No. 2 Tigers run over Panthers

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on November 18, 2007 2:25 AM

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From staff reports

WARSAW -- Stedman Mathis rushed for three touchdowns and unbeaten James Kenan throttled North Johnston 41-6 in a second-round, N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-AA (large school) playoff game Friday evening.

The second-seeded Tigers (13-0 overall) entertain third-seeded East Bladen next Friday. James Kenan, ranked No. 2 in the final Associated Press 1-A prep poll, won the regular-season meeting Sept. 14 in Bladenboro.

North Johnston concluded the year 8-5.

Mathis plowed through the Panther defense for 134 yards on just seven totes. His touchdown runs covered distances of 21, 56 and 17 yards as the Tigers rolled up an insurmountable 34-0 lead at halftime.

Brandon Satchell put James Kenan on the board with back-to-back, 2-yard touchdown runs in the opening quarter. Satchell ended the night with 99 yards rushing on 19 carries.

Alex Monk concluded the Tigers' scoring with 38-yard run early in the third quarter. Seven Kenan ball carriers combined for 426 yards on 44 carries, an average of 9.7 yards per rush.

Kenan quarterback Shawn Jones added 86 yards passing on six completions.

The Panthers managed just 26 yards of total offense until Kenan emptied its bench after Monk's score. North Johnston finished with 173 yards of total offense and avoided the shutout with a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Josh Hicks emerged the Tigers' defensive leader with six solo stops, seven assists and one fumble hit. Monk provided four tackles, six assists and recovered one of the Panthers' four fumbles.

Derrick Barden added two tackles and six assists.

In other 1-AA games on Friday, Siler City-Jordan Matthews stunned defending state champion Thomasville 33-21 in western action. In the east, top-seeded Louisburg escaped Camden County 16-8 and Pender County dumped Ayden-Grifton 22-0.

North Johnston 0 0 0 6 -- 6

James Kenan 21 13 7 0 -- 41

First quarter

JK -- Satchell 2 run (Funez-Bonilla kick), 4:37

JK -- Satchell 2 run (Funez-Bonilla kick), 2:55

JK -- Mathis 21 run (Funez-Bonilla kick), 2:37

Second quarter

JK -- Mathis 56 run (kick failed), 6:52

JK -- Mathis 17 run (Funez-Bonilla kick), 0:27

Third quarter

JK -- Monk 38 run (Funez-Bonilla kick), 9:09

NJ J. Kenan

First downs 9 19

Rushes-yds 32-125 44-426

Passing yds 48 86

Total yards 169 512

C-A-I 2-14-0 6-13-0

Fumbles-lost 5-4 2-1

Penalties-yds 8-37 13-78

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- James Kenan -- Brandon Satchell 19-99, 2 TDs; Stedman Mathis 7-134, 3 TDs; Darius Heslip 3-22; Alex Monk 1-38, TD; Akeem Carlton 11-46; Donovan Miller 2-7; Shawon Darden 1-(-6).

PASSING -- James Kenan -- Shawn Jones 6-13-0 86.

RECEIVING -- James Kenan -- Kendal Jones 3-48; Demetrius Vann 1-10; Chris Marable 2-14; Darius Heslip 1-19.