SPENCER— Alfonzo Miller could have finished Friday night with four rushing touchdowns.
Miller got his four scores, but he had to settle for two through the air instead.
Miller had two rushing TDs called back for clipping Friday night, but the North Rowan offense didn’t suffer as the Cavaliers defeated West Rowan 26-14 at Eagle Stadium.
“They got me, they got me on that,”Miller said. “It was a little bull.”
Miller rushed 16 times for 140 yards and completed
10-of-17 passes for 211 yards in the victory for North (2-1).
Miller appeared to open the scoring with a 15-yard jaunt into the endzone early in the first quarter. But a clipping penalty near the goalline — and behind Miller — moved the ball back to the 17.
Miller completed a swing pass to Jeremiah Cauthen on the next play, and Cauthen raced down the right sideline for the score.
“(Miller) said, ‘We’re going to take it to the endzone on the very next play,’” said North tight end James House, who had two catches for 34 yards.
“Everybody believes in him in the huddle. Nobody doubted him.”
Miller, who had a 2-yard TD run with 8:04 left in the half, had a sensational 54-yard scoring run later in the second quarter.
But it too was called back.
Miller rolled left, side-stepped a defender at the West 40, sprinted down the left sideline, then cut back across the field to find paydirt.
But another clipping penalty, along with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, moved the ball back to the Falcon 37.
Miller hit Cauthen with another TD pass six plays later, this one from 23 yards out to put North ahead 20-7 going into the half.
Miller capped off his all-around evening with a game-sealing 5-yard TD run with 5:06 left in the game to put North ahead 26-14.
“Alfonzo was phenomenal, don’t take anything away from that kid,” West coach Scott Young said. “Alfonzo’s what makes that team go.”
West (1-2) managed to make the game very interesting in the second half. The Falcons controlled the ball during the third quarter and got within 20-14 on a 3-yard score by Ben Hampton.
The North Rowan offense was limited to four plays for minus-7 yards in the third quarter, but the Cav defense came up with a big helping hand.
West Rowan got inside the North 34 on all four of its second-half possessions, but the Cavalier defense stopped the Falcons three times on fourth down.
“We just have a lot of heart, we didn’t give up,” said House, who also had one sack.“We know we had to step up because defense wins championships.”
Said North coach Roger Secreast, “I think the kids just decided to buckle down and play. They decided they weren’t going to get beat.”
West Rowan got its offense clicking in the second half behind the play of Hampton and Gary Scott.
During the first half, Scott played 14 snaps at quarterback, and Hampton had 11. The two players combined to go 0-for-10 passing in the opening 20 minutes.
Scott played the entire second half behind center and Hampton moved mostly to tailback, and the results were better for West’s offense.
“Once we get our formations down and everything, I’ll be there permanent because when I’m under center, we can move the ball pretty good with Ben at running back,”Scott said. “He’s a hard runner.”
Hampton had eight carries in the second half for 34 yards and caught two passes for 7 yards. He finished the game with 85 yards on 17 carries.
Scott, who missed on all six of his throws in the first half, went 6-of-8 for 70 yards after the break. He rushed for 27 yards on eight carries.
“He stepped up so much,”Hampton said. “From when he was a sophomore playing for us until now, he’s showed us a lot. He’s out here trying to be a leader, and he does what he’s supposed to do. I’m proud of his effort.”
Scott almost matched Miller’s passing output in the second half.
Miller missed on his first two throws in the third quarter, but he got a hot hand and held it for the rest of the game. Miller was 6-of-9 for 115 yards after halftime.
He completed all four of his passes on the Cavaliers’ final scoring drive, including two for 27 yards to wideout Lamar Geter.
When North got the ball on its own 7 with 2:22 left, Miller was able to milk the clock and move the chains at the same time by putting the ball in the air.
With the Cavs facing a third-and-4 from their own 13, Miller sprinted to the right and threw a lob pass straight down the sideline to a Jerome Allison for 51 yards. North had a fourth-and-6 from the Falcon 32 four plays later, but Miller hit House with an 18-yard gain.
“They’re getting open now,” Miller said of his receivers with a laugh. “I had some moves when I was at wide receiver. I had to teach them a little step move.”
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Notes: North Rowan kicker Kevin Rutherford was sick Friday and missed school. He also missed the Cavaliers game
West took advantage in the first half, when Brandon Baily had a 41-yard kick return in the first quarter.
“Without our kicker, it changes things,” Secreast said. “We sure need him back.”...
The Cavs used squib kicks in the second half, which gave West Rowan good field position throughout the last two quarters.
Young said North wasn’t afraid to give his team the ball with a short field.
“They had absolutely no respect for our offense, that’s why they were squib kicking it,”Young said. “That tells you we’ve got to improve as an offense.”...
Young was pleased with Scott’s play in the second half, but he wasn’t sure if Scott improved his play that much. He said West’s receivers did a better job of catching the ball.
“I do like what Ben gave us at tailback, and I do like some of the things that Gary gave us at quarterback,” Young said. “Gary did a lot of things that have to get better before we can be satisfied.”...
Hampton missed three plays in the second quarter after suffering from dehydration.
He had an 8-yard quarterback draw with 6:49 left in the half and walked off the field after the play.
Hampton got most of his work from the tailback slot, where he had 11 runs for 48 yards
“I like running back because it frees up the offense to do a lot more as far as the whole offensive scheme.
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Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com
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