Other local teams fall in season openers
By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Running back D.J. Callis scored four touchdowns as Southeast Alamance walloped host Orange 55-22, spoiling the coaching debut of Fritz Hessenthaler on Friday night in Hillsborough.
Callis rushed for three touchdowns and had a reception for another. Tyler Jackson, in his debut with Southeast, threw for two touchdowns.
Hessenthaler was hired in June after a year away from the sidelines. His largely successful six-year coaching run with Southern Alamance ended with his firing prior to the 2023 postseason.
Southeast, a third-year school, has won the past two matchups with Orange after losing to the Panthers in its first-ever football game.
The Stallions led 21-14 early in the second quarter before pouring it on. The mercy rule with a running clock kicked in for the fourth quarter. The Stallions didn’t punt until less than 90 seconds remained in the game.
Jackson Moody had two long touchdown passes for Orange.
Eastern Guilford 20, Eastern Alamance 14: At Mebane, the host Eagles didn’t score in the second half and suffered a loss in John Kirby’s return to the sideline.
Eastern Alamance led 14-13 at halftime, but Eastern Guilford went ahead with a third-quarter touchdown.
Kirby is interim coach after a year of retirement, filling in following the school’s parting with now-former coach Mitch Mitchener in June.
Eastern Guilford scored first, but a Zack Merchel touchdown pass to Devontia Clark allowed the Eagles to pull even in the first quarter. Eastern Alamance went ahead in the second quarter, boosted by Samuel Raphael’s run for a touchdown.
Northwest Guilford 28, Western Alamance 7: At Greensboro, the visiting Warriors couldn’t overcome a 21-0 halftime deficit.
It marked the fifth consecutive season-opening loss for Western.
Western’s touchdown came on quarterback Ethan Oakley’s 2-yard keeper. The Warriors had 150 yards of total offense.
Chatham Central 30, Graham 26: At Graham, Chatham Central scored the game’s final touchdown to rally past Graham in a non-league meeting between two former conference foes.
Graham had defeated the Bears in each of the past two seasons.
