Parrott’s best player, running back Morgan McPhaul, also played well, rushing for 246 yards and all three of APA’s touchdowns on 19 carries.
He didn’t get a lot of help from the passing game as quarterback Cole Dawson somehow threw for 117 yards despite running for his life all night.
Dawson was sacked six times, pressured on almost every drop back, and had two passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Cary Christian’s Seth Cullen inflicted most of the carnage with four sacks and a pass knock down.
“We did a poor job of pass blocking and picking up their blitzes,” Beaman said. “Cole did what he could against their pressure; he just didn’t have enough time to throw.”
The loss was the final outing for 11 APA seniors, a group Beaman said was among the best he ever coached.
“A tremendous group of kids who will go far in life,” Beaman said. “I’ve had some great senior classes, but none that ever worked as hard as this group did. A special group of kids that made our school and football program much better.”
CARY CHRISTIAN 64, ARENDELL PARROTT 22
Cary Christian 16 14 14 20—64
Parrott Academy 10 0 6 6—22
First Quarter
CC—Chide Ogan 65 pass from Luke Harvey (Luke Cullen pass from Harvey), 11:49
APA—Safety, Seth Cullen tackled in end zone, 8:47
APA—Morgan McPhaul 12 run (Michael Outlaw pass from Cole Dawson), 5:49
CC—Harvey 2run (Ian Liechty pass from Harvey), 1:43
Second Quarter
CC—Ogan 6 run (L. Cullen pass from Harvey), 6:37
CC—Ogan 62 pass from Harvey (pass failed), :53.2
Third Quarter
CC—Ogan 77 run (pass failed), 8:22
CC—Ogan 20 pass from Harvey (Harvey run), 3:35
APA—McPhaul 25 run (pass failed), 1:12
Fourth Quarter
CC—Harvey 28 run (pass failed), 11:53
CC—Ogan 60 run (L. Cullen pass from Harvey), 8:50
APA—McPhaul 73 run (pass failed), 7:37
CC—Ben Elliott 40 run (pass failed), 2:18
CC APA
First Downs 16 19
Rushes-yards 21-284 41-259
Passing 12-17-0 12-23-1
Passing yards 257 117
Total yards 541 376
Punts-avg. 1-40.0 4-30.2
Penalties 5-35 6-53
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0
Individual Statistics
RUSHING—Cary Christian: Chide Ogan 7-151, Luke Harvey 9-79, Ben Elliott 2-44, Michael Riccobene 2-7, Luke Cullen 1-3. Parrott Academy: Morgan McPhaul 19-246, Aaron Jones 7-18, Hodges Manning 1-4, Cole Dawson 14-(minus 9).
PASSING—Cary Christian: Harvey 12-17-0 257. Parrott Academy 12-23-1 117.
RECEIVING—Ian Liechty 4-53, Ogan 3-147, L. Cullen 3-31, Seth Cullen 2-26. Parrott Academy: Paxton Riley 5-34, Jones 4-21, Wyatt Powley 1-31, McPhaul 1-19, Manning 1-12.
Story by Keith Spence
An otherwise fantastic season didn’t end the way Parrott Academy wanted, and it certainly didn’t end like anyone else expected.
Visiting Cary Christian scored on the game’s first play and never looked back as the Knights shocked the Patriots 64-22 in the semifinals of the NCISAA 8-man playoffs Friday at Hodges Field.
Parrott, which opened the season with seven straight wins, dropped its final two to finish 7-2.
Cary Christian (8-2) advances to next week’s state championship game at John Paul II in Greenville. The win also snapped an 11-game Knights losing streak to Parrott dating back to 2011.
“I think one loss became two,” said APA coach Matt Beaman, whose team fell 28-6 in last week’s regular-season finale at John Paul. “We got hit in the mouth and had our eyes opened last week, and we just never recovered.”
The Knights prolonged Parrott’s lingering hangover by executing a 65-yard TD pass from Luke Harvey to Chide Ogan on the game’s first play.
Although the Patriots were able to re-take the lead 10-8 following a safety and a 12-yard run from Morgan McPhaul, their offense struggled to move the ball consistently, and their defense was shredded by big play after big play.
Ogan reached the end zone six times, four on plays that covered 60 or more yards.
Knights signal caller Harvey, the son of former standout N. C. State QB Terry Harvey, completed 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-0, 185-pound senior also ran for 79 yards and a pair of TD’s.
“Their best players played extremely well,” Beaman said. “They’re an excellent football team, and when they’re clicking on all cylinders like they were tonight, they’re tough to beat.”
Parrott’s best player, running back Morgan McPhaul, also played well, rushing for 246 yards and all three of APA’s touchdowns on 19 carries.
He didn’t get a lot of help from the passing game as quarterback Cole Dawson somehow threw for 117 yards despite running for his life all night.
Dawson was sacked six times, pressured on almost every drop back, and had two passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Cary Christian’s Seth Cullen inflicted most of the carnage with four sacks and a pass knock down.
“We did a poor job of pass blocking and picking up their blitzes,” Beaman said. “Cole did what he could against their pressure; he just didn’t have enough time to throw.”
The loss was the final outing for 11 APA seniors, a group Beaman said was among the best he ever coached.
“A tremendous group of kids who will go far in life,” Beaman said. “I’ve had some great senior classes, but none that ever worked as hard as this group did. A special group of kids that made our school and football program much better.”
CARY CHRISTIAN 64, ARENDELL PARROTT 22
Cary Christian 16 14 14 20—64
Parrott Academy 10 0 6 6—22
First Quarter
CC—Chide Ogan 65 pass from Luke Harvey (Luke Cullen pass from Harvey), 11:49
APA—Safety, Seth Cullen tackled in end zone, 8:47
APA—Morgan McPhaul 12 run (Michael Outlaw pass from Cole Dawson), 5:49
CC—Harvey 2run (Ian Liechty pass from Harvey), 1:43
Second Quarter
CC—Ogan 6 run (L. Cullen pass from Harvey), 6:37
CC—Ogan 62 pass from Harvey (pass failed), :53.2
Third Quarter
CC—Ogan 77 run (pass failed), 8:22
CC—Ogan 20 pass from Harvey (Harvey run), 3:35
APA—McPhaul 25 run (pass failed), 1:12
Fourth Quarter
CC—Harvey 28 run (pass failed), 11:53
CC—Ogan 60 run (L. Cullen pass from Harvey), 8:50
APA—McPhaul 73 run (pass failed), 7:37
CC—Ben Elliott 40 run (pass failed), 2:18
CC APA
First Downs 16 19
Rushes-yards 21-284 41-259
Passing 12-17-0 12-23-1
Passing yards 257 117
Total yards 541 376
Punts-avg. 1-40.0 4-30.2
Penalties 5-35 6-53
Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-0
Individual Statistics
RUSHING—Cary Christian: Chide Ogan 7-151, Luke Harvey 9-79, Ben Elliott 2-44, Michael Riccobene 2-7, Luke Cullen 1-3. Parrott Academy: Morgan McPhaul 19-246, Aaron Jones 7-18, Hodges Manning 1-4, Cole Dawson 14-(minus 9).
PASSING—Cary Christian: Harvey 12-17-0 257. Parrott Academy 12-23-1 117.
RECEIVING—Ian Liechty 4-53, Ogan 3-147, L. Cullen 3-31, Seth Cullen 2-26. Parrott Academy: Paxton Riley 5-34, Jones 4-21, Wyatt Powley 1-31, McPhaul 1-19, Manning 1-12.
