Trinity Christian routs North Raleigh Christian
By J. Mike Blake, HighSchoolOT Contributor
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A game is never over after the first play, but sometimes it can tell you all there is to know.
That was the case on Friday night at Wyatt Athletic Field in Fayetteville, where host Trinity Christian School walloped North Raleigh Christian Academy 50-0.
The opening kickoff return was fumbled by NRCA (0-3), a harbinger of what was to come.
A few plays later, Trinity Christian (2-1) — ranked No. 8 in the latest HighSchoolOT statewide NCISAA rankings — scored and never looked back.
The Crusaders led 19-0 after its first three possessions (all three ending with Daquan McNeill touchdown runs), none of which started on their own side of midfield, and 44-0 at halftime.
McNeill had the game's first three touchdowns on runs of 5, 9, and 29 yards that were set up by the kickoff return fumble, an interception by Ronnie Davis, and a forced punt.
The Crusaders struck again in the second quarter when Xavier Tubbs' pass bounced off the hands of two defenders and one teammate before it ended up in the palms of wideout Keondrick Baines, who was running behind everyone else on the play. Barnes didn't miss a step on his way to the 86-yard score to lead 25-0.
Trinity Christian's defense scored the next touchdown, a 60-yard interception return by Davis (his second pick of the night and of the season).
Raymond Campos, the team's normal starter at quarterback, tossed two touchdown passes to Tubbs — from 14 and 31 yards out, respectively — to round out the first half scoring.
In the second half, the lone touchdown came on a 3-yard run from Tubbs, giving him three total TDs and making him responsible for four.
The Crusaders' next game will be a Thursday night home game against Wake Christian.
North Raleigh Christian will host Ravenscroft — the first of two meetings this season between the two. NRCA and Trinity Christian will also meet again in a few weeks, with the Knights hosting on Oct. 30.
