North falls in key CCC game

Published 2:15 am Saturday, October 31, 2015

By Carlton Hurt

Lexington Dispatch

THOMASVILLE – One season near the bottom of the conference standings was one too many for Thomasville’s storied football program.

The Bulldogs, winners of a single league game in 2014, continued their climb back to the top of the Central Carolina Conference Friday night with a physical and emotional 17-7 victory over North Rowan at Cushwa Stadium.

DJ Spann, all 5-foot-7, 165 pounds of him, ran for an incredibly tough 111 yards, and Thomasville’s defense bottled up a Cavs offense that scored 58 points a week ago to run its winning streak to six games.

“Obviously, this feels good and I am happy for our players,” said first-year Thomasville head coach Gil Maxwell, whose club (now 4-0 in the CCC, 7-3 overall) clinched at least a share of the league championship. “This is a major accomplishment for these guys. We bounced back from some of the things we went through last season and they have bought in to what we are trying to teach them.”

Thomasville scored 10 first-quarter points and basically made that stand up in a game that required an extra buckle on the chin strap, minimal big plays and continuous third-and-long situations by both teams.

The Bulldogs’ defense yielded a scoring drive to North Rowan on the opening series of the third quarter, which shaved the lead to 10-7, but very little else.

“We worked hard this week not to give up the big plays,” said defensive back Jahare Taylor-Thomas. “We knew this was going to be a tough game. We had that (slim) lead and we just knew if we could get one more score, the game would be over.”

Taylor-Thomas’ wish came true with 4:07 left in the final quarter. Jalen Jenkins’ 1-yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown gave the home team the cushion it needed. With field position at a premium, Thomasville started its game-clinching drive at its own 46. A crucial pass interference call on North Rowan helped the Bulldogs convert a third-and-nine situation. Spann also had a 17-yard run during the drive, his second longest of the game, as Thomasville chewed up more than five minutes off the clock.

“This game was about field position, physicality and hope,” said Thomasville linebacker Melvin Lurry.

The Bulldogs capped their opening drive with a 31-yard field goal by Brian Martinez. Then on Thomasville’s next possession, the only big play of the game occurred. Jenkins found wideout Tyquan Anderson on a simple go route that covered 43 yards and a score. Anderson ran right past the North Rowan cornerback and hauled in the somewhat wobbly pass to help his team forge ahead, 10-0.

The Cavs tried to swing momentum early in the third quarter. A 13-play, 65-yard drive ended with Jayden Jones’ short 1-yard TD run. Jacob Young’s PAT cut the deficit to just 10-7.

But the rally was short-lived. North Rowan didn’t register a first down for the rest of the game.

“We just didn’t take care of business on the offensive side of the ball,” said Cavs coach Ben Hampton, whose team dipped to 3-1 in the CCC, 4-6 overall. “We knew coming into the game we were not going to be able to outrun Thomasville. We had to get north and south and not run east and west. You just can’t go side to side against these guys. My hats off to Thomasville, they played a physical game.”

Maxwell heaped praise on a defense that gave up just 144 total yards.

“Hey, they’ve been doing that all year,” Maxwell said. “We got a little early momentum with that 10-0 lead. Then we took their best shot on that drive to start the second half. I was just thinking hang on. We got some first downs and broke their momentum a little bit. What an effort by our defense. And DJ, well he showed his toughness tonight. He earned all his yards.”

Notes: Thomasville recognized 21 seniors for Senior Night prior to the game. …Michael Streater had an interception for North Rowan and Thomasville’s Rajast Mouton had a pick in the end zone to squelch a Cavs drive early in the second quarter. …North Rowan welcomes Salisbury next Friday while Thomasville travels to Lexington, which is also now 3-1 in the league after its win over East Davidson Friday. The possibility of a three-way tie for the CCC championship is very much in play. “It’s going to be a huge game,” said Maxwell. “Us and Lexington, there’s not a whole lot more you have to say.”