Here's my full report:
CLINTON - South Granville's varsity football season came to an end on a rain soaked night in Sampson County, facing the Clinton Dark Horses, who improved to 11-1, and will move on to the third round of the playoffs to visit the East Duplin Panthers. The Vikings wrapped up the season with a .500 record at 6-6. Clinton lined up to receive the opening kickoff, and the ball skipped away, back to the Dark Horse 10 yard line, but the receiving team was able to cover up the loose ball. They would start the game with run six straight direct snap, or wildcat runs to Josiah McLaurin, one of which he took for 49 yards, but after a bad snap cost the Horses 15 yards and put them behind the chains, they would eventually punt, and pin the Vikings deep, at their own four yard line. From there, South Granville went three and out and had to punt. Clinton would hold on to the ball for eight plays on their next drive, including moving the chains once, but more miscues, including a holding penalty in the red zone, and a fumble in the red zone, which the Horses recovered, but against forced them into a fourth down kick. On this series, it was a 36 yard field goal attempt for J.J. Baggett, but it landed in the end zone; short of the goal past. The Vikings took over for their second offensive series, but again, it would end with a punt after a three and out. Clinton started their next drive with less than a minute to play in the first quarter, and would keep the football until there was less than a minute to play in the second quarter; moving the chains four times, on a 21 play, 63 yard drive, but like on their previous two offensive series, the Dark Horse offense was hurt by self-inflicted wounds, including three penalties; two of them committed inside the 10 yard line. With the Viking defense appearing to bend, but not break, the drive finally ended with another missed field goal, on a 25 yard attempt, in the final minute of the first half. The first half ended with a quarterback kneel-down play. The score was still 0-0 but the total offense numbers were favoring Clinton 149-2.
The Vikings had the ball first in the third quarter, and after the kickoff went out of bounds. On the first snap, from the South Granville 35 yard line, Khawan Bobbitt broke loose around the right side for his longest run of the game, 20 yards, allowing the Viking offense to both cross midfield, and move the chains for the first time in the game, but four plays later, the Vikings were again forced to punt. A good kick from Evan Zollo and good coverage, plus a personal foul penalty, backed up Clinton to its own three yard line, seemingly putting the Viking defense in a great spot to take advantage of any bad snap or potential turnover, but it was the Dark Horses who would seize the momentum, when Josiah McLaurin eluded two or three would-be Viking tacklers in the backfield, and rumbled 93 yards to put a score on board of 6-0, after a failed two point conversion. The Vikings would start the next series with decent field position after a short kick and eight yard return by Mayon Myers, but it would result in a four and out, and turn the ball over on downs to Clinton. From here, Clinton's offense did move the chains once, but were forced to punt after the Viking defense held. With a 6-0 game, late in the third quarter, South Granville seemed to be in a good position; taking over possession with a chance to go tie the game, or take the lead, but on the punt, two Viking blockers were out of position, and at least one of them touched the football, allowing Clinton to recover at the South Granville 10 yard line. The Dark Horses would score, two plays later on a 10 yard run from Jeffrey Arnette. Another failed two point conversion kept the score t 12-0. The Vikings' next series carried over into the fourth quarter, but it brought more bad news to the Vikings, with an interception ending any hope of getting on the board during that series. Jeffrey Arnette appeared to have a huge return but many of the yards were nullified by a penalty. Clinton's drive would start at the Viking 35 yard line, and take 12 plays to get into the end zone, in another drive married by a penalty. On a fourth down play, the Vikings were flagged for pass interference in the end zone, allowing Clinton to score another touchdown to, for all intents and purposes put the game away, making it a three score game with less than six minutes to play. The scoring came on a five yard touchdown run from Josiah McLaurin and an extra point from J.J. Baggett, making it a 19-0 game. The Vikings appeared to have a big kickoff return from Antoine Doyle Jr., but a personal foul penalty took away 15 yards of field position, plus a bad snap on a third down and short, cost the Vikings 12 more yards, and put them behind the chains on fourth down, where South Granville attempted a pass but it was picked off by Alex Evans for the Dark Horses, who returned it 39 yards for a touchdown. Another extra point from Baggett made it a 26-0 game with four minutes remaining on the game clock. The Vikings' final series did feature four complete passes and one first down, but another self-inflicted wound; this time another bad snap getting away, cost South Granville 21 yards. The football would eventually be turned over on downs, where Clinton lined up to kneel and go to the locker room.
Box Score
Score By Quarters
SG 0-0-0-0--------0
Clin 0-0-12-14----26
Scoring Summary
3rd Quarter
8:10-Josiah McLaurin 93 yd TD Run (run failed)
0:19-Jeffrey Arnette 10 yd TD Run (pass failed)
4th Quarter
5:38-McLaurin 5 yd TD Run (J.J. Baggett kick)
4:00-Alex Evans 39 yd INT Return (Baggett kick)
Team Stats
Rushes-Yds SG 20-(-8).........Clin 53-297
Pass Com/Att, Yds SG 5/10, 54........Clin 0/1, 0
Total Offense Plays-Yds SG 30-46..........Clin 54-297
First Downs SG 2........Clin 12
Penalties-Yds SG 3-26...........Clin 8-62
Turnovers SG 3............Clin 0
Individual Stats
South Granville
Rushing: 3-Khawan Bobbitt 12-37, 4-Sha'King Allah 2-1, 31-Micah Hurt 1-1, 22-Nathan Medley 1-0, Team Rushes 3-(-41)
Passing: 16-Peyton Currin 4/8, 32, 1 INT, 3-Khawan Bobbitt 1/2, 22, 1 INT
Receiving: 2-Mayon Myers 4-48, 3-Khawan Bobbitt 1-6
Clinton
Rushing: 2-Josiah McLauring 40-295, 6-Jeffrey Arnette 3-17, 4-Josiah Robinson 6-1, 1-Nydarion Blackwell 3-(-1), Team Rushes 1-(-15)
Passing: 1-Nydarion Blackwell 0/1, 0
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