By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
It took time for Western Alamance to get rolling Friday night before maintaining a winning form in a 34-6 victory against visiting Cummings in Mid-Carolina Conference football.
Jordan Hall rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns and made a touchdown reception, Collin Moylan scored twice, and Ethan Oakley threw for two touchdowns as the Warriors did their part to stay on track.
Western (7-1 overall, 5-0 Mid-Carolina Conference) stretched its winning streak to seven games in advance of a visit from conference co-leader Williams for the next game.
“Now we’ve set up ourselves to a have a big game,” Western coach Jeff Snuffer said.
It marked the end of a challenging week for Cummings (2-6, 0-5) in the aftermath of an on-field postgame fight from a week earlier that resulted in student arrests. The Cavaliers came up with several key defensive plays in the first half before running low on energy.
Cummings coach Terrance Alford said the Cavaliers showed an encouraging level of toughness.
“We got to work on executing a little better, especially in the red zone,” Alford said.
Part of those troubles stemmed from Western’s defense.
“It’s just communication and making sure we’re doing the things we’re supposed to do,” Warriors defensive back Jayden Jones said of the key for the defense.
Western’s first possession ended with Cummings’ Jules Cotton blocking a 28-yard field goal attempt. The next drive was halted on downs, partially because of solid work by Cavaliers defender Ellsworth Turner.
“We didn’t start how we wanted to,” Oakley said. “Coming into this game, we were expecting to get up on them early. They’re a scrappy team. (There’s) better ball to play.”
On the first snap following Western making a fourth-down stop, Hall raced 56 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the second quarter.
Cummings moved inside the Western 15-yard line on its next possession, which ended on Jaxson Poole’s interception in the end zone. Western needed only six plays to cover 80 yards, with Oakley’s 30-yard strike to Moylan providing the points.
The Cavaliers moved the ball again, but Edwin Camacho’s 50-yard field goal attempt was short before the end of the half.
Cummings scored on its first second-half possessions, with Ja’Kori McNair’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Devin Witherspoon. Western’s Marqua Sims blocked the extra-point kick, leaving the score at 14-6.
The Warriors responded and scored just 65 seconds later on Hall’s 14-yard run. Set up by Riley Poteat’s long punt return, they stretched the lead to 27-6 on Oakley’s 14-yard swing pass to Hall with 31 seconds to play in the third quarter. Following Jones’ interception, Moylan’s 3-yard run marked the final touchdown.
McNair, who rushed for 68 first-half yards, was on the sideline icing his right shoulder by the fourth quarter. Ethan Langley pulled in a late interception for Western.
