Arendell Parrott shuts out Halifax Academy 44-0
By Scott Cole / Correspondent / KINSTON FREE PRESS
Friday night was homecoming at Hodges Field, home of the mighty Patriots of Arendell Parrott Academy.
With a full crowd behind them, the Patriots continued their dominance of the NCISAA Colonial Carolina 2A Conference as they battled against conference rival Halifax Academy from Rocky Mount. Led by a lethal passing attack early on, Parrott Academy took an early lead and never looked back, defeating their opponents by a score of 44-0.
“This was a pretty exciting game with homecoming and all the fans here. We had a great pep rally today to get us all pumped up. We had an energetic crowd behind us. It was great,” said Parrott’s Davis Basden. “We got our passing game going early and that got them. They stopped our running game a few times, but never the passing game. That was the key to this game by far.” Basden would have two touchdowns to lead the Parrott offense.
After forcing the Vikings to turnover on downs, the Patriots struck quick. On their first offensive play of the game, Connor Bright connected with a very wide up open Matthew Chappell on a 69-yard reception for a touchdown. Following a Vikings punt, Bright again threw a 60-yard pass, this time to Basden who went untouched down the sidelines for APA’s second score of the game. Parrott stood with a 14-0 in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, the Patriots faced a fourth down and 20 yards. Bright backed up for a punt, faked a pass, and then squib kicked it to the Vikings. The ball bounced off a member of the receiving team, and rolled around a bit before Cole Daniels picked it up. On the first play of the drive, Basden received the handoff, cut down the left side of the field, got a few blocks, turned into the middle, received a few more timely blocks, and then stormed down the right side of the field for a 57-yard score.
“We came out fired up. Our crowd got a glimpse of what we can do after not seeing us for five or six weeks at home,” said Parrott Coach Matt Beaman. As for the Vikings, they lost their star running back, Garret Dunlow to an ankle injury at the tail end of the first quarter. He had run for 36 yards on eight carries, including a 19 yd run. His injury doomed the Vikings offense to a fairly quiet evening, but it would be another injury that would shape the game.
Following a Viking three-and-out, Halifax punted the ball, AJ Banker fielded the ball on the 5-yard line. Halifax’s Grant Morris came up to challenge him and get him for a deep loss when he was creamed by Colby McLawhorn. McLawhorn’s hit freed up Banker, who scampered across the field for a 95-yard punt return. However, the hit knocked Morris out cold. He lay unresponsive on the field. Morris had shown signs of consciousness and was rushed to the hospital by paramedics with a possible concussion injury. The Patriot faithful gave a standing ovation to the hurt young man and players on both sides knelt in prayer for God’s safety and protection.
“He is moving his fingers and is talking now. He is being treated for a concussion as he has some really bad headaches,” said Halifax coach Pete Edwards. Coach Edwards also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Parrott fans and coaches.
As a result of the injury and the score at 30-0 in Parrott’s favor, a running clock was called. The Vikings had the ball, but just ran the ball and the clock down to end the first half.
Parrott received the kickoff to start the third quarter and sat all of their starting players. Spencer Doyle received the kick and took it to the 48 yard line to give the Patriots great starting field position. On the second play of the drive, Doyle fumbled the ball right into the hands of Halifax’s Reid Lynch. Despite marching down to the 18 yard line in a series of strong runs, the Vikings were unable to capitalize on the turnover.
With the running clock ticking down, Doyle took the first Parrott handoff of the final frame 65 yards for a touchdown to give Parrott a 38-0 lead. On the next possession by the Vikings, the Patriots forced a fumble and recovered the ball on their own 36. Matthew Jones would cap off the win with a 23 yard run in the final 90 seconds of the game. All in all, Parrott would have only 11 offensive plays in the entire game. Bright was 3-4 for 124 yards and two touchdowns
“We wanted to get more reps out of our passing game, but we had to call the dogs off early,” said Coach Beamon. “Our second team got in and played very well. But we turn it around and play at Cary Christian on Monday. This game is basically like a hard practice for us. Our starters will be rested and ready to go. And then we do it all over again next week at home against Southampton.”
Arendell Parrott Academy 44, Halifax Academy 0
Hal 0 0 0 0 0
APA 14 16 0 14 44
First Quarter
APA-Matthew Chappell 69 yd rec (Davis Basden 2 pt conversion good)
APA-Basden 60 yd rec (Bright 2pt pass no good)
Second Quarter
APA-Basden 57 yd run (Basden 2pt conversion good)
APA-AJ Banker 95 punt return (Raekwon Fulton 2pt conversion good)
Fourth Quarter
APA-Spencer Doyle 65 yd run (Charlie King 2pt conversion good)
APA-Matthew Jones 23 yd run (2pt conversion no good)
Hal APA
First downs 14 9
Rushes-yards 42-129 8-156
Passing 1-6 3-5
Passing yards 10 124
Total yards 139 280
Fumbles-lost 2-3 1-1
Penalties 4-30 3-20
Punts-avg 2-51 2-49
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Hal: Smith 21-56, Dunlow 8-36, Hockaday 7-26, King 7-11, APA: Doyle 1-65, Basden 1-57, Jones 1-23, Johnson 2-11, Fulton 2-3, Vendemia 1 -5
PASSING — Hal: Mizelle 1-6 10 APA: Bright 3-4 124, Vendemia 0-1
RECEIVING — Hal: Morris 1-10 APA: Chappell 1-69, Basden 2-55
By Scott Cole / Correspondent / KINSTON FREE PRESS
Friday night was homecoming at Hodges Field, home of the mighty Patriots of Arendell Parrott Academy.
With a full crowd behind them, the Patriots continued their dominance of the NCISAA Colonial Carolina 2A Conference as they battled against conference rival Halifax Academy from Rocky Mount. Led by a lethal passing attack early on, Parrott Academy took an early lead and never looked back, defeating their opponents by a score of 44-0.
“This was a pretty exciting game with homecoming and all the fans here. We had a great pep rally today to get us all pumped up. We had an energetic crowd behind us. It was great,” said Parrott’s Davis Basden. “We got our passing game going early and that got them. They stopped our running game a few times, but never the passing game. That was the key to this game by far.” Basden would have two touchdowns to lead the Parrott offense.
After forcing the Vikings to turnover on downs, the Patriots struck quick. On their first offensive play of the game, Connor Bright connected with a very wide up open Matthew Chappell on a 69-yard reception for a touchdown. Following a Vikings punt, Bright again threw a 60-yard pass, this time to Basden who went untouched down the sidelines for APA’s second score of the game. Parrott stood with a 14-0 in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, the Patriots faced a fourth down and 20 yards. Bright backed up for a punt, faked a pass, and then squib kicked it to the Vikings. The ball bounced off a member of the receiving team, and rolled around a bit before Cole Daniels picked it up. On the first play of the drive, Basden received the handoff, cut down the left side of the field, got a few blocks, turned into the middle, received a few more timely blocks, and then stormed down the right side of the field for a 57-yard score.
“We came out fired up. Our crowd got a glimpse of what we can do after not seeing us for five or six weeks at home,” said Parrott Coach Matt Beaman. As for the Vikings, they lost their star running back, Garret Dunlow to an ankle injury at the tail end of the first quarter. He had run for 36 yards on eight carries, including a 19 yd run. His injury doomed the Vikings offense to a fairly quiet evening, but it would be another injury that would shape the game.
Following a Viking three-and-out, Halifax punted the ball, AJ Banker fielded the ball on the 5-yard line. Halifax’s Grant Morris came up to challenge him and get him for a deep loss when he was creamed by Colby McLawhorn. McLawhorn’s hit freed up Banker, who scampered across the field for a 95-yard punt return. However, the hit knocked Morris out cold. He lay unresponsive on the field. Morris had shown signs of consciousness and was rushed to the hospital by paramedics with a possible concussion injury. The Patriot faithful gave a standing ovation to the hurt young man and players on both sides knelt in prayer for God’s safety and protection.
“He is moving his fingers and is talking now. He is being treated for a concussion as he has some really bad headaches,” said Halifax coach Pete Edwards. Coach Edwards also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Parrott fans and coaches.
As a result of the injury and the score at 30-0 in Parrott’s favor, a running clock was called. The Vikings had the ball, but just ran the ball and the clock down to end the first half.
Parrott received the kickoff to start the third quarter and sat all of their starting players. Spencer Doyle received the kick and took it to the 48 yard line to give the Patriots great starting field position. On the second play of the drive, Doyle fumbled the ball right into the hands of Halifax’s Reid Lynch. Despite marching down to the 18 yard line in a series of strong runs, the Vikings were unable to capitalize on the turnover.
With the running clock ticking down, Doyle took the first Parrott handoff of the final frame 65 yards for a touchdown to give Parrott a 38-0 lead. On the next possession by the Vikings, the Patriots forced a fumble and recovered the ball on their own 36. Matthew Jones would cap off the win with a 23 yard run in the final 90 seconds of the game. All in all, Parrott would have only 11 offensive plays in the entire game. Bright was 3-4 for 124 yards and two touchdowns
“We wanted to get more reps out of our passing game, but we had to call the dogs off early,” said Coach Beamon. “Our second team got in and played very well. But we turn it around and play at Cary Christian on Monday. This game is basically like a hard practice for us. Our starters will be rested and ready to go. And then we do it all over again next week at home against Southampton.”
Arendell Parrott Academy 44, Halifax Academy 0
Hal 0 0 0 0 0
APA 14 16 0 14 44
First Quarter
APA-Matthew Chappell 69 yd rec (Davis Basden 2 pt conversion good)
APA-Basden 60 yd rec (Bright 2pt pass no good)
Second Quarter
APA-Basden 57 yd run (Basden 2pt conversion good)
APA-AJ Banker 95 punt return (Raekwon Fulton 2pt conversion good)
Fourth Quarter
APA-Spencer Doyle 65 yd run (Charlie King 2pt conversion good)
APA-Matthew Jones 23 yd run (2pt conversion no good)
Hal APA
First downs 14 9
Rushes-yards 42-129 8-156
Passing 1-6 3-5
Passing yards 10 124
Total yards 139 280
Fumbles-lost 2-3 1-1
Penalties 4-30 3-20
Punts-avg 2-51 2-49
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Hal: Smith 21-56, Dunlow 8-36, Hockaday 7-26, King 7-11, APA: Doyle 1-65, Basden 1-57, Jones 1-23, Johnson 2-11, Fulton 2-3, Vendemia 1 -5
PASSING — Hal: Mizelle 1-6 10 APA: Bright 3-4 124, Vendemia 0-1
RECEIVING — Hal: Morris 1-10 APA: Chappell 1-69, Basden 2-55
