Thomasville Football - Generic Graphic
Dec 13, 2008
RALEIGH — John Hinson-Braddy ran circles around East Bladen all night. Appropriately, a touchdown run featuring two 360-degree spins got him started.
John Hinson-Braddy rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns to help Thomasville beat East Bladen 42-13 in the Class 1-AA North Carolina High School Athletic Association championship Saturday.
Hinson-Braddy earned MVP honors for the Bulldogs (16-0), who jumped out to a 21-0 lead. D.J. McLendon added nine receptions for 179 yards and two scores for Thomasville, while Chris Brooks completed 10 of 12 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns.
Hinson-Braddy spun out of a pair of tackles on a 28-yard scoring run on the Bulldogs' first possession, setting the tone as Thomasville won its fourth state title in the last five years.
"It got me really hyped, like I couldn't be stopped," said Hinson-Braddy, the game's MVP. "I just kept going after it harder and harder."
The Bulldogs operate a run-oriented offense, but they showed balance as they piled up 485 total yards.
"It was a matter of they played the run so hard and so physically that they forced us into more passing than we probably ordinarily do," Thomasville coach Allen Brown said. "But we were fortunate to have the ability to do that."
The Eagles (14-2) closed to 21-13 early in the third quarter after a 57-yard touchdown run and an 18-yard touchdown catch by James Hatcher. But McLendon answered with a 39-yard touchdown grab less than a minute later to help Thomasville pull away.
Hatcher gained 97 of his team's 181 total yards.
"We kind of ran into a buzzsaw tonight," said East Bladen coach Lenon Fisher, whose team was making its first finals appearance since 1973. "We played hard and played well, but it just wasn't for us tonight."
This story is closed for comments.
