Golden Falcons soar past Cougars, 35-25

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on September 13, 2014 11:27 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- The marching band played and the fans cheered as the Charles B. Aycock football team walked off the field Friday evening.

"I want you to turn and watch that," Goldsboro coach Bennett Johnson said to his players.

It wasn't to rub in the 35-25 loss to the Golden Falcons. He wanted them to see what it's like to win.

Because the Cougars are close.

Goldsboro played its best game of the season, but just missed out on its first win.

The red zone -- Johnson's long-time nemesis he says -- was the difference in the game. The Cougars sustained drives on offense, but couldn't finish.

On two occasions in big situations, Goldsboro (0-4 overall) had the ball in the red zone. Twice they failed to put the ball in the end zone and turned the ball over on downs.

"We're a small team so when we get down in the red zone and teams start packing in the box, it makes it harder for us to punch it in," Johnson said.

Charles B. Aycock's defense displayed a bend-but-don't-break mentality all game and was at their best in the red zone. Defensive coordinator Allen Thomas said his unit didn't let him down and stepped up in big moments.

"We're not going to give in," defensive back Tyrique Ford said. "We're going to play our hardest and give everything we got no matter where we are on the field or what the score is."

Ford, a first-year player, turned in the best game of his young career -- seven tackles and three pass break-ups.

However, his biggest impact came on the offensive side of the ball. He rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on eight carries, and had five catches for 65 yards and another TD.

"He's starting to put it together," CBA head coach Steve Brooks said. "He's still learning the game of football. But he's no longer one dimensional. Now he can run, he can catch, he can block. He can do a lot of different things for us."

The two county rivals excelled in the passing game.

CBA senior quarterback TJ Morrow threw for 250 yards and four touchdowns on 12 completions. He utilized pump fakes to make Goldsboro's defensive backs bite and then get beat on deep routes. Five of Morrow's completions covered 20 or more yards.

Absent a consistent ground attack, the Cougars got a career-best, 267-yard effort from sophomore signal caller Nashir Bowden. He attempted 48 passes and did not throw an interception.

"Nashir played the best he's played all season," Johnson said. "I thought he was great and made good decisions and put the ball where he needed it to be."

Johnson addressed a Cougars huddle that was noticeably hurt after the loss. He assured them he's not giving up on them and they shouldn't let the loss get them too down.

"I know I'm going to sleep well tonight," Johnson said. "These guys played well and they're getting better every week, and they're working harder than anybody out there."