DEEP RUN — There was no love lost for former conference rivals Richlands and South Lenoir Friday night.
The two teams, which combined for more than 150 yards of penalties, both had plenty of big hits — and injuries to accompany them. But it was the Wildcats, led by Jamar Harrington’s 256 all-purpose yards that gave Richlands the 31-6 victory.
After forcing the Blue Devils to punt on the game’s opening possession, Richlands sustained a 22-play drive — taking more than 11 minutes and 30 seconds off of the clock — into the second quarter before junior kicker Jeffery Tolson gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead on a 27 yard field goal.
On the ensuing Blue Devils possession, with starting center Wade Wetherington out after sustaining a leg injury early on, South Lenoir quarterback Kyle Huffman received a bad snap that the Wildcats were able to pounce on.
Four plays later, Richlands quarterback Ben Jackson hooked up with Harrington on a wheel route to the left corner of the end zone for the 10-0 lead.
“It seemed like forever,” Richlands coach Justin Snider said of having possession for nearly 13 straight minutes, with the exception of the lone Blue Devils snap
However, he added pounding the ball wasn’t necessarily the game plan entering the contest.
“We weren’t totally sure what we were going to be able to have (with) the way they run their defense,” Snider said. “They do a good job of making you have to think. They move guys around so we weren’t sure.”
The Blue Devils, who held their own through the first half with the Wildcats, had trouble sustaining any momentum as injuries mounted.
“I think, to start out, we had a decent drive ourselves,” South Lenoir coach Ken Grantham said. “It was really a two-possession (game) through the first half.”
During the third quarter, down by 17, Huffman tried to extend a drive on 4th-and-long and ran around the end towards the Richlands sideline. But before stepping out of bounds, he took a brutal shot just short of the first down marker.
The impact forced him out of the game. As a precaution, Huffman was sent to Lenoir Memorial Hospital. He will be monitored over the weekend for concussion-like symptoms. With backup quarterbacks Nick Hunter (leg injury, did not dress) and Hunter Bryan (leg injury, left the game in the second quarter) the Blue Devils turned to running back Dion Jones to take snaps.
Down by 24, Jones would score South Lenoir’s loan touchdown: a four yard run to cap off a three play drive. Grantham said Jones had taken limited snaps as part of the team’s wildcat formation.
While awaiting news on Huffman and Bryan, the Blue Devils coaching staff will spend the weekend game planning several options for Goldsboro-Rosewood next week.
“We have a special package for (Jones), but it’s not something we have done in game situations,” Grantham said. “I think that he showed he can do something, (and) we’ll have to wait until Monday to see where we’re at and make adjustments from there.”
The Blue Devils would recover the onside kick but Jones — who was noticeably winded by the end of the game — lost a fumble that ultimately led to Richland’s final score.
Harrington led all rushers with 208 yards on 23 carries. He added 48 yards receiving on three catches. Quentin Fenn added 63 yards on the ground, including a 27 yards touchdown in the third quarter.
Jones led all Blue Devil runners with 83 yards. Noah Stroud added 52 yards and Logen Cauley had 30 yards rushing.