By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
The first major test of Southeast Alamance’s football season involved a variety of big plays for the Stallions so they remained undefeated by topping visiting Eastern Guilford 33-21 on Friday night.
Quarterback Tyler Jackson threw for three touchdowns and ran for another and the Stallions tightened on defense at several key junctures to prevail in their home opener.
“We had to fight and now we know what to be ready for the rest of the season,” senior linebacker Austin Cook said.
The Stallions (3-0) scored on each of their four first-half possessions, but it was far from easy.
“We had to work,” Jackson said. “We had a good lead in the first half and we had some adversity in the second half. It was a good test and we found out who we were.”
The outcome didn’t look secure until Jackson’s heave to Logan Luang-Sy resulted in a 64-yard touchdown play. Luang-Sy’s catch was followed by a nifty deke past a defender to reach the end zone with 3:58 to play. It came on only the 11th second-half snap for the Stallions.
Running back D.J. Callis gained 104 yards on 13 carries.
In the first half, Jackson was 11-for-14 passing and gained 51 rushing yards on three carries.
He made adjustments on several plays to find passing angles and had a few timely scrambles – such as a 17-yard, fourth-down scamper that kept the game’s opening drive alive.
“They had things covered so that’s what I had to do,” Jackson said.
Jackson threw for a 19-yard touchdown to Antonio Williamson for the game’s first points. Eastern Guilford went ahead 7-6 after Javion Majette’s 7-yard quarterback keeper.
Drew Easter bowled into the end zone from 1 yard out for Southeast’s next touchdown. The Stallions cashed in again by going 64 yards in eight plays, with Jackson hooking up with Williamson for a 4-yard TD play.
Jackson ran 30 yards later in the second quarter as the margin grew to 26-7.
Eastern Guilford (2-1) moved inside the Southeast 5-yard line in the final minute of the first half but was denied.
The Wildcats began the second half with a 5½-minute touchdown drive that included two fourth-down conversions and a defensive pass interference penalty.
Southeast took only three snaps in the third quarter. Eastern Guilford marched again, but the possession stalled at the Stallions’ 13.
Yet the Wildcats were soon back in Southeast territory, keeping the ball on Majette’s fourth-down run. An 8-yard, fourth-down pass from Majette to Chazz Smith with 4:59 to play allowed Eastern Guilford to close within 26-21.
Southeast’s Jatayvion McMillian made four catches for 53 yards and Easter picked up 49 yards on four receptions.
TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST LOCAL NEWS, INCLUDING THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS, SUBSCRIBE TO THE ALAMANCE NEWS. No one carries more news about Southeast Alamance than The Alamance News. Both in print each week and online every day, there’s nowhere you’ll find more LOCAL NEWS. JUST $50 FOR UNLIMITED ONLINE ACCESS – and for Alamance County residents, price includes a print copy by mail.
