AYDEN --- You just never know when Ruffin McNeill may show up at your football game.
Looking to recruit, McNeill and ECU associate head coach John Wiley, occupied the sideline at Ayden-Grifton as North Pitt handed the home team a 37-0 shutout. Having a Division I coach watching the blowout probably wasn’t ideal for the Chargers, but McNeill had plenty of positive remarks as the clock expired.
“It’s always great to see great competition in this part of the state, (and) it’s good to see two good football teams go at it,” said McNeill, whose ECU Pirates defeated Florida Atlantic 31-13 Thursday. “Each team will keep working, and I’m looking forward to these teams. I’m sure they’ll be great towards the end of the year.”
But if Ayden-Grifton (0-3) continues the way it’s going, coach Paul Cornwell will have to start planning ahead for the 2014 season, he said.
While several seniors were out with injuries for Friday’s game against the Panthers (2-1), upperclassmen were still plucked from the game on defense and replaced by junior varsity players with little experience. The Chargers couldn’t find a way to stop North Duplin’s 275 rushing yards in the loss.
Seniors who played throughout also couldn’t carry the team as the Chargers fumbled five times and threw two interceptions, while the Panthers left them scoreless.
After the Chargers lucked up on their own interception in the second quarter, the Panthers answered by reciprocating two plays later. North Pitt’s senior tailback Brian Staton picked off a Hunter Cannon pass to drive it home, but a blocking penalty nullified the touchdown. But with Panther quarterback Davion Council crafting plays, North Duplin scored with 3:01 left in the second.
Before the half ended, a Panthers fumble recovery would end with Staton rushing 17 yards into the end zone.
The Chargers had scant opportunities to score as they didn’t enter the Chargers’ red zone one time Friday. They turned the ball over on downs four times, even when punter Josh Walston carried for two yards after a punt fake in the opening quarter. Additionally, North Pitt’s defense swarmed and Ayden-Grifton had a poor passing game.
“We took four minutes in the end of the first half and gave up 17 points because we just quit – we just quit playing,” Cornwell said. “We’re too busy trying to make up excuses. We have too many --- regardless of our injury situation --- seniors on this team that we should be able to overcome some of the thing we haven’t.”
He said of a 31-man roster, only 22 were able to practice Wednesday, causing Cornwell to pull up JV players.
“It is what it is, but we’ve got to just keep playing,” he said. “I want to find someone who wants to play, and just play hard.”
For what Cornwell wanted, the Panthers didn’t make it easy. While Stanton led the game in rushing with 187 yards, a speedy Council was also tough to defend. When he couldn’t pitch to a back, he’d keep the ball and zigzag through defenders. Council finished 4 of 7 for 52 while carrying six times for 40.
Ayden-Grifton’s Walker Stocks led his team on the ground, tallying 90 yards in the contest. Running back Michael Baker rushed for a big 25 in the second quarter, the longest Chargers gain of the night. Cannon only completed 1of 5 passes to go along with the pair of picks.
“Everywhere needs improvement,” the junior quarterback said. “You can’t just focus on one part of a football team because it’s a team. Everyone needs to get better, everyone needs to improve and then we need to put it all together.”
He recalled being on JV his freshman year as the team started 0-4 and later went on a run. If that doesn’t happen for the varsity Chargers in the next couple of weeks, it’ll be time to rebuild.
“There’s no magic button. I know the only way you get better is by working hard and that all starts on Monday,” Cornwell said. “If we continue the route we’re going, I’m just going to start pulling up the JV and we can get beat with freshmen. I’ll start building for next year, and (the team) knows it.
“They may not know it --- maybe they need to find out.”
The Chargers head to Farmville Central next week.
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 and Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan