#86 Louis WIder leaps for a catch during Southern Durham High School's 24-21 victory over Athens Drive High School in the second round of NCHSAA playoffs on Friday, Nov. 20. (photo by Will Okun)
Nov 21, 2009
On a sloppy field, Athens Drive gave the No. 1 seeded Spartans of Southern Durham quite a scare in the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A state playoffs.
After holding Southern Durham to a three and out following the Spartans’ recovery of a Jags onside kick, the Jaguar offense took over at their own 16, with 2:33 to play, trailing 24-21.
Athens quarterback Ben Snotherly found Louis Wilder for two big catches, one for eight yards and a first down and another for 22 yards down to the Southern 30. A rush of no gain and two incompletions later, Jaguar signal caller Snotherly found the Jags’ season in his hands on fourth and ten. He stood in the pocket, bought some time, and checked down to A.J. Stewart on a short crossing rout. The Spartan defense collapsed to the football and drug Stewart into the slop four yards short of a first down, for all intents and purposes sealing a very hard fought, muddy game, as 24-21 Spartan victory.
The Jags opened up the scoring with a 32 yard drive following a Spartan fumble early in the first. Snotherly carried for 30 yards before KyRee Green found the endzone from two yards out to give Athens an early 7-0 lead.
Southern answered quickly as Alonzo Hedgepeth capped off a 10-play, 65-yard drive with his first touchdown of the evening to tie the game at seven. Later the Spartans added a field goal and took a 10-7 lead to the halftime break.
After only attempting three passes in the first half, all incomplete, the Jaguars came out slinging in the second half. Snotherly went to the air nine times on Athens’ first drive of the second half, and the Jags converted not one, but two fourth downs during the drive on their way to a Mike Estes touchdown catch from nine yards out. Athens led 14-10, but the lead would be short-lived as Southern answered immediately.
The Spartans used a 10-play, 55-yard drive to take the lead back during the third quarter. Spartan QB Alan Lea found senior wide out Quentin Lloyd from 10 yards out to give Southern Durham a 17-14 lead. Southern made it two unanswered touchdowns and extended the lead to 24-14 when Hedgepeth strolled in from eight yards away for his second touchdown of the night.
Athens’ next drive answered the Spartan score and made things interesting down the stretch. The Jags went 87 yards in nine plays, capped off by a Snotherly to Wilder 14-yard touchdown pass with 5:12 to play.
The top-seeded Spartans advance to the third round to take on New Hanover next Friday night. New Hanover escaped in overtime 26-23 over a very game Pine Forest team that re-entered the playoffs thanks to Terry Sanford’s forfeiture earlier this week.
This story is closed for comments.
