2021 1A Football Championship | Tarboro rolls by Mitchell 28-7
CHAPEL HILL, NC – Tarboro collected their second straight State Championship and eighth in program history rushing by Mitchell 28-7 to win the 1A State Championship. The Vikings got a pair of touchdowns and 132 yards rushing from Tobias Joyner who was named the 1A State Championship Game Most Valuable Player.
Trevon White also rushed for a pair of scores for the Vikings, scoring twice on 20 carries and 78 yards on his way to being named the Most Outstanding Offensive Performer for Tarboro. White opened the scoring on a three-yard touchdown run to cap off an 8-play, 51-yard drive with just 49 seconds to play in the first quarter.
Mitchell answered early in quarter two when Ty Turbyfill threw a jump pass to a wide open Gage Young in the left side of the endzone for an 8-yard score. Turbyfill’s toss tied the game at 7 with 9:23 to go in the half, and helped cement his selection as Most Outstanding Offensive Performer for the Mountaineers. He finished the game with 101 yards rushing on 30 carries and threw for 62 yards on 5-11 passing.
Tarboro threw a haymaker late in the first half as they Vikings capitalized on a short punt and short field. The Vikings marched 8 plays and 30 yards to cash in on a one yard touchdown run by White with just six seconds to play in the half. With White’s two TD’s in the bag, Tarboro went into the locker room up 14-7.
The Vikings turned to Joyner in the second half, and he took a handoff 35 yards to end Tarboro’s first drive of the second half with a touchdown and a 21-7 lead just 2:02 into the third quarter. Joyner iced the game late as he sprinted 38 yards to paydirt with 2:12 to go in the game, pushing the Tarboro lead to 28-7.
The Mitchell defense stood up firm against the Viking ground game, holding the vaunted Tarboro “T” to just 243 yards on 50 carries. Enrique Huaroco was selected as the Most Outstanding Defensive Performer for the Mountaineers, leading the team with 11 tackles and forcing a fumble in the game. Tarboro’s defensive efforts were led by Treheem Daniels with 14 tackles, including one for loss, as he was selected as the Most Outstanding Defensive Performer for the Vikings.
Mitchell finished the season 13-3. The Mountaineers were 6-0 as the champions of the Western Highlands 1A/2A. Mitchell won the school’s second Western Regional Championship and appeared in the State Championship for the second time in school history.
Tarboro wrapped up the year 14-1 rebounding from a week one loss to Rocky Mount to win 14 straight games. The Vikings were 5-0 in conference play, winning the Four Rivers 1A. The Vikings won the program’s 8th state title and appeared in the State Championship Game for the 12th time in school history. The Vikings have won State Championships in four of the last five seasons.
The NCHSAA is committed to promoting good sportsmanship and has partnered with NC Farm Bureau to recognize two individuals from each state championship who have demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship throughout the year. The NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award Winners for the 1A Football Championships were Amari Battle from Tarboro and Xander Gardner from Mitchell.
Courtesy of James Alverson with NCHSAA Media