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Rocky Mount High’s coach Jason Battle encourages his players as they return to the field during the game against Middle Creek on Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY
Rocky Mount High’s Kevjorick Edwards is tackled by Middle Creek’s Jake Forte during the game Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY
Rocky Mount High’s Artavious Richardson tackles Middle Creek’s Riley Frederiksen during the game Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY
Rocky Mount High’s Cedric Baker tackles Middle Creek’s ball carrier during the game Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY
Rocky Mount High’s Deangelo Collins runs the ball while teammate Kevjorick Edwards holds off Middle Creek during the game Friday evening at Rocky Mount High School. The Gryphons fell to the Mustangs 37-25.
©TELEGRAM PHOTO / ALLISON LEE ISLEY
In Rocky Mount High’s home game against Apex Middle Creek on Friday, the matchup provided an early season pairing of two teams that rode deep playoffs runs last year.
The Gryphons, the reigning 3-A winners, and the Mustangs, a semifinalist in the 4-AA bracket, provided the expected slugfest. Though Rocky Mount held the lead during the third quarter, Middle Creek eventually pulled away from the state champs for a 37-25 victory.
To senior defensive lineman Artavious Richardson, this defeat will provide similar motivation to the 24-21 defeat to the Mustangs in 2015.
“I mean, it is a loss, so everyone is upset,” Richardson said. “But I know, and they know, that we feel like we got better (Friday).
“Because, 9 times out of 10, nobody expected us to be this close and expected a blowout.”
The Gryphons trailed Middle Creek, 16-14, at halftime. The Mustangs ended the half by snaring Rocky Mount in the end zone for a safety after Gryphons safety Detrell Revis picked off Middle Creek quarterback Dominique Shoffner near the goal line.
Rocky Mount started the second half receiving, manufacturing a 10-play drive with the help of two penalties on Middle Creek. The series ended with a 26-yard field goal from Chase Miller to give the Gryphons a 1-point lead.
Middle Creek plugged away the following series, working its way down the field en route to a score on a 1-yard run from Da’Andre Jones and a successful 2-point conversion. In Rocky Mount’s attempt to respond, the Gryphons plowed deep into Mustangs territory. Facing a fourth-and-2 with 30 yard to the end zone, Middle Creek stymied at the line of scrimmage. For Rocky Mount coach Jason Battle, that was the turning point.
“It changed the momentum of the game,” Battle said. “They were already up, and we don’t get the fourth down, and they stuffed us pretty good.
“We never recovered from it.”
Apex Middle Creek created a quick score on the opening drive. After Shoffner scurried for 6 yards, he uncorked two passes of more than 25 yards to set Middle Creek inside the 20-yard line. Three plays later, the Mustangs scored.
Rocky Mount followed with a three-and-out. But on the Gryphons’ punt, the ball fell near midfield and glanced off a Mustang player. Rocky Mount recovered the ball on their own 43-yard line. But again, the Gryphons were halted after a 10-play drive resulted in a missed 44-yard field goal attempt from Miller that drilled the crossbar.
With the Mustangs in possession of the ball on their 20, a short run play was followed by a tackle for loss by Rocky Mount defensive lineman Thomas Battle. The Grpyhons forced a fumble after, with Richardson scooping up the ball and setting up Rocky Mount’s first score. Richardson would pick off a screen play the next defensive series to return it for a touchdown.
Battle said even though it was a loss, he loved this type of game.
“That was a playoff atmosphere – maybe a first round atmosphere, but it was a playoff atmosphere,” Battle said. “It was great, and I enjoy coaching in games like that.
“We got a whole lot better tonight. We found out that we aren’t as good as we thought we were, but we ain’t as far away as I thought we were.”
FOOTBALL
Apex Middle Creek 37
Rocky Mount 25
MC 7 9 8 13 – 37
RMH 14 0 3 8 – 25
First Quarter
MC – De’andre Jones 4 run (Trevor Kirkland kick), 10:09
RM – Mckenzy Wright 3 run (Chase Miller kick), 1:11
RM – Artavious Richardson 22 interception return (Miller kick), 1:01
Second Quarter
MC – Dominique Shoffner 2 run (Kirkland kick), 9:41
MC – Safety
Third Quarter
RM – Miller 26, 8:28
MC – Jones 1 run (Shoffner run), 5:35
Fourth Quarter
MC – Rasheed Martin Jr. 8 run (Kirkland kick). 11:52
MC – Jordan Mitchell 11 pass from Shoffner (pass fail), 8:13
RM – Charlie Williams III 7 run (Shabios Lynch pass to KK Edwards), 0:46.
MCRM
11 First downs…………….12
38–149 Rushes-yards…..46–182
209 Passing yards…………..27
12–28–2 Passes……………….4–9–0
358 Total offense………….209
2–2 Fumbles-Lost………..4–1
3–30 Penalties-Yards……3–30
Individual Statistics
Rushing – RM: B.J. Sanders 12-40, Deangelo Collins 12-60, Jalen Watson 7-25, Charlie Williams 8-40, Mckenzy Wright 19, Shabios Lynch 1-(-2)
Passing – RM: Wright 3-7, 23 yards, Lynch 1-2, 4
Receiving – RM: K.K. Edwards 3-17, Rajah McCowan 1-10.
Ethan Joyce can be reached at 407-9951 or ejoyce@rmtelegram.com
By Ethan Joyce
Sports Writer for Rocky Mount High School
Saturday, August 27, 2016
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