Prep notebook: Britt's wish answered: Eagles break big plays

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on September 22, 2014 1:34 PM

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DEEP RUN -- Throughout the week, Rosewood head varsity football coach Robert Britt stressed the importance of starting quick and breaking big plays since South Lenoir liked to control the tempo.

Britt seems like a prophet now.

The Eagles' first touchdown occurred on Mike Woodard's 51-yard run. James Madison University commit Tyree Chavious sealed out the outside, Woodard cut back and blew past the Blue Devils' final defender to the end zone.

The back-breaking play came in the fourth quarter.

Clinging to a 20-12 lead and facing 4th-and-3 from the South Lenoir 43, Britt elected to go for it on fourth down. Quarterback Cameron Helt calmly stayed in the pocket and fired a pass downfield that turned into a 40-yard reception by Quan Joyner.

Two plays later, Woodard followed Chavious into the end zone from five yards out.

The 91 yards accounted for nearly half of Rosewood's 197-yard offensive output on the night.

"Coach Britt said they were going come off (the line) and hit us in the mouth to start with. On pass plays, I was going to have to catch and throw, and get it out on either a two- or three-step drop and let it fly," said Helt, who completed 8 of 10 passes for 111 yards.

Marquee game

PRINCETON -- Two of the state's top five teams meet Friday evening at Harvey Brooks Field.

No. 2-ranked and unbeaten Princeton (5-0 overall) plays host to once-beaten and defending 1-AA state champion James Kenan. Kenan won both meetings in shootout fashion last season.

The Bulldogs have put a balanced offensive attack on the field season. The Tigers, a traditional run-oriented team, have used the airways to take apart of the opposition this season.

Which team will impose its will on the other?

You better get to Princeton early for this season. School officials are anticipating a standing-room-only crowd.

Strong league, again

As the halfway point approaches in the high school football season, the Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conferenc continues to show its strength on Friday nights.

Four teams -- J.H. Rose, New Bern, Eastern Wayne and South Central -- are a combined 18-0. D.H. Conley has one loss, while Charles B. Aycock has two.

Eastern Wayne, which is seeking its second straight 5-0 start this week, has the league's top-scoring defense. The Warriors have allowed just 7.75 points a contest.

Rose has the best-scoring offense at 50 points a game.

ECC 2A outlook

With much-needed bye weeks approaching, the Eastern Carolina 2-A Conference -- for the second straight year -- is finding life tough outside of league play.

All six teams are on the opposite side of the winning ledger. Kinston, Ayden-Grifton and South Lenoir have scratched out two wins apiece.

Greene Central, a preseason favorite to challenge A-G for the ECC championship, is 1-4. The Rams, along with Goldsboro, have yet to emerge victorious at home this season.