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CONCORD — Umpire Elwood Greene and his crew of referees accomplished what Jay Robinson High couldn’t for more than three quarters on Friday night.
They shut down Cal Hayes Jr.
Hayes, who started at quarterback for East Rowan, rushed 27 times for a county-record 344 yards before he was thrown out of the game with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs found a way to hold on anyway, winning
29-21 in a contest that included a combined 38 penalties.
“We come into this place, the kids never got a chance to settle this ball game,” infuriated East coach Tom Eanes said after watching his team get called for 29 penalties worth 306 yards.
“The black and white settled the ball game, and that’s not the way it’s going to be. I will call the (NCHSAA), I don’t care what the association has to say, it’s the biggest travesty I have ever seen to a group of kids.”
Hayes did have quite an impact before the referees removed him from the contest with the Mustangs (3-5) clinging to an eight-point lead. He caught a 46-yard pass from Drew Davis, which was called back for holding.
Hayes was also whistled for a personal foul after the play. He said he was just trying to protect himself from a Robinson defender.
“I was getting up, the guy tried to hit me in the face, and Iblocked it,” said Hayes, who wasn’t sure which Bulldog he scrapped with.“Then he punched me in the chest. That’s crazy, I got thrown out of a game for self-defense.”
Eanes said the officials wouldn’t tell him if Hayes or Travis Seigle, who was also thrown out, would be able to play next Friday.
Said Hayes,“Whether I play next week or not, I’ll be back the next week. That’s just going to make me want to play even more.”
That could be a scary thought considering what Hayes accomplished on Friday night. He had four rushing touchdowns that counted, plus two that were called back for penalties. Hayes also had a 41-yard halfback pass for a touchdown brought back.
Hayes rushed on 20 of the Mustangs’ 28 plays in the first half alone for a total of 240 yards.
“The line was blocking good tonight,I was seeing the field real well,”Hayes said. “It was awesome tonight.”
Hayes scored on a 56-yard run up the middle on East’s first possession, and he ran in from 8 yards out on its third series to put the Mustangs ahead 15-0.
Hayes later followed up with two amazing runs that killed the momentum of the salivating Bulldogs (1-7), who had closed to within 15-13 with 1:47 left in the half.
The Mustangs, facing a third-and-8 from their own 26, were whistled for holding with 15.6 seconds left. After the Mustangs retreated 11 yards, they let the final seconds of the first half tick away.
But the officials ruled that the half can’t end on an offensive penalty that is accepted, not declined, by the defense. East had to run one more play from its own 15 even though no time remained on the clock, and Hayes innocently went up the middle for a quarterback sneak.
Hayes had a plan the whole time, though.He suddenly emerged from a crowded pack 5 yards from the line of scrimmage and raced down the right sideline for an 85-yard score.
“Right before the play, I told (fullback) Jacob Moore, ‘I’m going to bust this up the middle,’ ” Hayes said.
East, now leading 22-13, got the ball to start the second half and Hayes danced 70 yards for another touchdown on the Mustangs’ second snap.
Hayes got in 24 carries as a quarterback before Davis replaced him at the position with 5:10 left in the third quarter. Hayes didn’t mind the change back to A-back.
“I like it better running from the A-back, it’s too much to remember at quarterback,”Hayes said. “You have to remember way too much, I don’t see how Drew does it.”
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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com
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