“This was a huge game for us. In our short history as a varsity program, this is the first time we went on the road against a good opponent with a winning record and found a way to win. It showed maturity because it was a back and forth game. We made mistakes. We gave up plays. But we battled back and won. I preached that to our players all week long. Good teams find a way to win and we did that,” said CCA Patriots head coach Jed Marsh following the Patriots’ 34-28 win over the Fullington Academy Trojans in Pinehurst on Friday night. The win improves CCA’s record to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in region play.
The last two weeks, the Patriots have won by a combined score of 69-6. This week, it wasn’t so easy. CCA jumped out to an early lead but the Patriots found themselves trailing most of the first half. They were down by two at halftime. Then they scored 22 second-half points to outpace the Trojans, who managed just 14 points over the final two periods.
CCA got on the board first when a Fullington fumble that Jett Hart recovered led to the Patriots’ first touchdown. A big pass to Tyson Crosby on fourth down kept the drive alive and eventually set up a five-yard touchdown run by quarterback Sam Ables. Damian Duran’s point-after attempt was blocked, leaving the score at 6-0 with 5:35 left in the first quarter.
The Trojans answered quickly. Less than two minutes later, Fullington quarterback Blake Hendrickson hit Aidan Hill for a 90-yard touchdown. Fullington went for two and converted. With 3:35 remaining in the first quarter, the Trojans were up 8-6.
Fullington extended its lead early in the second quarter when Hill ran in from 25 yards. Once again, the Trojans went for two. This time, however, they were unsuccessful. With 9:35 left in the second quarter, Fullington was up 14-6.
The score didn’t budge until the final seconds of the half. Ables threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Crosby to get within two points. Ables and company went for two but didn’t make it. The Trojans carried a 14-12 lead into halftime.
Fullington had held serve during the first half. The second half, however, would be a different story. CCA took the lead about halfway through the third quarter when Dalton Rogers scampered into the end zone from five yards out. Ables found Jonah Hall in the end zone for the two-point conversion to give the Patriots a 20-14 lead.
The Trojans bounced back and took a two-point advantage with 4:08 in the third quarter when they scored and successfully converted a two-point attempt to go up 22-20.
After that, the Patriots said enough was enough. Ables threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Duran with 1:49 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion to Dalton Rogers was good. CCA had a 28-22 lead that felt more comfortable than it actually was. With just under eight minutes left in the game, Crosby ripped off a 60-yard run that set up a seven-yard touchdown from Ables. It was getting late and the Patriots had a 34-22 lead.
Even though their backs were against the proverbial wall and the clock was racing, the Trojans stayed calm and attempted to work their way back into the game. They were building momentum when Damian Duran and Bo Roberts worked together to all but crush their dreams of a successful comeback. Roberts deflected a Trojan pass and Duran dove after ball, grabbing it just before it fell into the grass. The interception stole a possession and shifted the tide back in the Patriots’ favor. “Damian’s interception was a really big play. That turned the tide for us,” said Coach Marsh.
The Trojans, however, still had some magic left. With 16 seconds left, Hendrickson threw a pass intended for Hill. The ball sailed over Hill’s head but tight end Clay Sangster was behind Hill. He made an improbable catch and ran into the end zone for a late score. Fullington went for two and didn’t make it. The score was now 34-28 and the Trojans had an ever-so-small flicker of hope.
But it just wasn’t meant to be for the home team on Friday. CCA escaped with a 34-28 win. It wasn’t a signature win – it’s still early for that – but it was close. “They are ranked number eight. We’re ranked number nine. It was a game that we had to win if we want to reach our big picture goal for the season,” said Coach Marsh.
Ables completed seven of 13 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for two more. Crosby and Duran caught those two passes. Rogers scored the Patriots’ other touchdown. CCA was successful on a pair of two-point conversions thanks to Hall and Rogers.
The Patriots are off next week. They return to action on October 3 against Covenant Academy in Macon. Their next home game is an October 9 showdown with Crisp Academy in Douglas. “We needed this bye week coming up. Our team is beat up. We have some injuries we had to battle through. So we’ve got a much-needed rest week going into the second half of the season. This game was a great one. I couldn’t be prouder of our players. We played well tonight,” said Coach Marsh.