Shutout culminates perfect season
By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
* Photo gallery – more than 300 pics!
HAMLET —Luke Hawks was wide open.
In the far corner of the Wolfpack end zone, quarterback Dawson Bryant saw Hawks standing all by himself, not a defender in sight. He lobbed an imperfect pass, but there was no one there to take advantage. Hawks made the catch at the end of the second quarter to give the Wolfpack a 26-point lead en route to a 34-0 shutout win against the Cardinals in the Hamlet Parks and Recreation Youth Football League’s 11-12 division championship game.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Jakerra Covington races down the sidelines for a second-quarter touchdown and a 20-0 lead for the Wolfpack.
The play, which came with 35 seconds before halftime, earned the Wolfpack a 26-0 advantage and Bryant ran it up the middle for the one-point conversion.
No matter the halftime speech given by the Cardinals coach, all that could be done was admire the team assembled in N.C. State red-and-black. On both sides of the ball, the Wolfpack dominated the Cardinals and all but pushed them off the field until time mercifully expired.
The game began on a pattern. Pitch to Jaheim Covington and score. That worked two minutes and 20 seconds into the game, but the touchdown was called back on a penalty. It didn’t matter, as the Wolfpack ran the same play 30 seconds later for a 6-0 lead. Covington walked the ball in for the one-point conversion.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, had trouble from the get-go. On the team’s first play from scrimmage, the snap was muffed. The quarterback recovered, but the Wolfpack defense took him down in the backfield. The Cardinals were forced to punt and the kick gave the Wolfpack enviable field position.
Derrick Berringer added the Wolfpack’s second score of the first quarter and Bryant against ran it into the end zone for the one-point conversion and a 14-0 lead. The Cardinals turned the ball over on downs to start the second quarter and Jakerra Covington raced down the left side of the field, juking two Cardinals defenders, for the team’s third score of the game. Bryant’s pass for the two-point conversion attempt was intercepted but the Cardinals couldn’t gain any momentum.
The Wolfpack scored once more early in the third quarter and rules dictated the Cardinals had the ball on offense the rest of the way.
Staff writer Nick Beggs contributed to this report.
