Warriors squander double-digit lead in loss to vaunted Harrells Christian
CONCORD – The matchup was everything it was billed to be: two of the best private-school football programs in North Carolina – both unbeaten, both undaunted – going head-to-head in a battle for nothing more (at this stage of the season anyway) than pride.
The Cream of Cabarrus fourth-ranked Cabarrus Warriors were looking to avenge last year’s loss to Harrells Christian Academy in the state semifinals and stay unbeaten, and the Crusaders had journeyed from their town of little more than 200 residents to prove that what happened last November had not been a fluke.
The inspired Warriors jumped out to a two-touchdown lead, but the Crusaders used their powerful rushing attack and some untimely Cabarrus miscues to rally for a 21-14 victory at overflowing Randy Marion Field Friday night.
The Warriors, who were ranked fifth in MaxPreps.com’s state private-school rankings, fell to 4-1 overall after the non-conference defeat. Harrells Christian, listed at No. 6 going into the game, improved to 6-0.
Despite squandering a 14-0 lead to the senior-laden Crusaders, second-year Warriors coach Jamie Bolton emphasized hope rather than heartbreak.
“Honestly, it’s a good learning experience for our kids,” Bolton said of the loss. “We did a good job against a quality opponent that played in the state championship game last year. They returned a lot of guys, and we returned a lot of guys, and the measuring stick was we got beat by (28) points against them last year, and tonight we kind of left a couple scores off the board there and let them get away with one.
“Credit to them,” Bolton added. “They had a really good game plan coming in. Those are tough matchups when you’re at the top, and it’s going to come down to one or two possessions and a couple calls here or there. It’s part of football.”
When most programs prepare for Harrells Christian, there’s a tendency to focus on massive senior running back Devin Gardner, who had six touchdowns in last year’s matchup and ran for two more scores Friday night. But fellow senior running back Xavier Arrington was equally damaging, adding a touchdown of his own and muscling for critical first downs.
“(Arrington’s) a stud,” Bolton said. “He’s a good runner. He’s fast, and they’ve got a bunch of really quality football players, and they’re well-coached.”
RECORDS
Harrells Christian 6-0 overall, 2-0 Big East Conference; Cabarrus Warriors 4-1, 0-0 Piedmont Conference
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
The Warriors were extremely effective moving the ball against a stout Harrells Christian defense, but they couldn’t always parlay their long drives into points.
For instance, holding a 14-7 lead to start the second half, Cabarrus embarked on a 10-play, clocked-eating drive that put them on the Crusaders’ 7-yard line. From there, though, there was a 3-yard run for a loss, a penalty and two incomplete passes.
On fourth-and-goal, the Warriors had a choice: use Duke commit Todd Pelino to kick the field goal and go up by 10 points or go for the touchdown and move the lead back to 14 points.
The Warriors went for the touchdown and ultimately turned the ball over on downs.
On the very next Harrells Christian play, the 5-foot-11, 240-pound Gardner hit a hole on the right side and galloped nearly the whole field -- a whopping 99 yards -- for the touchdown with several Warriors in hot pursuit, tying the game.
After being largely held in check in the first half, the Crusaders – who were averaging 366 yards rushing per game – had their running mojo back and went on to win the time of possession battle and claim the victory.
Bolton said he never flinched about going for it on the critical fourth down, particularly because of his team’s track record this season.
“We were 100 percent on fourth downs this year, so I knew statistically that I wanted to go for the win,” Bolton said. “I knew a touchdown would be better than a field goal there.
The holding call down there on third down, that was tough. That pushed us back and kind of screwed that drive. But I’m always going to be aggressive, I’m always going to go for the win, especially early in the season with a crowd like that. I never want to play for a tie.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS
Harrells Christian
-- Gardner had more than 100 yards to go with his two touchdowns, with most of his tally coming on the long third-quarter scoring run. Gardner also had an impact as a linebacker, intercepting a tipped pass.
-- Linebacker Trenton Jackson was a force, rushing in for multiple sacks.
-- Defensive tackle Jahiem Murphy was also able to make a difference for the Crusaders, getting a critical sack on fourth down when the Warriors were driving to tie the game with 3:53 remaining.
- Harrells Christian seemed determined to stop the run, but that didn’t stop the effectiveness of Cabarrus running back Will Jones. The Warriors often went with an empty backfield and lined Jones in the slot, and the sophomore caught six passes for 90 yards, including one reception for the first score of the game. Although he finished with nine carries for just 8 yards, that number was tainted by a big penalty. After Jones opened the fourth quarter with a spectacular 37-yard touchdown run that would’ve tied the game, the play was negated when the Warriors were flagged for a lineman being too far in the backfield.
-- Quarterback Tyler Green was 19-for-31 passing for 269 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but he also made plays with his feet, scrambling for first downs to keep drives alive. He led the Warriors with nine carries for 46 yards.
-- Defensive end Jack Schultz showed why he was an honorable-mention All-State selection last season, being in the fray for tackles the entire night. Harrells Christian couldn’t block him.
-- Senior receiver Xander Lamb caught for passes for 65 yards and also had some quality kickoff returns.
-- Freshman receiver Germaine Wilson didn’t look his age, making some big-time catches, many in traffic, including one that put the Warriors ahead by two touchdowns. Wilson finished with seven catches for 58 yards.
3 OBSERVATIONS
-- It was homecoming night for the Warriors, and Randy Marion Field had one of its largest crowds ever. Well into the second quarter, fans were still entering the stadium after trying to find parking.
“It certainly gave us a lot of energy,” Bolton said. “We were able to go out 14-0 … The energy from our crowd really helped us tonight, and we are so appreciative of all their support and what this entire community brings to the Cabarrus Warriors. They do a fantastic job. I wish we had gotten a win for them tonight at homecoming, but Harrells is a tough opponent on homecoming.”
-- The Warriors suffered the program’s first home loss since 2019, their first year of existence.
-- The kicking was excellent in this physical game, as Harrells Christian’s Ethan Spell was 3-for-3 on extra points, while Pelino was 2-for-2 and limited the Crusaders’ ability to return kickoffs. “Touchback Todd” made sure of that.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Warriors travel to High Point Christian Academy for a conference matchup, while the Crusaders play host to Charlotte Christian.
SCORING SUMMARY
Harrells Christian 0 7 14 0 -- 21
Cabarrus Warriors 7 7 0 0 – 14
First Quarter
CW – Will Jones pass from Tyler Green (Todd Pelino kick)
Second Quarter
CW – Germani Wilson 17 pass from Green (Pelino kick)
HC – Devin Gardner 3 run (Ethan Spell kick)
Third Quarter
HC – Gardner 99 run (Spell kick)
HC – Xavier Arrington 7 run (Spell kick)
Fourth Quarter
No scoring
CONCORD – The matchup was everything it was billed to be: two of the best private-school football programs in North Carolina – both unbeaten, both undaunted – going head-to-head in a battle for nothing more (at this stage of the season anyway) than pride.
The Cream of Cabarrus fourth-ranked Cabarrus Warriors were looking to avenge last year’s loss to Harrells Christian Academy in the state semifinals and stay unbeaten, and the Crusaders had journeyed from their town of little more than 200 residents to prove that what happened last November had not been a fluke.
The inspired Warriors jumped out to a two-touchdown lead, but the Crusaders used their powerful rushing attack and some untimely Cabarrus miscues to rally for a 21-14 victory at overflowing Randy Marion Field Friday night.
The Warriors, who were ranked fifth in MaxPreps.com’s state private-school rankings, fell to 4-1 overall after the non-conference defeat. Harrells Christian, listed at No. 6 going into the game, improved to 6-0.
Despite squandering a 14-0 lead to the senior-laden Crusaders, second-year Warriors coach Jamie Bolton emphasized hope rather than heartbreak.
“Honestly, it’s a good learning experience for our kids,” Bolton said of the loss. “We did a good job against a quality opponent that played in the state championship game last year. They returned a lot of guys, and we returned a lot of guys, and the measuring stick was we got beat by (28) points against them last year, and tonight we kind of left a couple scores off the board there and let them get away with one.
“Credit to them,” Bolton added. “They had a really good game plan coming in. Those are tough matchups when you’re at the top, and it’s going to come down to one or two possessions and a couple calls here or there. It’s part of football.”
When most programs prepare for Harrells Christian, there’s a tendency to focus on massive senior running back Devin Gardner, who had six touchdowns in last year’s matchup and ran for two more scores Friday night. But fellow senior running back Xavier Arrington was equally damaging, adding a touchdown of his own and muscling for critical first downs.
“(Arrington’s) a stud,” Bolton said. “He’s a good runner. He’s fast, and they’ve got a bunch of really quality football players, and they’re well-coached.”
RECORDS
Harrells Christian 6-0 overall, 2-0 Big East Conference; Cabarrus Warriors 4-1, 0-0 Piedmont Conference
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
The Warriors were extremely effective moving the ball against a stout Harrells Christian defense, but they couldn’t always parlay their long drives into points.
For instance, holding a 14-7 lead to start the second half, Cabarrus embarked on a 10-play, clocked-eating drive that put them on the Crusaders’ 7-yard line. From there, though, there was a 3-yard run for a loss, a penalty and two incomplete passes.
On fourth-and-goal, the Warriors had a choice: use Duke commit Todd Pelino to kick the field goal and go up by 10 points or go for the touchdown and move the lead back to 14 points.
The Warriors went for the touchdown and ultimately turned the ball over on downs.
On the very next Harrells Christian play, the 5-foot-11, 240-pound Gardner hit a hole on the right side and galloped nearly the whole field -- a whopping 99 yards -- for the touchdown with several Warriors in hot pursuit, tying the game.
After being largely held in check in the first half, the Crusaders – who were averaging 366 yards rushing per game – had their running mojo back and went on to win the time of possession battle and claim the victory.
Bolton said he never flinched about going for it on the critical fourth down, particularly because of his team’s track record this season.
“We were 100 percent on fourth downs this year, so I knew statistically that I wanted to go for the win,” Bolton said. “I knew a touchdown would be better than a field goal there.
The holding call down there on third down, that was tough. That pushed us back and kind of screwed that drive. But I’m always going to be aggressive, I’m always going to go for the win, especially early in the season with a crowd like that. I never want to play for a tie.”
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS
Harrells Christian
-- Gardner had more than 100 yards to go with his two touchdowns, with most of his tally coming on the long third-quarter scoring run. Gardner also had an impact as a linebacker, intercepting a tipped pass.
-- Linebacker Trenton Jackson was a force, rushing in for multiple sacks.
-- Defensive tackle Jahiem Murphy was also able to make a difference for the Crusaders, getting a critical sack on fourth down when the Warriors were driving to tie the game with 3:53 remaining.
- Harrells Christian seemed determined to stop the run, but that didn’t stop the effectiveness of Cabarrus running back Will Jones. The Warriors often went with an empty backfield and lined Jones in the slot, and the sophomore caught six passes for 90 yards, including one reception for the first score of the game. Although he finished with nine carries for just 8 yards, that number was tainted by a big penalty. After Jones opened the fourth quarter with a spectacular 37-yard touchdown run that would’ve tied the game, the play was negated when the Warriors were flagged for a lineman being too far in the backfield.
-- Quarterback Tyler Green was 19-for-31 passing for 269 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but he also made plays with his feet, scrambling for first downs to keep drives alive. He led the Warriors with nine carries for 46 yards.
-- Defensive end Jack Schultz showed why he was an honorable-mention All-State selection last season, being in the fray for tackles the entire night. Harrells Christian couldn’t block him.
-- Senior receiver Xander Lamb caught for passes for 65 yards and also had some quality kickoff returns.
-- Freshman receiver Germaine Wilson didn’t look his age, making some big-time catches, many in traffic, including one that put the Warriors ahead by two touchdowns. Wilson finished with seven catches for 58 yards.
3 OBSERVATIONS
-- It was homecoming night for the Warriors, and Randy Marion Field had one of its largest crowds ever. Well into the second quarter, fans were still entering the stadium after trying to find parking.
“It certainly gave us a lot of energy,” Bolton said. “We were able to go out 14-0 … The energy from our crowd really helped us tonight, and we are so appreciative of all their support and what this entire community brings to the Cabarrus Warriors. They do a fantastic job. I wish we had gotten a win for them tonight at homecoming, but Harrells is a tough opponent on homecoming.”
-- The Warriors suffered the program’s first home loss since 2019, their first year of existence.
-- The kicking was excellent in this physical game, as Harrells Christian’s Ethan Spell was 3-for-3 on extra points, while Pelino was 2-for-2 and limited the Crusaders’ ability to return kickoffs. “Touchback Todd” made sure of that.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The Warriors travel to High Point Christian Academy for a conference matchup, while the Crusaders play host to Charlotte Christian.
SCORING SUMMARY
Harrells Christian 0 7 14 0 -- 21
Cabarrus Warriors 7 7 0 0 – 14
First Quarter
CW – Will Jones pass from Tyler Green (Todd Pelino kick)
Second Quarter
CW – Germani Wilson 17 pass from Green (Pelino kick)
HC – Devin Gardner 3 run (Ethan Spell kick)
Third Quarter
HC – Gardner 99 run (Spell kick)
HC – Xavier Arrington 7 run (Spell kick)
Fourth Quarter
No scoring
