Greene Central erases 13-point deficit against CBA

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 30, 2014 11:44 PM

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Special to the News-Argus

PIKEVILLE -- After his team blew a 13-0 first-half lead and a pair of excellent scoring opportunities in the first quarter of its 27-20 loss to Greene Central Friday night at Hardy Talton Stadium, C.B. Aycock coach Steve Brooks wanted reporters to know whose shoulders the responsibility of the loss fell upon.

"I completely lost this football game for our football team tonight," Brooks said squarely. "I put us in bad situations offensively and let our defense down. I thought our defense played good against a great player (GC junior quarterback Trequan Wade), but we just didn't make enough plays on offense and I think that cost us the game.

"Me, I'll take full responsibility."

Aycock led 13-0 late in the first half, but the lead could've been at least two touchdowns or more. The Golden Falcons (1-1 overall) failed to convert two fourth downs deep in Greene Central territory in the first quarter.

"Those were big stops," GC head coach Allen Wooten said. "We worked on a lot of goal-line defense this week."

After three fruitless drives to start the game, GC took over the ball with 2:30 remaining in the first half. The Rams appeared headed for another scoreless drive when they were forced to punt on fourth and 33 from their own 15 with 1:10 on the clock.

However, Aycock fumbled the punt and Greene Central recovered the ball on its own 44. That was just the momentum the Rams needed, as they scored with only 1.1 seconds left before halftime on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Wade to senior wide receiver Jerome Murriell. The score capped a six-play, 56-yard drive.

The momentum continued on the first drive of the second half, as Wade put his Rams ahead on the scoreboard for good, 14-13, with a 2-yard run less than two minutes into the third quarter. Wade's score came after a nine-play, 50-yard drive that included four carries from junior running back Montavias Battle for 36 yards.

Wade pushed the Rams ahead 21-13 with a 27-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Ryan Warren on the final play of the third quarter.

GC's final score came on a 61-yard run by freshman running back Willie Edwards with 3:52 left in the game on Edwards' only carry.

"That was a great run for a freshman and for his first touchdown on varsity," Wooten said. "He's going to be a heck of a back."

The Golden Falcons weren't through, though.

CBA senior quarterback T.J. Morrow threw his third touchdown of the game, this time to junior running back Tyreke Ford, with 1:58 remaining in regulation. After Aycock's Micah Castillo recovered the onside kick, it appeared the Falcons were ready to tie the game.

But GC's defense would have none of it. After Brad Monroe and Miles Williams sacked Morrow on first down, GC junior linebacker Dashawn Bryant recovered an Aycock fumble at the 40 and the game was over after a pair of kneel-downs by Wade.

Aycock, which plays at winless North Lenoir next week, finished with 388 yards of offense, thanks to 176 yards passing and 119 yards rushing from Morrow. Chandler Matthews caught four of Morrow's passes for 76 yards, while Ford caught five for 41 and a score. Castillo and Jimmy Ellis caught the other TD passes from Morrow.

"I give credit to them; they came over here and did what they had to do to win the ballgame," Brooks said of Greene Central. "Inexperience caught up with us tonight, but I think we can learn from it."