Prep Football: NC rallies to win Shrine Bowl

Published 12:56 am Sunday, December 18, 2016

Associated Press

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Jack Davidson’s touchdown pass to Thomas Hennigan with 20 seconds left helped North Carolina beat South Carolina 17-10 in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
West Rowan receiver Kortez Weeks and Davie QB Chris Reynolds played for the NC team.
The winning score was set up by a pass interference call on South Carolina that gave North Carolina a first down at the South Carolina 18.
“We were trying to go up top on them all day because they were showing us some man coverage,” Hennigan said. “I just happened to catch them off guard. It was a perfect throw, and I just happened to catch it when it meant the most.”
Hennigan, an Appalachian State commit, led North Carolina with six catches for 66 yards and the game-winning score. Larry Roundtree paced the Tarheels’ ground game with a game-high 87 yards on 17 carries.
South Carolina led for the first 45 minutes.
Davidson, of Myers Park High School, connected with Darius Pinnix (Western Alamance) on a 7-yard touchdown pass to giving the Tarheels new life at 10-10 with 14:45 to play. Davidson finished with 174 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-30 passing.
The Sandlappers led 10-0 behind a pair of first-quarter scores.
Kicker Henis Dawson (River Bluff) started the scoring with a 33-yard field goal early in the opening quarter after the South Carolina defense forced a fumble on the game’s opening drive and took over at the Tarheels 13.
South Carolina commmit Shiyun Smith (Union County) followed with a 43-yard touchdown catch from Jackson Williamson (Westside-Anderson) in the first quarter. Smith finished with five catches for 96 yards, both team highs.
But South Carolina was unable to muster much offense after the first quarter. The Tarheels outgained South Carolina 314-197 in total yards.
Despite out-gaining the Sandlappers by more than 100 yards in total offense, North Carolina struggled to find the end zone until the fourth quarter due in part to 11 penalties for 101 yards. South Carolina was flagged seven times for 70 yards.
South Carolina coach Phil Strickland (Newberry), who was unhappy about the pass-interference penalty that led to pivotal score, said he really didn’t expect a defensive struggle given the offensive talent on both squads.
“I thought both teams had enough offensive weapons to make more of a game out of it,” Strickland said. “It just goes to show you how good the defensive kids were.”

NC 17, SC 10

NC 0-3-0-14 — 17
SC 10-0-0-0 — 10

SCORING SUMMARY

FIRST

SC–Dawson Henis 33 yd field goal, 10:53

SC–Shiyun Smith 43 yd pass from Jackson Williamson (Dawson Henis kick), 5:36

SECOND

NC–Noah Giroux 39 yd field goal, 12:20

FOURTH

NC–Darius Pinnix, II 7 yd pass from Jack Davidson (Noah Giroux kick), 14:15

NC–Thomas Hennigan 18 yd pass from Jack Davidson (Noah Giroux kick), 0:20

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING: NC Larry Roundtree, III 17-87; Donshel Jetton 6-27; Christian Beal 5-23; Jack Davidson 2-18; Ken Avent 1-minus 2; Christopher Reynolds 3-minus 3; Caleb Farley 2-minus 4; Team 1-minus 6. SC Jackson Williamson 3-41; Jerry Howard, Jr. 11-31; Malik Brooks 2-9; Darius Douglas 2-3; Cameron Bent 1-2; Kirk Rygol 4-minus 12.

PASSING: NC Jack Davidson 16-30-0-174; Christopher Reynolds 0-1-0-0. SC Jackson Williamson 12-20-2-109; Kirk Rygol 3-3-0-14.

RECEIVING: NC Thomas Hennigan 6-66; Caleb Farley 3-45; Kortez Weeks 3-14; Emeka Emezie 2-30; Darius Pinnix, II 2-14; Christian Beal 0-5. SC Shiyun Smith 5-96; Malik Brooks 3-4; Jerry Howard, Jr. 2-1; Keith Pearson, Jr. 2-minus 5; Tyler Hamilton 1-19; Cameron Bent 1-9; Omari Johnson 1-minus 1.

INTERCEPTIONS: NC Chris Ingram 1-13; John Singleton 1-5. SC None.