West Craven offense explodes in second half at N. Lenoir

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on September 18, 2005 2:09 AM

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LAGRANGE -- West Craven erupted for four, second-half touchdowns and came from behind to defeat North Lenoir 40-28 before a large crowd on a hot and humid night at Wheat Swamp.

Both teams were kept off the practice field most of the week as Hurricane Ophelia worked its way along the North Carolina coast. Neither offense seemed affected as both teams averaged over 5-yards a carry for the game.

The teams exchanged punts to begin the game, then the Eagles started their second drive deep in their own territory after a 38-yard Hawk punt rolled dead on the 5-yard line. West Craven marched 95 yards in 14-plays to score its first touchdown on a Deandre Jones 3-yard run with just over a minute left in the first quarter.

Seconds later, North Lenoir running back Tyrone Spencer broke loose on a 62-yard touchdown run. The first-of-four extra points by place-kicker Ricky Jarman gave the Hawks a 7-6 lead.

West Craven fumbled the ensuing kick-off and North Lenoir (1-3) needed only to go 20 yards for its second touchdown. Joseph Newborn rushed in from 9-yards out and the Hawks were up 14-6 just inside the second quarter.

Less than three minutes later, the Hawks had a short field again and scored as fullback Eric Whitfield went untouched on a 29-yard run. West Craven answered five-minutes later as quarterback DeAndre Jones scored from 2-yards out.

The Hawks lost fullback Tyrone Spencer and Halfback Zack Carter to injuries in the second quarter and neither would return.

"We had to replace a senior with a freshman and another player had to play both ways because of the injuries," North Lenoir coach Wayne Jackson said.

The Eagles started quickly in the third quarter forcing the Hawks to a three-and-out. Jones scored his third touchdown with a 26-yard scamper to cut the North Lenoir lead to 21-19. West Craven finally went ahead with a few seconds left in the third quarter as Jeremy Davis ran five yards for a score.

"They (West Craven) are to be commended for making the plays they needed to," Jackson said.

The Hawks lost a fumble on their own 15 on the last play of the third. It took the Eagles just two plays as Wendell Boyd scampered 10 yards for a touchdown to stretch the West Craven lead to 33-21 early in the fourth.

North Lenoir did not quit and just two minutes later halfback Michael Best finished off a 6-play drive with a short touchdown run to bring the Hawks within a touchdown with still over nine minutes left in the game.

The Hawks stopped the Eagles and took over on downs with four minutes left, but West Craven's defense stiffened and did not allow a North Lenoir first down. West Craven scored again late in the game on Wendell Boyd's second touchdown run.

West Craven quarterback DeAndre Jones had a banner evening rushing for 120 yards and 3 touchdowns.

North Lenoir, running from the Wing-T, was led in rushing by fullback Eric Whitfield's 104 yards on eighteen carries.

"There was an awful lot of offense involved -- it was a physical football game," Jackson said. "They have a lot of physical players. We did not make the plays when we needed to make them."

The Hawks travel to Charles B. Aycock next Friday.

West Craven 6 6 15 13 -- 40

North Lenoir 7 14 0 7 -- 28

First quarter

WC -- Jones 12 run (kick failed), 1:06

NL -- Spencer 62 run (Jarman kick), :50

Second quarter

NL -- Newborn 9 run (Jarman kick), 10:57

NL -- Whitfield 29 run (Jarman kick), 8:11

WC -- Jones 2 run (pass failed), 3:33

Third quarter

WC -- Jones 26 run (Moore kick), 8:47

WC -- Davis 10 run (Jones run), :05

Fourth quarter

WC -- Boyd 10 run (kick failed), 11:12

NL -- Best 2 run (Jarman kick), 9:15

WC -- Boyd 21 run (Moore kick), 1:52

WC NL

First downs 18 5

Rushes-yds. 53-366 35-203

Passing yds. 0 23

Total yds. 366 226

Att.-Comp.-Int. 1-0-0 5-1-0

Fumbles-lost 4-2 4-2

Punts-avg. 3-37.7 4-34.8

Penalties-yds. 8-72 4-40

INDVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- West Craven -- Charles Morgan 7-58; Jamaine Moore 8-36; DeAndre Jones 25-120, 3 TD; Wendell Boyd 6-80, 2 TD; Lee Nobles 2-25; Jeremy Davis 5-47, TD. North Lenoir -- Eric Whitfield 18-104, TD; Michael Best 5-5, TD; Tyrone Spencer 3-80, TD; Joseph Newborn 3-6, TD; Kendall Thorbs 4-3; Parris Lee 1-2; Marquez Outlaw 1-3.

PASSING -- North Lenoir -- Kenduall Thorbs 1-5-0 23.

RECEIVING -- North Lenoir -- Eric Whitfield 1-23.