On paper, undefeated Carroll Academy should have rolled over winless Newton County Academy.
But it was anything but a cakewalk.
The visiting Rebels overcame a 6-0 halftime deficit and took a 25-6 win over the Generals on Friday night.
Carroll improves to 4-0 with the win while NCA falls to 0-4.
“We started out so strong, and then we just couldn’t go,” NCA coach Rob Roberts said. “We couldn’t block like we needed. We didn’t hit the holes like we were supposed to but we were still in it. The kids played hard and left it all on the field. I thought we got a little tired in t4eh fourth and they pulled away.”
The Generals appeared prepared to break the Rebel winning streak before a large home crowd in the opening minutes of the first quarter when their defense held the Rebels to 17 yards on five plays.
A 50-yard punt pinned the Generals at their own 5, but senior General running back Lincoln Jordan accepted the challenge on the opening play of the drive. Jordan found a hole and raced for a 95-yard touchdown run with 6:34 left in the first quarter. The PAT failed and NCA led 6-0.
It looked like the Generals would add to the lead at the end of the half but the Rebels held inside their own 20 and a field goal attempt failed as NCA led 6-0 at the half.
Carroll finally got going on the opening drive of the second half as the Rebels drove 64 yards in 13 plays as Morgan Mims hit Reese Fulton on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 4:55 left in the third. The PAT failed to leave the score tied at 6-6.
“That was really big,” Robertson said. “If we score or even kick a field goal there, we have all of the momentum. They stop us and they have the momentum going into the half. Then they get the ball to start the second half and go down and score.”
After turning the ball over on downs at midfield, the Rebels started marching again. This time Mims hit Reese Fulton on a 28-yard pass play. After a holding penalty, Mims scored on a 35-yard run with 10:54 left in the game. The PAT failed and Carroll led 12-6.
The Generals tried to answer on the ensuing drive behind the strong running of Eli Finnegan. On a fourth and two play Finnegan’s opening closed up and despite a tremendous effort to run to the outside, the Generals were unable to convert. It was there the momentum shifted, Roberts said.
The Generals appeared to get back in the game with a stop of the Carroll offense but gave the ball right back to the Rebels as they touched a punt. The Rebels recovered at the NCA 13 and Mims called his own number with a 13-yard keeper to give the Rebels an 18-6 lead with 5:04 left in the game.
The Generals made one more attempt to get in the end zone by taking to the air. Logan Little threw two consecutive passes to Jordan Mason and Kemp Alderman that earned them 30 yards and put the Generals in striking distance. Two plays later, however, Carroll closed the door by sacking Little for a 9-yard loss and then recovering a fumble on the next play near midfield. Two plays later Mims broke away for a 58-yard touchdown run with 2:28 left in the game. The PAT was good and the final score was 25-6.
The Generals were led on offense by Jordan with 129 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries and Finnegan with 48 yards on 15 carries. Little completed 2-of-4 attempts for 30 yards with Mason and Alderman getting 15 yards each on receptions.
For the Rebels Mims led all rushers with 142 yards on 12 carries with three touchdowns. Mims also completed two passes on six attempts for 34 yards and one touchdown reception.
