SOUTH FORK 2A: North Lincoln cruises past Bessemer City

East Lincoln, West Lincoln win to stay undefeated

 

By CHRIS HOBBS

HobbsDailyReport.com

Taking care of business early made for smooth sailing Friday night in North Lincoln High’s 42-0 home football victory over Bessemer City.

The Knights (3-1) scored 21 first-quarter points and led 35-0 at the half on homecoming night, sparked by a defense that kept the Yellow Jackets (1-3) in negative rushing yardage until the second half.

North Lincoln’s defense forced four turnovers – three of them fumbles – and running back Jake Soorus ran for two scores as the Knights picked up head coach Nick Bazzle’s 142^nd career win.

“I thought we got a team victory (and) got done what we needed to get done in the first half,” Bazzle said.

Bazzle was especially pleased the Knights controlled the line of scrimmage – offensively and defensively – since that was a point of emphasis in practice this week and something his players better get used to hearing about.

North Lincoln opens South Fork 2A play on Friday night at unbeaten West Lincoln and Bazzle, as always, believes the line of scrimmage is where football games are generally won.

“Everybody is better,” Bazzle said of the league race. “Every team. (And) we’re better and every team in the conference is better (than last year).

“Anybody can win this league…anybody can beat anybody; there are athletes everywhere (at each school).”

North Lincoln’s were apparent in a hurry on Friday night. Soorus, whose TD runs were 10 yards in the first quarter and 20 yards with about 3 ½ minutes to go in the second quarter, had 86 rushing yards on six carries.

The Knights had 197 yards rushing on 27 carries with Kristjan Snyder gaining 66 on 10 carries with scoring runs of 3 and 20 yards, and North Lincoln’s defense tacked on a score on a non-typical punting play.

When Bessemer City tried to punt with about nine minutes to go in the third quarter, the Knights’ Joseph Elberti got a hand on the kick – which did not go forward very much – and he then picked it up and went 40 yards for a TD.

With a PAT by Ian Foire, the Knights led 42-0 and (by North Carolina High School Athletic Association rules), a running clock began.

“For him (Elberti) it probably felt like it was longer,” Bazzle said of the rumble by Elberti (6-foot, 240 pounds) toward the end zone. “I’ve time that kid … I’ve never seen that kid run that fast.”

Bessemer City had minus-9 yards rushing in the first half and 51 yards gained while North Lincoln, playing reserves, ended up with minus-3 yards of offense in the second half.

P.J. Tribble finished with 80 yards rushing on 15 carries to lead the Yellow Jackets, who had 36 carries for 70 yards and 157 yards in the end to North Lincoln’s 224.

West Lincoln 61, East Burke 29

Running backs Cannon Bridges and Xander Pendergrass combined for 325 of the visiting Rebels’ 456 rushing yards as they won a non-league game to remain unbeaten (4-0).

Bridges and Pendergrass each had four rushing TDs, and Bridges finished with 19 carries for 174 yards and Pendergrass had 151 yards on 12 carries.

West Lincoln had 544 yards on offense.

East Burke (1-3) gained a 14-13 lead early via TD runs by Josh Moore of 1 and 25 yards. The other Cavs’ points came on a TD throw from quarterback Seth Pruitt to Luke Coble. Pruitt, after recovering from an injury, was in the lineup for East Burke for the first time this season.

Scoring runs of 11 and 28 yards by Bridges in the first quarter got the Rebels’ hot hand started before Pendergrass ran 16 and 5 yards for TDs in the second quarter. Bridges’ 6-yard TD run also came before halftime.

In the third quarter, Pendergrass scored on runs of 9 and 21 yards and Bridges had a 14-yard TD run.

Grayson Barkley and Ty Phansook had scoring runs for West Lincoln in the final quarter.

Bridges led West Lincoln defensively with 10 tackles – two for lost yardage – and he broke up three passes.

Chandler Carpenter added seven tackles – three for lost yardage – and had a sack and Pendergrass, Hunter Leonhardt, Evan Rye and Tubby Neal each had four tackles for West Lincoln.

• Reported by Darren Ponder, West Lincoln head coach

East Lincoln 56, East Gaston 7

The Mustangs (4-0) remained unbeaten with a non-conference victory over the Warriors in Mount Holly

East Lincoln scored 20 points in the first quarter on TD throws of 65 and 35 yards, respectively, from quarterback Justin Barnett to Lucas McConnell and Mikivi Phinx. Cole Barber added a 35-yard TD run in the first quarter for the Mustangs.

Barnett ran 17 yards for a score and Paulie Menegay added a 17-yard TD run in the second quarter for the Mustangs.

Barnett’s 57-yard TD run and 70-yard scoring throw to Phinx helped East Lincoln lead 46-7 by halftime.

Askari Johnson had a 28-yard TD run and Pearson Cunningham hit a 44-yard field goal the rest of the way for the Mustangs.

East Gaston (0-4) has scored only 24 points in four games this season and 14 of those came in a season-opening loss to North Gaston.

Burns 49, Newton-Conover 12

The visiting Bulldogs (3-1) had the game’s final four scores en route to a non-league victory in Gurley Stadium.

Burns led 22-0 at the half before the Red Devils (2-2) rallied.

Kujuan Pryor broke a 60-yard run for a TD and Cam’ron Sweezy scored less than a minute later on a 3-yard run in the third quarter for the Bulldogs.

The final two Burns scores came on a 58-yard run by Pryor and a 9-yard run by Sweezy.

The Bulldogs gained an early 14-0 lead on TD runs by Carlton Hopper Jr. and Nick Jackson, both in the opening quarter. Pryor also ran for a first-half TD.

Forcing two third quarter turnovers, the Red Devils rallied. Quarterback Justice Craig connected on a TD pass with Zane Remond and running back Allen Wilfong scored on a run, those coming after an interception and fumble by Burns.

The Bulldogs have won three straight games since a season-opening loss to Kings Mountain.