Prep notebook: Bowden growing up in GHS offense

By Staff Reports
Published in Sports on November 3, 2014 1:49 PM

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After Goldsboro quarterback Nashir Bowden dropped back and rolled to his left to throw a 29-yard touchdown to Joe Baker, Cougars head coach Bennett Johnson called him to the sideline and talked to him about taking a simple three-step drop in rhythm and throwing the ball.

Sometimes Bowden is just as dangerous on the run -- especially to his left.

"It's kind of different being better going left as a right-hander, but I feel that way sometimes," Bowden said. "It's hard to see over the line because I'm short, so when I roll out I can see everything and just -- vroom -- let it go."

Bowden's first two touchdowns came when he was on the run. Johnson wasn't complaining about the scores, but he wants his junior signal caller to continue to develop.

"I'm a really big fan of rhythm and throwing to receivers right out of their breaks, so that's what I was talking to him about," Johnson said. "He has the ability to run around and throw receivers open though, and he did a really good job of both tonight."

Bowden later proved to Johnson that he can be a pocket passer as well when he took a three-step drop and hit Baker in stride for a 90-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Bidding farewell

PIKEVILLE -- A bright red rose in hand, Charles B. Aycock's seniors lined up near the goal posts.

Their teams formed two lines for a "tunnel" and each senior walked through when his name was announced. Second-year head coach Steve Brooks greeted each with a hug and sent them toward midfield to greet their parents.

About 10 minutes later, 22 seniors dressed in their home powder-blue jerseys drew a round of applause for their contributions to the program.

They'll don the uniform at least one more time since the Golden Falcons (4-7 overall) have qualified for the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A football playoffs, which begin Nov. 14.

Let's hit it

Johnson radioed the booth and called a basic run play up the middle.

"I want to hit one of these," he said.

Rayvonne Barnes got the ball and ran for a short gain.

The Cougars waited a few plays before they took another shot up the middle. This time Jayln Moore took it 48 yards to the house.

Johnson got his wish.

"I knew they were stacking the box to stop the run, but you can't just abandoned the run, either," Johnson said. "I knew if we just cracked through the first line we would break one, that's how many guys they had up. There were no safeties.

"I told our guys keep plugging and eventually we'll break one, and that's what happened."

Brooks at 500 yards

WARSAW -- James Kenan's John Brooks caught one pass for 30 yards in his lowest yardage total of the season.

But the reception made him the area's sixth receiver to go over the 500-yard plateau for the season. He has 527 yards and seven touchdowns.

Greg Washington leads the team with 662 yards and 11 TDs.

Battling back

PIKEVILLE -- Eastern Wayne, for the second straight week, spotted its opponent an early advantage.

The Warriors tied the game at 14-14 on a halfback option pass just before halftime. A third-quarter explosion continued a 40-point outburst that included some big plays -- a key facet of Eastern Wayne's offense.

Penalties, mainly the 15-yard variety, helped keep a couple of Aycock possessions alive. In turn, the Golden Falcons received a few 15-yard flags of their own that almost turned the county clash into a free-for-all.

The teams did not shake hands after the game.