Warriors snap 14-game skid on gridiron

By Keith Spence
Published in Sports on November 7, 2009 11:09 PM

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Kinston Free Press Correspondent

A rough season ended the same way it began for North Lenoir -- with a humbling loss.

The Hawks made every mistake imaginable and fell to previously winless Eastern Wayne 27-0 on Friday evening at Little Big Horn. It was the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season finale for both teams.

The Warriors (1-10 overall, 1-4 ECC) snapped a 14-game losing streak and presented head coach Guy Williams his first-ever win.

North Lenoir (2-9) exited winless in five conference contests this season.

"We played hard but we self-destructed," said North Lenoir head coach Calvin Sutton. "We've been outmatched in almost every game this year, and we definitely can't afford to make the number of mistakes we made tonight."

The Hawks' blunders ran the gamut from turnovers to penalties to everything in between. Sutton's team lost four fumbles, tossed a pair of interceptions; and committed nine penalties for 70 yards, including five false start infractions in the first quarter alone.

On the visitors' sojourn into the red zone late in the fourth quarter, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty stopped the drive cold at the 2-yard line.

Adding insult to injury, the Warriors also recovered an onside kick on the game's opening play. Thanks to North Lenoir's turnovers, two of Eastern Wayne's scoring drives totaled 13 and 5 yards, respectively.

Another possession following a Hawks fumble last just one play -- a 61-yard touchdown scamper by Eastern Wayne's Lamar Best. Best shredded the North Lenoir defense for a season-high 218 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries.

"That kid (Best) is a great athlete, and we had nothing for him," Sutton said.

Eastern Wayne's only sustained drive of the night was a five-play, 65-yard march keyed by Best's 48-yard burst to the two-yard line.

The Hawks were inept on offense most of the game, managing just six first downs and 145 total yards. North Lenoir had its chances it started six possessions inside Warrior territory and another at their own 45.

Mike Sutton was the lone bright spot for the Hawks, coming off the bench to run 59 yards on just nine carries.