By Bruce Wehrle
sports@salisburypost.com
LEXINGTON ó Monday’s assignment for Lexington’s pass defense ought to be writing thank you notes to North Rowan’s hapless offense.
The Yellow Jackets picked off five ó count ’em, folks, five ó passes in an ugly but confidence-building 29-0 victory over Tasker Fleming’s Cavaliers in non-conference action Friday night at Philpott Stadium.
Two of those passes were intercepted and returned for touchdowns 15 seconds apart by linebacker Quandarious Crump early in the fourth period. That broke apart what was up until then a penalty-laced 14-0 yawner.
Unfortunately for Crump, he was flagged for taunting after his second TD and was removed from the game.
His first return came off a pass in the flat by QB Jesse Rudisell at the Jacket 30 with 11:51 left in the fourth period. A botched PAT attempt turned into a scrambling two-point conversion when holder Daryin Medley found Codie Boger in the end zone for a 22-0 lead.
On North’s first play of its next possession, Crump intercepted a flare by quarterback O’Shaun West and returned it 32 yards for a score with 11:36 on the clock.
“Oh, man,” said Lexington coach Chris Deal. “I’ve never scored on two plays in a row within 15 seconds.
“And we’ve really been trying to score on defense and that was a big one for us. We really needed that. It was a good time for it, you know?”
Lexington scored in the first period when quarterback Al Challenger found receiver Coty Burke for a 25-yard TD strike on which Burke caught the ball in the far corner of the end zone for a nifty, tight-rope reception.
Then, in the second period, Challenger connected with Boger on a 17-yard TD pass to cap a short 36-yard drive that took on three plays to convert.
Given last week’s 31-7 loss in a last-period debacle to High Point Central, Deal was pleased with the Jackets’ performance ó to a point.
“The kids needed a win, obviously,” said Deal. “But I’m excited and I think our kids are excited.
“I thought we played well defensively, although we gave up a couple plays that we didn’t like, but I also thought we stepped up when we needed to and made some big plays. We’re pretty physical defensively.
“But we’ve got to get better and continue to get better.”
North Rowan coach Tasker Fleming ó the former head coach at North Davidson ó is trying to solve an offense that is a puzzle. Starting quarterback Hunter Feezor didn’t have any answers, nor did Rudisell and West.
“You can see our quarterback woes,” said Fleming, whose team slipped to 0-3 for the season. “We’re trying to bring two quarterbacks along that have no experience on varsity.
“They made mistakes that were very costly and generated 15 points for the other team.
“We were able to move the ball, but we just didn’t finish,” Fleming said.
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NOTES: North Rowan QBs were a combined 2-21-5 for 58 yards. … Both teams combined for 20 penalties for a total of 160 yards. … Lexington, 3-1 overall, visits North Davidson on Friday.