Nov 8, 2008
DURHAM — Steven Moore and Jared McAdoo combined for five touchdowns as the Chapel Hill Tigers dismantled the Jordan Falcons 48-20 to earn a share of the PAC-6 conference title.
Quarterback John Haus had a big night as well, connecting on three touchdown passes. With the win the Tigers (8-3) finished the regular season with a 6-1 mark in the PAC-6 as did Southern Durham and Hillside. Chapel Hill now await the results of the playoff seedings to see if they will host a playoff game for the first time in the modern history of the school.
The Tigers grabbed control of the game early with a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown by Pete Singer. They quickly moved ahead 21-6 by the midway point of the second quarter and poured it on as they built a 34-6 late in the first half.
Tigers head coach Isaac Marsh, who had a surgical procedure earlier in the week, was on the sideline briefly before kickoff but at the advice of his doctors decided to return home and leave the coaching duties to assistant Rick Bynum. Chapel Hill didn’t miss a beat under Bynum, who was impressed with the team’s play.
“I think we were trying to make a statement,” he said. “We told them (in practice) we want to come in and leave no doubt who the best football team on the field is. They dominated tonight.”
While the Falcons (7-4, 3-4) managed to pull within 34-13 just before half on an 89-yard kickoff return by Torrance Hunt, they had no answer for the Tigers speed on either side of the ball and struggled in all phases of the game.
Jordan coach Mike Briggs was impressed with the Tigers performance saying, “They don't have a whole lot of weaknesses. They're big. They're fast. They're faster than I thought they were.”
Haus finished the game 12 of 16 for 140 yards and Moore continued his punishing assault on PAC-6 opponents by shredding the Falcons defense for 221 yards on just 20 carries. He scored touchdowns on runs of 2, 57, and 75 yards. The 75-yarder typified the evening for the Falcons defense as Moore shed one would-be tackler after another, weaving his way down the far sideline to the end zone. “I saw receivers blocking downfield, and I saw a defender coming”, said Moore. “He looked scared so I gave him a little stiff arm and just pushed him off.”
“He's a just strong kid with a lot of speed”, Said Bynum. “We have to keep him out of practice a lot because he hurts the other kids.”
When the Tigers weren't pounding away on the ground they unleashed 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive end McAdoo on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers starting defensive end saw his first action of the season at tight end and hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from Haus with 7:22 left in the second quarter for a 21-6 Chapel Hill advantage.
The Tigers continually capitalized on a soft spot in the Falcon defense as later in the contest tight end Rodney Torain scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass and McAdoo followed with a score from 14 yards out.
“We noticed they weren't playing our tight end. ...they weren't aligned properly for it”, said Bynum. “We called that play three times...and we were successful all three times.
Although he turned in one exceptional play - a 26-yard highlight reel touchdown run that featured a spin move at full speed - Falcons running back Jerrell Rhodes never really got going. He finished with just 43 yards on 14 carries. TJ Thorpe earned the most real estate of any Jordan player with 75 yards on five catches.
Looking ahead to a first round playoff game next week Briggs said “our run defense has got to get better. I think upfront on offense we've got to get a little better too.”
Moore said he and his teammates were focused on getting a home playoff game next week. “We figure that we are the best team in the PAC-6. We've never had a home (playoff) game. So we're making history once again.”
Reflecting on the emotional adversity his team has faced this season, Bynum said, “We want to finish the story out the right way. The story started with a sad beginning and we want the book to end with a happy ending.”
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