Sep 24, 2011
High Point Andrews, ranked No. 3 in 2A, came to J.F. Webb Friday night looking to improve their record to 5-0. The Warriors were hoping for an upset and it looked possible, until mid-way through the third.
The Red Raiders pulled away with a 30-6 win.
On the first play from scrimmage, Marquell Cartwright burst through the Warriors’ defensive line, breaking three tackles for a 60-yard touchdown.
The Warriors took over after a short kickoff, but were only able to produce one first down due to penalties. The Warrior defense was on the field a lot but refused to give up more points. They limited the Raiders to only 30 yards after the initial score.
In the second quarter, Chris Billups and Tre Harris led the rushing attack of the Warriors. Billups pounded the ball through the interior of the Raider defense, while Harris finessed his way around the edges, eventually putting his team in scoring position, by converting a key fourth down. This drive led to Hosea Gibson’s three-yard score.
With 1:06 left in the first half, Andrews put together a string of first downs and settled at the Webb 17-yard line. Quarterback Marquen Swinton set his offense in a spread formation, dropped back to pass, but tucked the ball and ran up the gut for the score, ending the first half 12-6.
After halftime, the Warrior defense picked up where it left off, assisted by multiple penalties by the Red Raiders’ offensive line. They were able to push them back to their 9-yard line.
On a third down play, Cartwright exploded for an 18-yard gain, which left Andrews a fourth-and-inches. Swinton went over the right side of the line to get the first. Three plays later, Cartwright danced along the sideline as he found the end zone again, this time from 43 yards out.
On the kickoff, the Red Raiders used a little trickery to catch Webb off guard. An onside kick took them by surprise and the Raiders recovered. After a first down run, Rodderick Campbell scored on a 10-yard blast up the middle to put the Raiders up 24-6 to end the third quarter.
In the fourth, Darrin Miller broke four tackles as he scampered for 50 yards into the end zone. The Raider defense didn’t give in the second half and their offense pounded the football on the ground, draining the clock.
“We are a running team. That’s what we want to do, but it’s hard when you are behind the sticks,” said Webb coach Brian Currin. “We just couldn’t seem to get out of our own way in the second half. We have to put four quarters together if we want to win.”
Webb starts conference play next week at Southern Vance, which plays Monday at Granville Central.
This story is closed for comments.
