By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Jordan Hall ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 23.8 seconds left to break a tie in Western Alamance’s 14-7 victory against visiting Southeast Alamance in Mid-Carolina Conference football Friday night in Elon.
It capped a 97-yard drive that consumed about four minutes following a Southeast punt.
“Just real impressed with the offense, how they put that together,” Western coach Jeff Snuffer said. “A great way to win the game.”
The Warriors (5-1 overall, 3-0 Mid-Carolina Conference) scored the final 14 points, with both touchdowns coming from Hall.
He racked up 119 rushing yards on 24 carries and also made three catches for 54 yards.
But much of the tone was set by Western’s defense.
“We got some stops at key moments,” Snuffer said.
The Warriors benefitted from a missed Southeast field goal, but they also came up with clutch plays. Jaxson Poole forced two turnovers, Asaiah Slade was active by getting into the Stallions’ backfield and Weston Greene made key tackles.
“We tackled the quarterback, and he was a handful,” Snuffer said.
Jayden Jones and Riley Poteat intercepted passes, with Poteat’s pick-off clinching the outcome.
All the scoring came in the second half in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
“Our guys pushed through it,” Snuffer said. “Our front, the guys on the line of scrimmage, really did a job.”
Southeast (4-2, 1-2) scored in the third quarter on Tyler Jackson’s pass to Logan Laung-Sy before Hall’s TD catch from Ethan Oakley pulled the Warriors even later in the quarter to complete an 87-yard march.
Oakley finished 16-for-20 for 189 passing yards. Colton Hill racked up 83 receiving yards on five receptions.
Jackson threw for 211 yards on 16-for-26 passing. Jackson also had a team-high 40 rushing yards, while Luang-Sy compiled 115 yards on four catches.
Oakley finished 16-for-20 for 189 passing yards. Colton Hill racked up 83 receiving yards on five receptions.
Riley Poteat had an interception for Western.
Eastern Alamance 57, Cummings 13: At Mebane, Zack Merchel threw two touchdown passes to Douglas Kittrells, Jr. and teammates Daylin Ford and Jamez Cochran both returned kickoffs for touchdowns in the Eagles’ homecoming victory.
Sammy Raphael ran for two touchdowns, including a 34-yarder, and Cochran also had a rushing touchdown for Eastern (3-3, 2-1), which snapped a seven-game losing streak against in-county opponents. Cochran gained 71 yards on 16 carries.
A Merchel-to-Kittrells connection provided the game’s first points. Backup quarterback Braxton Ballard threw a touchdown pass to Tyler Westbrooks.
The Eagles were boosted on defense by Trinity Totten and Isaiah Hairston.
The result came just three days shy of two years since Eastern interim coach John Kirby last directed a home victory.
Jaidyn Briskey scored both touchdowns for Cummings (2-4, 0-3), one on a run and the other on a pass from Ja’Kori McNair.
Roxboro Person 70, Graham 0: At Graham, the visiting Rockets (3-3, 1-2) led 42-0 at halftime. Graham dropped to 0-6, 0-3.
Seaforth 29, Orange 22: At Pittsboro, Orange was denied its first victory under former Southern Alamance coach Fritz Hessenthaler in excruciating fashion in the Big Seven Conference opener for both teams.
The visiting Panthers held possession and a one-point lead with 1:34 left before losing the ball on a fumbled snap. On the next play, Seaforth scored on a 21-yard run and tacked on a two-point conversion.
Orange fell to 0-6. Seaforth is 2-4.
