Leake, Jones-Led Offense Explodes Greensboro Page into Final Four in 4-AA East Football Playoffs-Wyatt Smith Reporting

Who were the Pirates we saw Friday night, dressed in all black, ready to go at opening kickoff? Although the slow starting Pirates have gotten to the 3rd Round of the NCHSAA 4-AA Playoffs, this team looked different. They looked determined. It was determination that helped them withhold a storm from turnovers, big plays, a Richmond County team who wouldn’t give up, and poor officiating, to right their Pirate ship to victory.

The offensive attack that we’ve seen from Page lately has been slow to develop on the field. Whether it was the setting, their all-black uni’s, or something said by Coach Kevin Gillespie, these Pirates came out to play from the very start, and mid-way through the first quarter, scored on an 18-yard run by Javon Leake. The Pirates added another first quarter score with only 27 seconds remaining when quarterback Will Jones called his own number and scored from four yards out.

The onslaught continued from there, and the team wasn’t fazed by a counter from the visiting Richmond County Raiders, whom you might remember from earlier this season as the team that gave the Dudley Panthers their only loss on the year-to date.

“The key to tonight’s win was establishing the run game early,” Page quarterback Will Jones said. “We weren’t worried about it (Dudley defeat), and we came in to this game as we were both 0-0.”

Both teams returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

The first of the two belonged to Richmond County, whose Quientel Goodwin received the Harrison Kiser kick at the 6-yard line and returned it 94 yards, basically untouched, to end the scoring in the first half.

Micah Gafford returned the opening kickoff of the second half 99-yards for Page’s kickoff return touchdown.

The Pirates scored three more times in the second half, twice on passes from Will Jones to Diondre Overton, and once when the Pirates blocked a punt attempt by Richmond County, and Alan Tisdale landed on the ball in the end zone for the score.

A resilient Richmond County team matched the Pirates’ second half scoring efforts, but by that time, the game was out of reach and the Pirates’ were all but raising their victory flags and setting sail to the next round.

“I’m proud of our players and coaches,” Richmond County head coach Mike Castellano said. “Their adversity, their ability to want to be successful, in life, in football, in school, and that’s something that you can’t replace in a person,” he added when asked of his team’s effort.

The Pirates established the run and pass games, and even though they faced the adversity of some questionable calls on the field and some miscues that led to scores, they hunkered down, and victory was in their sights.

“When this offense clicks, it’s something to see,” coach Kevin Gillespie said of his team. Both coach Gillespie and Javon Leake both spoke on how well the offensive line is playing right now. “The offensive line is blowing open holes and backs were hitting them,” Gillespie said.

Javon Leake ran for a career high 237 yards, and added two touchdowns on the night. Quarterback Will Jones was 9-22 for 134 yards and 2 touchdown passes, with 65 yards rushing and one touchdown. Diondre Overton was the target of Jones’ two touchdown passes and finished with 67 yards receiving.

The Page Pirates (12-2) will travel to Apex, N.C., next Friday night to battle Middle Creek High School, which is the top ranked team in the 4-AA East bracket, and blew out #5 Fuquay-Varina Friday night 42-7. Those of us in Guilford County will hope that the Pirates will be boarding their ship to the state title game after their matchup next week.

SCORING PLAYS
(PAG) Javon Leake 18 run (Harrison Kiser kick)
(PAG) Will Jones 4 run (Kiser kick)
(RCH) Lavell Ellerbe 9 pass from Leon Zeigler (kick failed)
(PAG) Leake 8 run (Kiser kick)
(RCH) Quientiel Goodwin 94 kick return (kick failed)
(PAG) Micah Gafford 99 kick return (Kiser kick)
(RCH) Nakeem Mckenzie 11 pass from Zeigler (Alex Alvarado kick)
(PAG) Diondre Overton 22 pass from Jones (Kiser kick)
(RCH) Ellerbe 43 pass from Zeigler (kick failed)
(PAG) Overton 2 pass from Jones (Kiser kick)
(RCH) Ellerbe 16 pass from Zeigler (Pass Completed)

OFFENSIVE LEADERS
(PAG) Will Jones: 9-22 134yds 2 TD; 65yds 1 TD rushing
(PAG) Javon Leake: 237yds 2 TD
(PAG) Diondre Overton: 5 rec for 67yds 2 TD
(RCH) Leon Zeigler: 8-22 174yds 3TD
(RCH) Lavell Ellerbe: 6 rec for 158 yds, 3TD

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