Falcons notch road playoff win

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 12, 2006 2:02 AM

• Print
• Email

SHALLOTTE -- Haunted by three consecutive losses to end regular-season play, Charles B. Aycock resuscitated its faint and near-fleeting heartbeat with a stunning, opening-round playoff victory Friday evening.

Travis Milligan and Jacob Pendleton each recorded double digits in tackles and the Golden Falcons upended third-seeded West Brunswick, 20-7, in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-AA (large-school) playoffs. C.B. Aycock, which improved to 8-4 overall and is the 14th seed, travels to Southern Alamance next Friday.

West Brunswick concluded the year 6-6.

Milligan, a senior linebacker, and Pendleton each collected 10 tackles. Erik Taylor, the team's second-leading tackler, recorded eight stops and recovered a fumble.

C.B. Aycock held a playoff opponent to just one touchdown for the first time since 1981.

Golden Falcon senior John Covington, who amassed a game-high 96 yards rushing on 18 totes, erased the scoreless tie with a 33-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Alex Roosen provided the first of two successful PATs for a 7-0 advantage.

The Trojans' Ryan Hill forged a 7-7 tie at halftime with a 13-yard touchdown run.

Charles B. Aycock quarterback Thomas Pilkington threw his area-leading 21st touchdown pass, which covered 30 yards, to Montez Ham in the third quarter. Ham has nine touchdown receptions this season.

Pilkington crept closer to the 2,000-yard passing mark for the season with a 92-yard effort on 5 of 12 attempts. The senior right-hander did not throw an interception.

Ham's 72-yard interception return, with no time left in the game, polished off Aycock's first road playoff win since 1981. The Golden Falcons seized just their third postseason victory in eight tries since 1981.