Senior Night not so bright
CCS decked by Halifax 30-16
By Tom Ham hammer@wilsontimes.com
A Senior Night meltdown erased chances of the Community Christian School eight-player football team playing at home again in 2017.
With the mistakes piling up, the Cyclones fell behind 16-0 as Halifax Academy, with its ball-control offense, posted a 30-16 victory Friday night in a key 1-A Colonial Carolina Conference encounter.
The Vikings seized command of the division, rising to 4-0 in the 1-A division and to 5-3 overall. CCS plunged to 1-2 and 2-5, respectively, with a season-ending road test against Bethel Christian of Kinston waiting next Friday.
“We’ve still got a chance,” declared CCS head coach Andy Jackson. “But our hopes of playing at home (in the playoffs) are gone. We will try to go win next week and be ready for the playoffs.”
The Cyclones generated opportunities to climb from the 16-0 hole after one quarter, but were plagued by three turnovers, nagging penalties and errant snaps from center. CCS played chippy and players verbalized at the wrong time, resulting in one player being ejected and another being disqualified.
“Everybody was pointing fingers,” said CCS senior captain Avery Winstead. “Say it’s your fault, take the blame and go on. They played physical and we didn’t play physical.”
The Vikings unleashed a workhorse in senior back Jared Bynum, who rushed for 199 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bynum also squelched a second-half CCS threat with an interception.
Halifax received the kickoff and trudged 66 yards to an 8-0 lead. The Vikings twice converted on fourth down, including junior quarterback Cameron Podruchny’s 28-yard TD toss to junior Harrison Hardee. Bynum added the two-point conversion.
Then, in the closing seconds of the first quarter, an errant snap on fourth down cost CCS possession at its 40-yard line. A 15-yard penalty was tacked on and, on the quarter’s last play, Bynum slammed 25 yards for the TD and added the two-point conversion.
The Cyclones answered with Winstead’s 2-yard TD plunge early in the second quarter and junior Jordan Allen’s conversion run.
Along with the interception, the Vikings got a pair of fumble recoveries from Podruchny and another CCS march bogged down at the Vikings’ 18-yard line.
Halifax’s only second-half TD came on Bynum’s 5-yard burst, while Cyclones junior Tiquan Bunn thundered 87 yards for the final TD with 1:38 remaining.
Bunn rushed for 156 yards on 11 carries, while Winstead added 96 yards on 11 rushes. Allen had an interception.
“Very disappointing,” Jackson remarked. “Our opponents are tough, but we are beating ourselves with penalties and fumbles. We shouldn’t have been held to 16 points. But I felt all along (Halifax) was the crowd we had to beat.”
Added Winstead; “I hope we meet them in the playoffs.”
It just won’t be at home.
CCS decked by Halifax 30-16
By Tom Ham hammer@wilsontimes.com
A Senior Night meltdown erased chances of the Community Christian School eight-player football team playing at home again in 2017.
With the mistakes piling up, the Cyclones fell behind 16-0 as Halifax Academy, with its ball-control offense, posted a 30-16 victory Friday night in a key 1-A Colonial Carolina Conference encounter.
The Vikings seized command of the division, rising to 4-0 in the 1-A division and to 5-3 overall. CCS plunged to 1-2 and 2-5, respectively, with a season-ending road test against Bethel Christian of Kinston waiting next Friday.
“We’ve still got a chance,” declared CCS head coach Andy Jackson. “But our hopes of playing at home (in the playoffs) are gone. We will try to go win next week and be ready for the playoffs.”
The Cyclones generated opportunities to climb from the 16-0 hole after one quarter, but were plagued by three turnovers, nagging penalties and errant snaps from center. CCS played chippy and players verbalized at the wrong time, resulting in one player being ejected and another being disqualified.
“Everybody was pointing fingers,” said CCS senior captain Avery Winstead. “Say it’s your fault, take the blame and go on. They played physical and we didn’t play physical.”
The Vikings unleashed a workhorse in senior back Jared Bynum, who rushed for 199 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bynum also squelched a second-half CCS threat with an interception.
Halifax received the kickoff and trudged 66 yards to an 8-0 lead. The Vikings twice converted on fourth down, including junior quarterback Cameron Podruchny’s 28-yard TD toss to junior Harrison Hardee. Bynum added the two-point conversion.
Then, in the closing seconds of the first quarter, an errant snap on fourth down cost CCS possession at its 40-yard line. A 15-yard penalty was tacked on and, on the quarter’s last play, Bynum slammed 25 yards for the TD and added the two-point conversion.
The Cyclones answered with Winstead’s 2-yard TD plunge early in the second quarter and junior Jordan Allen’s conversion run.
Along with the interception, the Vikings got a pair of fumble recoveries from Podruchny and another CCS march bogged down at the Vikings’ 18-yard line.
Halifax’s only second-half TD came on Bynum’s 5-yard burst, while Cyclones junior Tiquan Bunn thundered 87 yards for the final TD with 1:38 remaining.
Bunn rushed for 156 yards on 11 carries, while Winstead added 96 yards on 11 rushes. Allen had an interception.
“Very disappointing,” Jackson remarked. “Our opponents are tough, but we are beating ourselves with penalties and fumbles. We shouldn’t have been held to 16 points. But I felt all along (Halifax) was the crowd we had to beat.”
Added Winstead; “I hope we meet them in the playoffs.”
It just won’t be at home.
