Goldsboro handles Princeton 40-13
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 24, 2009 11:53 PM
Make David Gurganus a spectator.
Goldsboro executed its plan to keep the state's leading passer on the sidelines and rushed for 365 yards in a 40-13 win over Carolina 1-A Conference rival Princeton on Friday night at Cougar Stadium.
The Cougars' offensive line consistently opened up holes for their running backs, who combined for 14 runs of 10-plus yards. Goldsboro chewed up more than 22 minutes off the clock, which kept the Dawgs' aerial attack on the sidelines.
"We knew our game plan was going to have to be to keep David off the field as much as possible," said Goldsboro head coach Eric Reid. "If we could control the clock and control the ball that was going to be to our advantage. He's a wonderful athlete and he did some things the average kid at this level wouldn't do.
"We knew we had our hands full."
Andre Montgomery paced Goldsboro's offense with 191 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Freddie Jones added 133 yards and a pair of scores on 17 carries. Each runner found the end zone to give the Cougars a 14-0, first-quarter lead.
Goldsboro (7-2 overall, 3-0 CC) extended its lead to 21-0 when quarterback Corteiz Sprangle's pass went off the fingertips of Princeton's Austin Hinton and into the hands of the Cougars' Chris Gray. Gray raced to the end zone, completing the 83-yard play.
Sprangle was 4 of 10 passing for 152 yards.
Gurganus got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard seven plays later with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Jacobs. Jacobs hauled in 11 passes for 120 yards.
Jones stole the momentum right back for Goldsboro with a 54-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes left in the second quarter. The Cougars led 27-6 at the half.
"I knew if they got the momentum we were going to be in trouble," said Reid. "We needed that from a mental standpoint for our kids. Anytime we can stay positive and keep the ball rolling, and keep the crowd behind us."
Princeton (6-3, 2-1) pulled to within 27-13 on Gurganus' 50-yard touchdown pass to Jacobs. The Bulldogs had the opportunity to climb within one score after driving inside the Goldsboro 5-yard line. Gurganus' pass on fourth-and-goal fell incomplete.
The Princeton signal-caller finished the night 18 for 33 for 226 yards. He spent most of the evening scrambling to avoid a constant pass rush, and was sacked three times.
"In the second half we had a chance to cut it to one score, and then they come back and break a long run on us," said Bulldogs head coach Russell Williamson. "That was probably the biggest turning point I thought. David has been good at scrambling, but I think their speed was probably a little bit more than what we've seen this year."
Vontarius Kornegay's 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter boosted the Cougars' lead to 33-13. Montgomery tacked on an 11-yard score late in the fourth quarter.