FOOTBALL --Goldsboro hammers Spring Creek, eyes playoff bid

By Justin Hayes
Published in Sports on October 28, 2017 8:52 PM

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It was over in a hurry.

Goldsboro High, led by the hashmark-collecting prowess of junior tailback Xzavior Bowden, opened in blistering fashion on Friday versus East Central 2-A foe Spring Creek, scoring 28 points in a medley relay-inspired first quarter, then methodically marching to a 62-0 victory before a spirited crowd at Cougar Stadium.

The triumph moved GHS to 5-5 on the season, and 2-3 in league play.

Bowden was electric from the outset, scoring on runs of 47 and three yards in an opening six minutes defined by a deafening senior night crowd and quirky, out-of-character Cougar offensive formations.

Goodbye, power set.

Hello, organized chaos.

"I knew if we came out in the T, they were going to stack the box," GHS head coach Elvin James noted after his team's spirited post-game huddle. "So our thing was, spread the offense and try to get one-on-one competition... athlete on athlete. That would give Bowden an opportunity to get through."

And so too, everyone else.

In addition to No. 12 -- who would score the opening stanza's final touchdown give the Cougars a 35-point advantage -- the hosts got hard-charging efforts from Darius Rodgers and JB Rhodes, who matched up with down and distance to rush for 51 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the evening.

In total, the Goldsboro offense lined up eight different players in its backfield, utilized three different signal-callers and had four players haul in touchdown passes -- including a 15-yard laser from starter Brody Morton to Stephane Pognon and a game-ending, 57-yard strike from freshman Jamin Jacobs to Alex Chavez -- an effort that prompted an emotional, sideline-wide celebration.

Done and done.

The GHS effort, a proper blend of fundamentals and power, also produced something beyond a lopsided scoreboard -- a win-and-get-in playoff scenario ahead of next week's trip to league opponent  Midway.

"That will be the test," James noted.

Bowden finished the affair with 20 carries, 279 rushing yards and five touchdowns, bringing him to 1,863 yards for the season.

Terrell Valentine continued his stellar play in the Cougar secondary, anchoring an intense, all-hats-rally-to-the ball defensive effort with a pair of interceptions. He now has four on the season.

The setback moved Spring Creek to 3-7 this fall, son, and winless in East Central 2-A matters.