Goldsboro stays alive in playoff hunt with win over North Lenoir
By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on November 1, 2014 11:10 PM
aetzler@newsargus.com
The only thing that could stop Joe Baker Friday night was his pants.
And they almost got him ejected.
Baker, who prefers to wear his pants and knee pads a little shorter than most so he can bend at the joint, was told from the referee on Goldsboro's first drive that he had to get his pants below his knees or he wouldn't be able to play.
So, he came off the field for a play to get the pads and pants taped to stay below his knee.
"Man that was real uncomfortable," Baker said. "Usually the refs work with me on them, but tonight I guess they got tired of it."
It couldn't have been that bad.
Baker torched the North Lenoir secondary for 179 yards, three touchdowns and intercepted three passes on defense to lead Goldsboro to a 41-28 win against their Eastern Carolina 2-A foe and keep their playoff hopes alive.
"Vital," Baker said simply. "That's the only word to describe this game. Vital. We needed this. We had to win this game."
Baker's biggest play came on the first play of the fourth quarter. Goldsboro was backed up on its own 10-yard line, facing third-and-20 and clinging to a six-point lead.
Head coach Bennett Johnson and Nashir Bowden knew North Lenoir had been stacking the box against the run and that there might have a chance to beat the Hawks with a pass. Baker ran a wheel route down the sideline and Bowden hit him in stride for a 90-yard touchdown to break open the game.
"I knew they were going to be in man and they had guys to stop the run (up) all game, so once I heard he checked it from the sideline I was like 'ding, ding, ding,'" Bowden said. "All I had to do was make the throw and I knew it would work."
Two weeks ago, the Cougars found themselves in a similar situation. They weren't able to hit a big play and watched a big lead slip away in a loss to Kinston.
"That play probably won the game tonight," Johnson said. "Even on third-and-20 they had no safety help. Luckily, Joe got good separation on the route and Nashir put the ball on the money and the rest is history."
Bowden said he mentioned to the team at halftime that the Kinston game was in the past and that it wasn't going to happen again. Bowden made sure it didn't by leading a potent offense and consistently extending plays with his feet.
Baker called the game one of the best in his four-year career, but he wasn't the only one who played some of his football. Bowden, the junior quarterback, was as accurate as he has been all season -- completing 10 of 14 passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
Without Bowden, Baker didn't get nearly the numbers he had.
"Without (Bowden) I'm just out there running routes," Baker said. "He's putting the ball right there to make me look good, I'm trying to make him look good. But he's most definitely 75 percent of the equation."
North Lenoir may have scored 27 points, but it committed four turnovers that led to 14 Cougars points. Hawks quarterback Zach Turner completed as many passes to Baker as he did to his favorite receiver -- three. Turner was 4-of-12 passing for 80 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Donyae Hopkins led the team with 151 yards rushing, 75 receiving yards and one touchdown.
The Cougars grinded out 231 yards on the ground, led by Rayvonne Barnes' 113 yards and a touchdown. Jayln Moore added 62 yards and a score.
Taylin Davis caught a 17-yard score from Bowden.