Friday’s homecoming game against Benton turned out to be a classic Rob Roberts win for Newton County Academy.
The Generals used a stingy defense and a punishing rushing game as they pounded visiting Benton Academy to take a 27-0 win.
With the win the Generals improve to 5-4 on the season and win the division championship for the fourth straight year and the sixth in seven years for the Generals. The Generals will host Class AAA Wayne Academy on Friday night for Senior Night. With the win and the division title, the Generals are assured to host a first-round playoff game.
“Those seniors have never lost a district game so that’s a big accomplishment for them,” NCA coach Rob Roberts said. “We have won a couple in a row and it seems like we are playing with a little bit more confidence. I thought the defense played pretty well and kept them out of the end zone.”
Benton got the ball to start the game and gave it right to the Generals as Gunner Bounds intercepted a Benton pass.
From there the NCA run game got to work as they drove 54 yards in 11 plays as Braxton Rose scored on a 2-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. Ethan McDill booted the PAT and NCA led 7-0.
After forcing a Benton punt, the Generals went driving again, this time putting together a seven-play drive and appeared to score, but the officials ruled that quarterback Sage Gunn fumbled before crossing the goal line to stop the drive.
The two teams couldn’t get anything going on offense. A holding penalty wiped out a Finnegan 71-yard touchdown run, and Gunn got his fourth interception of the year to end a Benton scoring threat and end the half with NCA leading 7-0.
The Generals got the ball to start the second half and this time used a big run to find the end zone as Eli Finnegan broke free on a 47-yard run with 9:53 left in the third. McDill booted the PAT and NCA led 14-0.
After forcing a Benton punt, the Generals went marching again. This time driving 59 yards in six plays, as Rose scored his second touchdown of the night with a 15-yard run with 4:32 left in the third. McDill’s PAT was good and NCA led 21-0.
After another Benton punt, the Generals put together a 10-play, 89-yard drive as Finnegan scored his second TD of the game with a 12-yard run. The PAT failed as NCA led 27-0.
Kemp Aldermen preserved the shutout by recovering a Benton fumble at the NCA 6-yard line with 1:46 to play.
“We worked a lot on our blocking assignments this week,” Roberts said. “We had been missing some assignments, double-teaming the wrong guy and letting someone go free. I thought we did a better job with our assignments this week and wore them down. We had a few holding calls but all together, I thought they blocked a lot better.”
On offense, the Generals had 401 yards rushing, all on the ground. Finnegan led the Generals with 172 yards on 18 carries and two TDs. Rose had 126 yards rushing on 18 carries while Gunn had 93 yards on nine carries. Rose and Finnegan each had eight tackles apiece while Logan Tadlock had six tackles. Kemp Alderman had five tackles and a fumble recovery while Austin Pippin added five tackles. Gunn and Gunner Bounds each had an interception while Zander Bounds had two sacks.
