BY JAY SPIVEY

Winston-Salem Journal

PFAFFTOWN – Reagan looked down and out early in the fourth quarter, but a last-second 51-

yard field goal attempt by Isaiah Anthony missed wide left to give No. 12 Kannapolis Brown a 35-32

win over No. 5 Reagan in the first round of the NCHSAA Class 4-A playoffs.

“I’m proud of the effort,” coach Josh McGee of Reagan (8-4) said. “It’s what our program stands

for. “We believe in playing with relentless effort and playing for 48 minutes or as long as it takes.

Our guys did that tonight. My heart breaks for these guys, especially our seniors. I’m proud to be

their coach.”

Trey Sullivan, who pitched in for starting quarterback Ben Skradski after Skradski sprained his

ankle with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, took over with the Raiders down 35-32 at their

own 24 with 1:18 left. Nine plays later, Sullivan threw it 19 yards to Charlie Rhoades to the

Wonders’ 33 with 2.5 seconds left.

Anthony helped the Raiders trim it to 35-32 after he caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from

Sullivan with 3:30 left. With no timeouts left, Sullivan quickly got to the line and spiked the ball with

1.1 seconds left.

“We’re always going to fight because we’re trying to give ourselves a chance,” Anthony said of

the field-goal attempt. “I’m always prepared for something like that.”

McGee said he wouldn’t have wanted to have been in Anthony’s position, trying to tie the game

with a 51-yard field goal attempt.

“It was a little wide left, but what a great effort,” McGee said. “That’s a 51-yard field goal. I don’t

know if I could kick a 10-yard field goal.”

Sullivan held the ball for Anthony and said he full confidence that he would make the field goal.

“I think he’s the best kicker in the state,” Sullivan said. “I thought he was going to make it, but he

didn’t.”

The Wonders (10-2) took a 35-17 after JaQuerius Bost scored on a 6-yard run and an extra point

by Nate Williams with 11:39. Running back Sandon McCoy led the Wonders with 243 yards on 23

carries and two touchdowns.

“No, I did not (think it was going to come down to a field-goal attempt,” McCoy said. “I kept saying

I had to run even harder.”

Coach Mike Newsome of the Wonders said he wasn’t surprised the Raiders came back. Brown

will now play at No. 4 South Caldwell, which defeated No. 13 High Point Central 35-28, in next

week’s second round.

“They score too fast for you not to think that,” Newsome said. “I said the whole time on the

sideline that we were getting a little excited. We were getting a little happy, and you can’t against a

team that scores with the ball as much as they do.”

McGee said the Raiders you have to play your best in the playoffs.

“You’ve got to bring you’re A game in order to advance, and we didn’t quite bring our A game

tonight,” McGee said. “But we brought a game that was full of effort and pride, and again, just

proud.”

A.L. Brown;7;21;0;7;–;35

Reagan;7;10;0;15;–;32

ALB – Mahatha 7 run (Williams kick)

R – Skradski 44 run (Anthony kick)

R – Anthony 32 FG

ALB – Harris 66 pass from Johnson (Williams kick)

R – Sullivan 51 (Anthony kick)

ALB – McCoy 32 run (Williams kick)

ALB – McCoy 1 run (Williams kick)

ALB – Bost 6 run (Williams run)

R – Anthony 25 pass from Sullivan (Carter pass from Sullivan)

R – Anthony 81 pass from Sullivan (Anthony kick)