Prep notebook

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on December 9, 2013 2:35 PM

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HAVELOCK -- Learn.

Grow.

Remain hungry.

It's a simple formula that could easily become the Eastern Wayne football team's mantra during the offseason.

The Warriors can learn from their mistakes, grow from their season-long effort and don't let an appearance in the N.C. High School Athletic Association eastern 3-A regional championship game remain just an appetizer.

"Sometimes, when you've been in a game like this, it's easier to know what to expect and at times, I don't think we knew what to expect," EW head coach Bubba Williams said after Friday's season-ending loss to perennial juggernaut Havelock.

"We realized it was just a football game in the second half (and) I think we played a whole lot better. We did play against some of their backups. You have to learn and grow from something like this."

Early momentum

WARSAW -- James Kenan took no time in establishing the momentum in its game against Wallace-Rose Hill on Friday night.

On the fourth play of the game, Daniel Montoya scooped up a Bulldog fumble and raced 29 yards for a touchdown. After making the extra point, Max Hernandez boomed the kickoff out of the end zone and forced Wallace-Rose Hill to start from its own 20-yard line.

"That first touchdown was enormous," James Kenan head coach Ken Avent Jr. said. "To get out of the gate like that is huge in a stat playoff game, and then we made a good special teams play and kind of pinned (Wallace-Rose Hill) back again and put our defense in another good position."

Air it out

WARSAW -- For the second time this post season James Kenan quarterback Dominique Barnes saw his first pass attempt of the game fall into the arms of a defensive back.

Barnes rebounded from the early interception on both occassions and finished with solid stats. Barnes completed five passes for 95 yards against Wallace-Rose Hill on Friday.

"Dominique has been excellent in the playoffs," Avent Jr. said. "He has led our offense with poise and he has made some big plays with his arm and with his feet."