All four Rockingham County high schools have completed three games of football.
First, the McMichael Phoenix traveled to Walnut Cove for a Thursday night football game against South Stokes. The two remaining 2-0 teams in the county, the Rockingham Cougars and Reidsville Rams, played at Jimmy Teague Field on Friday, and the Morehead Panthers sought their first win in 700 days when they faced off with Northeast Guilford at home.
After quarter one between South Stokes and McMichael, they were all knotted up at six, and South Stokes pulled away slightly with a 19-12 lead at the end of the first half. McMichael started off half number two with back-to-back touchdowns, but only squeezed twelve points after it. With a 24-19 lead, they hadn’t converted an extra point, and that proved costly. At the end of the third quarter, South Stokes tacked on a six-pointer and a two-point conversion, and McMichael was staring down a 27-24 deficit in their quest for their first win.
The Fighting Phoenix fired back with a rushing touchdown of their own at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but missed the point after. South Stokes scored a touchdown with two minutes to go, now holding a 34-30 lead! It looked out of reach. They couldn’t get it done with a field goal. However, the royal blue and Vegas gold drove it down field with a long pass touchdown, and a finally made PAT, giving them a 37-34 lead! Then, with time running out, McMichael intercepted the pigskin in the end zone to ice the game and give Coach Steve Tapley his first career victory as a head coach!
It was a rough night in Eden for the Morehead Panthers. John Motley had a 6-3 lead about halfway through the first quarter, but throughout the rest of the game, the Northeast Guilford Rams would score 27 unanswered points to complete a 30-6 lead.
Reidsville absolutely thrashed Rockingham at Community Stadium in Reidsville. Cam’Ron Jones put them on the board, and Jariel Cobb extended the lead to 14-zilch. Rockingham finally showed some promise with a 20-yard touchdown run by breakout star Christian De La Cruz, who has been outstanding this year, but those seven points were the only points Rockingham got. Reidsville did a world class job finishing the half, with another monstrous run from Cobb, a touchdown from Johnniyus Sharpe, an interception from Juhkari Pinnix, and a trick play with WR Damarian Whitted throwing a touchdown pass. After twenty-four minutes of play, it was a 32-7 lead for the Rams.
It didn’t get much better for the Cougars, and the final score was 50-7. A perfect passer rating is 158.3, and Diontae Neal put up a 155.4 QBR. Jariel Cobb had nine carries for 243 yards and three touchdowns, and I feel like I am writing a recap for a video game. Also, Cam’Ron Jones, their number one receiver, put up his first one hundred yard game of the season.
Reidsville and McMichael should be thrilled this week. Coach Tapley gets his first win in a hard fought, down to the wire battle, proving that McMichael can do it in crunch time, and Reidsville spread out all the wealth and put up some massive numbers. Morehead and Rockingham clearly have some things to work on, but there is a lot of season left to be played.
This upcoming week will be the first one without a county rivalry game, but there will be three home games. Rockingham gets a week off to regroup, and Morehead hosts the 2-1 Williams Bulldogs. McMichael will take on the Southwestern Randolph Cougars, and the Reidsville Rams will try to avenge their lone loss from last season when they take on the Eastern Alamance Eagles.
We’re three weeks in, with the county having a 3-0, 2-1, 1-2, and 0-3 team. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.