KING – North Surry used a late turnover by West Stokes during Friday’s Western Piedmont Athletic Conference football game and then capitalized with the winning touchdown when Tanner Woods made an over the shoulder catch thrown by Aaron Mauck with 58-seconds left in the contest to win the game in dramatic fashion 14-8.
It seems when both schools play each other the unexpected always seems to happen. Unfortunately, this will be the last year the teams will play each other in league play due to the NCHSAA’s new realignment of the conferences, so this loss will hurt a little hard because next year there will be no redemption game.
Leading 8-6 with 5:36 left in the contest, the Wildcats’ defense got a much needed stop against the Greyhounds’ offense when the visitors drove the length of the field down to the West’s five yard line with the help of two costly penalties with one being on fourth down. West stuffed out three run plays and one pass play that was broken up by Orasha Graham.
Taking over on its six yard line, the Wildcats hoped to drive the ball and play keep away from the Greyhounds offense. Six straight runs plays and two first downs later West looked to be sticking to the game plan very well until the next play. The quarterback/running back exchange didn’t go well and the ball hit the ground with the North Surry’s Ty Montgomery recovering his second fumble of the game on the Cat’s 25 yard line with 1:37 left.
Mauck’s first and second pass fell incomplete, but a late flag thrown on the second was an interference penalty giving the Greyhounds a new set of downs on the Wildcats’ 10 yard line. After another incomplete pass, Mauck found Woods in the back left of corner of the end zone for the game winning reception. Mauck connected with Jahreece Lynch in the other corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion and the final score.
Halftime was dead-locked at 0-0 and the Wildcats looked to strike first with a 90-yard touchdown interception return by Dillon Stanley on the Hound’s first possession of the second half, but a block in the back penalty negated the run and put the ball on the home team’s 18 yard line. On the very next play, Dakota Barker’s run up the middle had seemed to stop forward progress, but no whistle was blown and credit to the Greyhound defense they kept playing. Montgomery took the ball out of Barker’s hand as two of his teammate held the Wildcat running-back up. The turnover gave North first and ten on the 19-yard line. Five plays later freshman Jake Simmons crashed through from two-yards out with 6:07 left in the period. The extra-point was blocked by Wildcat Gabriel Barker with North leading 6-0.
The Wildcats took advantage of a Greyhound penalty late in the third when Stanley fielded a punt and raced to the 49-yard line, a late hit gave the Cats first and ten on the visitors’ 34 yard line. At the start of the fourth quarter, Stanley dashed 21-yards for the score. Dakota Barker’s extra-point run gave the Wildcats an 8-6 advantage with 11:53 left in the game.
North Surry tallied 190 yards of total offense in the game with Simmons accounting for 146 yards rushing on 29 carries and a score. Stanley paced the Wildcats rushing game with 72 yards on 14 carries and a TD.
Both Gabriel and Dakota Barker, no relation, helped the Wildcats with nine tackles each. Gabriel snagged an interception and had a blocked kick. Stanley also had nine tackles for West with two interceptions. Montgomery led the Greyhounds with eight tackles and two fumble recoveries and Kameron McBride added eight tackles.
The Wildcats (2-2) will have a little extra time in preparing for its game against Walkertown as the Wolfpack won’t be ready to play until Monday, March 29 due to the team being in quarantine because of a COVID-19 exposure. The Greyhounds (1-3) will travel to rival Surry Central (2-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com