Ayden-Grifton shuts out Rosewood
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 9, 2010 11:14 PM
Not only did Rosewood struggle to move the football on Friday night, it found slowing down Ayden-Grifton fullback Quan Green to be a daunting task as well.
The 6-foot-1, 241-pound junior running back lumbered for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers' 34-0 win at Branch Pope Field. It was the Carolina 1-A Conference opener for both teams.
Green's 1-yard touchdown run gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter. Kariym Gent raced 57 yards to the end zone on Ayden-Grifton's next possession. Lucas Angel's extra point was no good and the Chargers led 13-0.
The Eagles trailed just 13-0 at halftime, despite struggling to move the football throughout the first half. Rosewood was forced to put six times during the first two quarters and recorded just two first downs.
Eagles' quarterback Taylor McGill overthrew Jyhkia Applewhite, who was running wide open deep down field behind the Chargers' secondary in the second quarter. Logan Waters dropped a pass from McGill near midfield. McGill finished 2 for 7 passing for three yards.
"In the first half, offensively we didn't play well," said Rosewood head coach Robert Britt. "We had been throwing the ball well the past couple of games when we've had some kind of running game. When we tried to throw the ball early tonight, there was always somebody making a mistake or missing a (blocking) assignment.
"Early on, we didn't gain any confidence throwing the ball."
Ayden-Grifton started the second half with a 13-play scoring drive. The possession ended on quarterback Brandon Larry's 1-yard touchdown plunge that extended the lead to 20-0.
Green's 4-yard score late in the third quarter gave the Chargers a 27-0 advantage. Green carried the ball 38 times, had 10 runs of five yards or more and his imposing frame took its toll on the Eagles' defense in the second half.
Gent added 112 yards on 13 carries.
"Defensively, we made them work," said Britt. "In the second half you could tell our kids were fighting their hearts out, but they were tired. In the first half it was three or four yards at a time. In the second half it was four or five yards almost every time (Green) carried the ball."
Larry tacked on a 10-yard score in the fourth quarter. Ayden-Grifton (5-2, 1-0 CC) out-gained Rosewood 334-59 in total yards and had a 20-2 advantage in first downs. The Eagles punted nine times.
Rosewood (2-5, 1-1) continues conference play at reigning conference champion Goldsboro on Friday.
"I told the team I think we have the best schedule in the conference because we get to play the two teams that are traditionally the two toughest teams in the conference," said Britt. "It gets to show us where we're at and what we need to do to get to where we want to be."