Bethel Christian plays first junior varsity game in 37 years, blows out Wayne Christian
By Junious Smith III / Sports Editor KINSTON FREE PRESS
Posted Sep. 11, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Updated at 12:06 AM
GOLDSBORO | On Thursday, the Bethel Christian Trojans took the field to play football for the first time since 1978, with a junior varsity team excited to be a part of history.
The team did that and so much more against an opponent who fielded its first contest ever.
Caleb Griffin rushed for 145 yards and three scores, Reese Jones threw two long touchdown passes to Scott Sanderson and Bethel Christian beat Wayne Christian 42-8. The Trojans’ defense was also stout, allowing just 208 yards and forcing four turnovers.
“I think we all did great, both offense and defense,” Griffin said. “We didn’t let up and gave them everything we had.”
Defense set the tone for the Trojans on Wayne Christian’s opening possession. The Eagles took the ball to the Trojans’ 1 on the opening drive but a fumble gave the ball to Bethel Christian. The Trojans couldn’t take advantage, as the Eagles forced a three-and-out.
Wayne Christian threatened again with third-and-goal from the Bethel Christian 6, but Connor Williams sacked Eagles quarterback Jaydon Young for a six yard loss. On the ensuing play, Griffith intercepted a pass in the end zone and took it 52 yards to the Trojans’ 47-yard line.
Sanderson appeared to score the first touchdown in near four decades at Bethel Christian with a 53-yard run, but it was called back on a holding penalty. Griffith ended up in the record books with a 65-yard touchdown on the next play with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, then added a 16-yard score early in the second after the Trojans recovered a squib kick for a 16-0 advantage.
Wayne Christian, which had been around since 1987, got its first touchdown in history on a 7-yard run from Will White with 7:27 remaining in the first half to close the deficit to 16-8. Two plays later, Jones found Sanderson for a 72-yard touchdown to make the score 22-8. Jones and Sanderson would connect again on the last play of the first half for a 43-yard touchdown and 28-8 lead at intermission.
“We’re pretty good friends, so we have a good connection,” Jones said. “Coach Brick (Crowder) told us that the hard work we put together in practice would pay off.”
Sanderson, who scored a 30-yard rushing touchdown on Bethel’s opening third-quarter drive, caught the only two passes Jones threw in the contest. He said the two look for big plays in both practice and Thursday’s game.
“We throw the ball back and forth and every few passes he backs up about five yards,” Sanderson said. “When we’re out there, we’ll have a look and basically it’s like I’m saying ‘I got this.’”
Griffin added his third score with 6:33 remaining in the fourth and the defense had another goal-line stand, forcing a fumble at the Trojans’ 2 with 10 seconds to play.
“We just played good defense and came out strong as a team,” Williams said.
Crowder said he couldn’t have been prouder of the team, enjoying the school’s first victory in football in 37 years.
“It feels awesome and I never could’ve dreamed this game could go so well,” Crowder said. “It’s really a testament to these guys for their hard work in the summer and practice. They bought into what the coaches were selling them.”
For Wayne Christian, White ran for 153 yards on 26 carries. For Bethel Christian, Sanderson had 53 yards rushing, Jones added 52 on the ground and Zaire Thorbes contributed 18. On defense, Devin Gaskill had a sack and Kenneth Faulkner added an interception.
By Junious Smith III / Sports Editor KINSTON FREE PRESS
Posted Sep. 11, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Updated at 12:06 AM
GOLDSBORO | On Thursday, the Bethel Christian Trojans took the field to play football for the first time since 1978, with a junior varsity team excited to be a part of history.
The team did that and so much more against an opponent who fielded its first contest ever.
Caleb Griffin rushed for 145 yards and three scores, Reese Jones threw two long touchdown passes to Scott Sanderson and Bethel Christian beat Wayne Christian 42-8. The Trojans’ defense was also stout, allowing just 208 yards and forcing four turnovers.
“I think we all did great, both offense and defense,” Griffin said. “We didn’t let up and gave them everything we had.”
Defense set the tone for the Trojans on Wayne Christian’s opening possession. The Eagles took the ball to the Trojans’ 1 on the opening drive but a fumble gave the ball to Bethel Christian. The Trojans couldn’t take advantage, as the Eagles forced a three-and-out.
Wayne Christian threatened again with third-and-goal from the Bethel Christian 6, but Connor Williams sacked Eagles quarterback Jaydon Young for a six yard loss. On the ensuing play, Griffith intercepted a pass in the end zone and took it 52 yards to the Trojans’ 47-yard line.
Sanderson appeared to score the first touchdown in near four decades at Bethel Christian with a 53-yard run, but it was called back on a holding penalty. Griffith ended up in the record books with a 65-yard touchdown on the next play with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter, then added a 16-yard score early in the second after the Trojans recovered a squib kick for a 16-0 advantage.
Wayne Christian, which had been around since 1987, got its first touchdown in history on a 7-yard run from Will White with 7:27 remaining in the first half to close the deficit to 16-8. Two plays later, Jones found Sanderson for a 72-yard touchdown to make the score 22-8. Jones and Sanderson would connect again on the last play of the first half for a 43-yard touchdown and 28-8 lead at intermission.
“We’re pretty good friends, so we have a good connection,” Jones said. “Coach Brick (Crowder) told us that the hard work we put together in practice would pay off.”
Sanderson, who scored a 30-yard rushing touchdown on Bethel’s opening third-quarter drive, caught the only two passes Jones threw in the contest. He said the two look for big plays in both practice and Thursday’s game.
“We throw the ball back and forth and every few passes he backs up about five yards,” Sanderson said. “When we’re out there, we’ll have a look and basically it’s like I’m saying ‘I got this.’”
Griffin added his third score with 6:33 remaining in the fourth and the defense had another goal-line stand, forcing a fumble at the Trojans’ 2 with 10 seconds to play.
“We just played good defense and came out strong as a team,” Williams said.
Crowder said he couldn’t have been prouder of the team, enjoying the school’s first victory in football in 37 years.
“It feels awesome and I never could’ve dreamed this game could go so well,” Crowder said. “It’s really a testament to these guys for their hard work in the summer and practice. They bought into what the coaches were selling them.”
For Wayne Christian, White ran for 153 yards on 26 carries. For Bethel Christian, Sanderson had 53 yards rushing, Jones added 52 on the ground and Zaire Thorbes contributed 18. On defense, Devin Gaskill had a sack and Kenneth Faulkner added an interception.
