Shocking finish gives James Kenan win over Princeton

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 27, 2014 11:34 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- James Kenan head football coach Ken Avent Jr. looked toward good friend Danny Blackburn and asked, "what just happened?"

What just happened?

How about an unbelievable stunning finish that left a standing-room-only crowd and two state-ranked teams emotionally exhausted? The No. 3-ranked Tigers erased a 10-point deficit in the final two-plus minutes and escaped Harvey Brooks Field with a 26-23 triumph over the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs.

This Carolina 1-A Conference battle goes into the classic file.

Bottled up most of the night by an inspired and physical Princeton defense, James Kenan (4-1 overall, 1-0 CC) caught two lucky breaks in the fourth quarter. The first, a botched snap on a routine punt, set up the Tigers on a short field which to led Greg Washington's 9-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Ken Avent III.

Everyone knew what was coming next.

The Bulldogs put their "hands" team on the field in anticipation of an onside kick. The Tigers' Max Hernandez executed it perfectly and teammate Jaquan Williams recovered the loose ball just millimeters past the midfield stripe.

"All you have to do is recover it," PHS head coach Derrick Minor said. "We had our 'hands' team out there, couldn't have drawn up a better scenario and we just froze ... let the ball go 10 yards, maybe ... but you can't leave it that close.

"Somebody has to step up and go get the ball."

Working with 97 seconds and half the length of the field, Avent III directed the Tigers on their most-memorable drive of the season. Williams ripped off a 7-yard run and Avent III hooked up with Khalil Savage on a 29-yard pass down the right sideline.

As precious time ticked away, Williams bowled his way to the 5-yard line. Avent III called his number again and Williams answered with another 5-yard run -- the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds to go.

"In my mind I knew I could score and I was doing it for the team," said Williams, who ended the night with a hard-earned 69 yards on 14 carries. "We were down by three and told coach I was going to push it in for him, and I did."

Kenan improved to 7-0 all-time against Princeton and remained perfect in its last 14 conference outings.

But the Bulldogs seemed destined to claim the program's first signature win since the Brooks-Mike Atkinson era. Down 6-3, Florida State commit Johnny Frasier broke four tackles on a second-quarter, 65-yard touchdown jaunt that rejuvenated the Princeton faithful.

The teams traded third-quarter TDs -- a Savage 50-yard gallop with Michael Wooten's 40-yard bomb to Malcolm Best, a pass that was nearly intercepted by the Tigers' Greg Washington on the Princeton sideline.

Kenan punted on its next offensive series. Five plays later, Wooten scrambled in from the 3 to give the Bulldogs a 23-13 advantage with 2:46 left in the game.

"Our offense looked sputtered, but once we got going, figured out kind of what they were doing, we responded the whole time," said Minor, whose team piled up 439 yards of total offense, including a 209-yard rushing performance from Frasier.

"I'm proud of their heart and effort early on, and the belief that they could win. The guys never doubted that they could come back."

Neither did Avent III.

"There was a lot of pressure in the last quarter," said Avent III, who threw for 252 yards on 15 completions. "We just do like we normally do and everything just worked out right. You couldn't ask for it to end any better."