Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 79F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
HARRELLS – Last Friday, Harrells Christian Academy was en route to its second win of the season leading Pamlico County 22-8 heading into the fourth quarter.
That’s when a football game became a war and Hurricane quarterback Wade Whitaker weighed in by throwing two touchdown passes as Pamlico rallied for three scores and a 30-22 lead.
The Crusaders rallied to tie it and had a chance to win in overtime, but Tariq Barber’s 15-yard reverse led the way to a 36-30 win for the Hurricanes.
“We had them at third-and 15,” said HCA coach Jason Arrnette. “This is a young group that kept fighting and it’s our second close loss. If they keep fighting, these close losses will turn into wins.”
HCA (1-2) started with a bang as Ky’Rese Dye had a 9-yard score and Eli Harding followed with a 2-yard score, sending the Cru crew to a 14-0 first quarter lead.
Then Whitaker, who hit on 17 of 28 for 249 yards, gave the crowd a sneak preview of what was to follow later in the game as the 6-foot-3, 170-pound senior scored from the 4 and hit Barber for the conversion points.
Neither team was able to crack the goal line in the next two quarters.
But when Ethan Spell found Dashawn McKoy for a 7-yard score early in the fourth and added the conversion by hitting Case Barber for the 14-point edge. And the way the game was going, HCA could almost smell a victory dance.
He fired a 40-yard touchdown to Harper and then found Anthony Ackerly for two points.
While a concern, HCA still had a 22-16 lead.
But Whitaker and Harper hooked up for a 19-yard score to give Pamlico its first lead at 24-22 following his two-point pass to Antoine King.
Whitaker’s 9-yard TD run upped the margin to 30-22.
“That’s when we could have folded,” Arnette said. “But to our credit we kept fighting.”
Spell fired a 45-yard strike to McKoy and Hardison ran in the conversion to tie it at 30-30.
“We had a chance to win it at the end of the fourth,” Arnette said. “We are at third-and-2 from the 2 and fumble the snap. Then we miss a field goal.
“This is a hard one to get over. But we keep pushing forward, knowing we had a chance to win this one and the one the week before (a 14-3 loss to High Point Christian).
But injuries remain a factor as several skill players are hobbling, including running back J’Kaeshi Brunson.
“Injuries are killing us,” Arnette said. “We have to get healthy and get one or two back. We start off short and then lose one or two during the game. We dadgum need the bye week.
HCA will be on the practice field two weeks until it opens Big East Conference play Sept. 16 in Raleigh against Wake Christian Academy.
HCA was just 5 of 18 on third downs. And 1 of 9 on fourth downs.
Hardison ran for 97 yards and while he didn’t score, Chamani Newton had 95 yards on 10 totes. Spell was 5 of 10 for 63 yards. Dye got 33 yards from his three carries. Hardison’s six tackles were tops for HCA.
McKoy’s two catches accounted for 52 yards. Harper had nine catches for 111 yards.
Wake Christian is 0-3 with losses to Hickory Grove Christian (3-0), Covenant Day (2-0) and Parrot Academy (2-1), whose setback came when HCA topped the Patriots 55-38 in the season opener for both schools.
Michael Jaenicke can be reached at mjaenicke@apgenc.com
www.TheDuplinTimes.com 102 Front St Kenansville, NC 28349 Main Phone: 910-296-0239 Customer Care Phone: 252-329-9505
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.