Hawks slip past Saints on gridiron

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on September 13, 2014 11:27 PM

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La GRANGE -- Qwyshon Rhem's two-point conversion run proved to be the difference as North Lenoir turned back Southern Wayne, 16-14, at Bullock Field on Friday evening.

The Hawks' Donyae Hopkins broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown run less than half a minute after the Saints grabbed a 14-8 lead with 5:13 left in regulation. Rhem's decisive finish gave North Lenoir its 10th regular-season non-conference win since 2008.

"I thought we came out flat in the first half," SW head coach David Lee said. "We picked it up after halftime, but made too many mistakes. Our players battled right up to the end of the game, we just have to cut down on turnovers and penalties if we want to get into the win column."

North Lenoir (1-3 overall) struck first barely two minutes into the opening quarter. Stephon Swinson rambled in from 5 yards out and the Hawks' conversion run failed.

The Saints (1-3) surrendered a safety and eventually entered halftime down 8-0.

Tyaire Allen, who replaced an injured Jacob Hollingsworth at quarterback, hooked up with Marquail Roddick on a 23-yard touchdown pass with seven-plus minutes left in the third. Allen's conversion run knotted the contest at 8-8.

Manny Walker put Southern Wayne ahead 14-8 on a 23-yard TD run, but the conversion attempt failed.

Allen ended the night with 85 yards rushing and 82 passing. Walker paced the Saints' ground attack with a team-best 95 yards on 12 totes. Walker hauled in three passes for 59 yards.

Southern Wayne returns to action Friday at Cleveland, while North Lenoir visits winless East Duplin.