from Joe Sirera, with the News and Record and with HSXtra.com…..
CLICK HERE for Joe Sirera and his Quick Take link…..
What
NCHSAA Class 3-AA West semifinal.
Where
L. Guy Ensley Memorial Stadium, Asheville.
Why the Panthers won
Dudley scored touchdowns on all 10 of its possessions and added a kickoff return touchdown by Mekhi Wall. As good as Roberson’s passing game is, the Panthers made the Rams one-dimensional and simply overpowered the hosts.
Stars
Dudley — ATH Mekhi Wall TD run, TD catch, kickoff return TD; QB Jahmier Slade 5-of-6 passing, 174 yards, 4 TDs; RB Michael Shaw 3 TDs; RB Milan Summers 9 carries, 82 yards, 2 catches, 32 yards, TD catch, 2 2-point conversions; DB Steven Davis Jr. INT; DB Ayden Gamble INT; LB Jahrie Little 2.5 sacks.
Roberson — QB Brody Whitson 24-of-35 passing, 4 TDs, 2 INTs; WR Rodney McDay 9 catches, 89 yards, 4 TDs.
The big plays
After Roberson tied the score at 20 with 8:28 to play in the first half, the Rams squibbed the ensuing kickoff to try to keep the ball away from Dudley’s Mekhi Wall, who already had a 78-yard kickoff return. Wall caught the bouncing ball at his 20 and was in the end zone 13 spectacular seconds later. The Panthers then took advantage of a pair of interceptions and scored the final 35 points of the half to lead 55-20. Game. Over.
What they said
“We were outmanned at pretty much every position, and we knew it was going to be a great challenge. Our kids went tit for tat for a quarter and a half. Those two turnovers hurt us. That kickoff return (TD). Then the first possession of the second half they had a short field and scored.” – J.D. Dinwiddie, Roberson coach
“We thought we could play them in zone, but we figured out that we couldn’t. We ended up going man and slowed them down a little bit.” – Steven Davis, Dudley coach
Records
Dudley: 8-1.
Roberson: 7-2.
Up next
Dudley: NCHSAA Class 3-AA West Regional final, at Mount Tabor (9-0), April 30.
Scoring summary
Dudley 20 35 15 7 — 77 Roberson 13 7 0 13 — 33
R – Rodney McDay 3 pass from Brody Whitson (kick failed), 1st, 10:13
D – Michael Shaw 6 run (Boateng Woodson kick), 1st, 9:56
D – Mekhi Wall 45 run (pass failed), 1st, 6:31
R – McDay 16 pass from Whitson (Harris Ibbotson kick), 1st, 5:01
D – Milan Summers 10 pass from Jahmier Slade (Woodson kick), 1st, 51.7
R – McDay 22 pass from Whitson (Ibbotson kick), 2nd, 8:28
D – Wall 80 kickoff return (Woodson kick), 2nd, 8:15
D – Johncarlos Miller 64 pass from Slade (kick blocked), 2nd, 5:54
D – Shaw 4 run (Summers run), 2nd, 3:00
D – Franklin Stockton 53 pass from Slade (pass failed), 2nd, 2:09
D – Shaw 1 run (Summers run), 2nd, 7.9
D – Wall 25 pass from Slade (Woodson kick), 3rd, 11:05
D – Najae Davis 1 run (Miller pass from Slade), 3rd, 2:00
R – McDay 10 pass from Whitson (kick blocked), 4th, 9:30
D – R.J. Baker 50 run (Woodson kick), 4th, 8:25
R – Nazir Garner 9 pass from Whitson (Ibbotson kick), 4th, 16.1