FOOTBALL: Playoff-bound Warriors fall to J.H. Rose

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on November 13, 2016 9:40 AM

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Eastern Wayne is headed to the postseason despite dropping a 70-28 decision to Eastern Carolina 3-A/4-A Conference foe J.H. Rose in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The Warriors (4-6 overall, 2-4 ECC) gained the No. 1 berth from the 3-A portion of the split-classification after rival Charles B. Aycock had to vacate four wins. One was against Southern Wayne, which created a three-way tie among the 3-A teams.

EW advanced based on the best overall record.

"It's a bittersweet loss for our team, but knowing we can still move on to the playoffs erases the records on all schools (in the postseason)," Warriors head coach Tavares Oates said.

The Rampants, tri-champs of the ECC along with New Bern and D.H. Conley, raced out to a 21-point lead. The Warriors answered with a 21-point, game-tying outburst of their own before Rose took command.

The visitors answered with a back-breaking 49-7 surge.

"We started slow, but showed what we can do -- especially coming back (from) 21 (points) down to tie the game at 21-21," Oates said. "(I) couldn't be more happy from the production of our offense, especially Matt Askew-Betts."

The injury-riddled running back rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on runs of 56 and 28 yards on just 12 touches.

Quarterback Zeke Best completed 16 of 30 passes for 255 yards. He tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Alex Sharpless, who ended the night with 129 yards on eight receptions.