FOOTBALL -- Beddingfield @ Goldsboro

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 21, 2016 1:48 AM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

Beddingfield head Tyrone Johnson insisted that someone from his staff didn't infiltrate the Goldsboro High coaching office and steal the team's offensive playbook.

Then again, the same could be said about GHS.

One thing is for sure. The Cougars and Bruins looked solid on defense, but their respective offenses have plenty of questions -- but not enough answers -- about their respective performances.

The teams combined for 13 turnovers as Beddingfield triumphed 27-6 in ragged fashion at Cougar Stadium on Friday evening.

"Just ugly stuff," Johnson said. "It's like I told our guys, this is just one game. We can't wallow in pity. We've got to work our way out of it. I believe our guys will. I have a lot of confidence in this group that you won't see a showing like that again from us."

Goldsboro managed just 19 yards of total offense on 38 plays against a Beddingfield defense that had strong linemen, and even quicker linebackers who displayed their speed and ability to get into the backfield. They constantly harassed and sacked quarterback Zxavior Bowden for three huge chunks of lost yardage in the first half.

The running backs didn't have much fortune, either. The Bruins closed the gaps and clogged up the middle as the Cougars struggled to get their Wing-T offense in gear.

Beddingfield recorded 11 plays that resulted in either zero or negative yardage, and forced seven turnovers -- six fumbles and one interception. The Cougars logged just two first downs -- an offsides infraction and roughing the quarterback flag.

"That's what we do," BHS head coach Tyrone Johnson said. "We're an aggressive defense, we're going to attack the line of scrimmage, we're going to try to bring more than you can block and hope we can get there.

"I'm happy for the defense playing well."

Johnson praised his defense.

Goldsboro limited the Bruins to 116 yards of total offense and registered 18 plays that resulted in either zero or lost yardage. The Cougars induced the visitors into six turnovers -- four fumbles and a pair of interceptions by Ronnie Tookes.

The unit managed to keep the game close despite working on short fields all evening. Beddingfield converted just two of five red-zone possessions.

"Our defense is playing way, way, way too well for us to put them in that situation offensively," Johnson said. "It's not a lack of heart. It's not a lack of effort. It was just truly a lack of execution tonight and that's on me as a coach. We will get better."

Beddingfield scored on a 25-yard fumble return, a 27-yard punt return, a 4-yard passing play and 15-yard run from scrimmage.

Goldsboro averted the shutout on Bowden's 1-yard plunge with 3:46 remaining in regulation.

Some notes from the game:

TWO NUMBERS

* Beddingfield is 4-0 all-time against Goldsboro.

The Cougars were 2-for-10 on third-down conversion attempts and lost their seventh straight season-opening game.

'UNCLE TYRONE'

* The Beddingfield-Goldsboro matchup is an extension of pupil vs. mentor who consider each other family.

In fact, Bennett Johnson refers to his former coach as "Uncle Tyrone."

"Bennett has been my nephew all his life," said a slimmed-down version of Tyrone Johnson. "We're family. I'm pulling for him. I didn't want to see his team look like that and I didn't want to see my team look like that. He knows he's got a lot of work to do, and I do, too."

STAY POSITIVE

* Coaches outside the Goldsboro locker room reminded their players to come back Monday ready to work.

"We can't go undefeated, but all of our goals are still front of us," Johnson said. "We got beat by a good team. Do I think they were better than us? Not so much.

"But it comes down to execution and that's one thing we didn't do a very good job of offensively tonight."

Goldsboro's possession time hovered around 12 minutes -- one-fourth of a regulation high-school football game.

WHO'S NEXT

* Goldsboro has to forget this game and prepare for the first of three consecutive contests against county rivals beginning next week when Eastern Wayne invades Cougar Stadium.

Johnson is 1-1 against the Warriors.

After the EW battle, the Cougars travel to Southern Wayne on Sept. 2 and visit C.B. Aycock on Sept. 9.