Unbeaten Statesville Christian clips Eagles
STATESVILLE -- The Statesville Christian football team continued its winning streak with a dominant 67-21 victory over cfa Academy Friday night and improved to 7-0 on the season
Statesville was on fire on all aspects of the field. Quarterback Brennan Settle went 14-for-22 for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the air. He would also be the team’s second-leading rusher with 14 carries for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Statesville’s leading rusher, Jamie Turner, had 30 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Wide receiver Deshon Holmes was the leading receiver with nine receptions for 144 yards and one touchdown, averaging 16 yards-per-catch. The defense also forced two fumbles and a “pick-6.”
"We stayed with them, really, for three quarters,” cfa Academy coach Craig Kean said. “At halftime it was 35-14. We were moving the ball. D'Wayne (Crawford) had three touchdowns -- a 70-yarder, a 65-yarder and an 80-yard touchdown. And we knew they couldn't cover him."
The Eagles had some misfires but also signs of life and hope throughout the game. Leading rusher Nicholas Treco had 15 carries for 39 yards. Quarterback Mason McLaughlin threw for 227 yards but only had a 29.4 completion percentage. The bulk of those yards were sideline fades thrown to Crawford, who finished with three catches for 223 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a stellar 74.3 yards-per-catch.
Both teams started off fast, scoring on their opening drives. The next few drives, it would seem like luck was on Statesville Christian’s side. Settle would throw to Holmes for 34 yards, only to fumble it and have it roll in the end zone. Logan Mosely was in the area and dove on the ball for a touchdown for Statesville Christian.
Eight seconds before halftime, Statesville Christian had driven all the way down the field with the help of big plays made by Settle on the ground and in the air. Settle threw to the outside slant on the left side, where Holmes had broken free from coverage. Settle threw just behind Holmes, and the cfa Academy corner got his hands on it. The defender attempted to tip the ball out of the end zone. The tipped ball landed perfectly in the hands of Holmes for a touchdown to close out the half.
It was a close and hard-fought game until then end. The nail in the coffin was a 26-yard interception return by Rakim Tshiona.
The game would end with a little on-field skirmish between the two teams during after-game handshakes. After several minutes, the two teams separated and headed to their respected areas.
Statesville Christian (7-0) will travel to Concord on Oct, 13 to face Cannon School (4-3). cfa Academy (3-4) will go to Huntersville to play Christ The King (2-5).
"They hadn't given up more than seven points all year, so scoring 21 was good, but they got 14 cheap points on us," Kean said. “I knew they were good, and they're going to be up in that Division I with (Charlotte) Christian and (Charlotte) Latin. They actually beat Latin, 21-7, but now we've got Christ the King, and we'll regroup. Players come to play.”
STATESVILLE -- The Statesville Christian football team continued its winning streak with a dominant 67-21 victory over cfa Academy Friday night and improved to 7-0 on the season
Statesville was on fire on all aspects of the field. Quarterback Brennan Settle went 14-for-22 for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the air. He would also be the team’s second-leading rusher with 14 carries for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Statesville’s leading rusher, Jamie Turner, had 30 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Wide receiver Deshon Holmes was the leading receiver with nine receptions for 144 yards and one touchdown, averaging 16 yards-per-catch. The defense also forced two fumbles and a “pick-6.”
"We stayed with them, really, for three quarters,” cfa Academy coach Craig Kean said. “At halftime it was 35-14. We were moving the ball. D'Wayne (Crawford) had three touchdowns -- a 70-yarder, a 65-yarder and an 80-yard touchdown. And we knew they couldn't cover him."
The Eagles had some misfires but also signs of life and hope throughout the game. Leading rusher Nicholas Treco had 15 carries for 39 yards. Quarterback Mason McLaughlin threw for 227 yards but only had a 29.4 completion percentage. The bulk of those yards were sideline fades thrown to Crawford, who finished with three catches for 223 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a stellar 74.3 yards-per-catch.
Both teams started off fast, scoring on their opening drives. The next few drives, it would seem like luck was on Statesville Christian’s side. Settle would throw to Holmes for 34 yards, only to fumble it and have it roll in the end zone. Logan Mosely was in the area and dove on the ball for a touchdown for Statesville Christian.
Eight seconds before halftime, Statesville Christian had driven all the way down the field with the help of big plays made by Settle on the ground and in the air. Settle threw to the outside slant on the left side, where Holmes had broken free from coverage. Settle threw just behind Holmes, and the cfa Academy corner got his hands on it. The defender attempted to tip the ball out of the end zone. The tipped ball landed perfectly in the hands of Holmes for a touchdown to close out the half.
It was a close and hard-fought game until then end. The nail in the coffin was a 26-yard interception return by Rakim Tshiona.
The game would end with a little on-field skirmish between the two teams during after-game handshakes. After several minutes, the two teams separated and headed to their respected areas.
Statesville Christian (7-0) will travel to Concord on Oct, 13 to face Cannon School (4-3). cfa Academy (3-4) will go to Huntersville to play Christ The King (2-5).
"They hadn't given up more than seven points all year, so scoring 21 was good, but they got 14 cheap points on us," Kean said. “I knew they were good, and they're going to be up in that Division I with (Charlotte) Christian and (Charlotte) Latin. They actually beat Latin, 21-7, but now we've got Christ the King, and we'll regroup. Players come to play.”
