Prep notebook: Richards, area's top receiver, makes key big play

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on September 29, 2014 1:48 PM

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Eastern Wayne's Malik Richards entered the week as the area's leading receiver.

South Central's Shawn Furlow, who committed to East Carolina, held the senior receiver to just one grab -- a 44-yard touchdown pass from KK Best. There wasn't a single defender within Richards on the play.

"I ran a fly (route) and think he bit on a cross," Richards said. "I was so open I didn't know how to catch if I should use my hands or my chest or what."

Been there, done that

PRINCETON -- Jaquan Williams didn't forget James Kenan's fourth-quarter collapse against county archrival Wallace-Rose Hill in week two of regular-season play.

He didn't want a repeat against Princeton.

One of the Tigers' several two-way starters, a weary Williams turned in two of the game's biggest plays -- he recovered an onside kick in the fourth quarter, which ironically, eventually led to his game-winning 5-yard touchdown run.

"We said after we lost against Wallace, it's time to come back and eat," Williams said. "There are no more losses for us."

Bottled up

Eastern Wayne's defense held Furlow in check minus a 45-yard run and a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Warriors head coach Bubba Williams challenged his players during the week to get as many helmets to the football any time Furlow touched it, and they did that. But sometimes even that wasn't enough.

On South Central's first play from scrimmage, Furlow dragged five Warriors defenders an extra five yards to turn a short gain into a near first down.

"He's a hoss," junior KK Best said after the play. "I'll give him that."

Focus for 32, not 29

PRINCETON -- The final three minutes might not have defined Princeton's loss to James Kenan on Friday evening, but those 180 seconds certainly magnified a heart-breaking defeat before an estimated crowd of 2,000-plus fans.

The Dogs had a bad punt snap -- which hasn't happened all season. Then, the onside kick helped the Tigers cap a remarkable comeback.

"A lack of focus right there at the end when we needed it so bad," PHS head coach Derrick Minor said. "That was the game right there. If we get the ball, we're going to run the clock out ... ballgame (over)."

Lines still need work

Williams hasn't seen what he's hoped for from the offensive and defensive lines this season, and was hoping they'd clean up the penalties from two weeks ago against Greene Central.

They didn't.

The two units combined for nine penalties for 75 yards and struggled to open up holes for Eastern Wayne's rushers to make any kind of big plays.