Southern Wayne quarterback Brandon Lark loses possession of the ball after getting gang-tackled by Rosewood’s Talan Collins (11), Derek Lund (23) and their teammate during first-period play. Lark was ruled down on the play. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Southern Wayne’s football team has started to play with a chip on its shoulder.
Head coach Matt Hine couldn’t be more pleased.
He wants to see that level of intensity and aggressiveness continue for four quarters after a 32-14 loss to county rival Rosewood on Friday evening.
“I applauded them for their fight tonight,” Hine said. “I’ve been complaining about their fight since I watched them play against Eastern Wayne. That team two weeks ago didn’t fight at all. I thought they they were gun shy, dazed … struggled to find any emotion.
“[Now] they’re playing with more emotion, playing with more fight.”
The Saints displayed their intensity on the opening kickoff.
Naeem Longmire found open real estate down the left sideline and nearly reached the end zone. Three plays later, sophomore Brandon Lark scored from the 2-yard line on fourth-and-goal.
Rosewood answered 66 seconds later.
Backup quarterback Hunter Sasser and Talan Collins hooked up for a 43-yard touchdown pass.
Tied at 6-6, the non-conference affair — the Saints’ last of the season — turned into a battle of wills offensively.
Southern Wayne struggled to develop any rhythm against Rosewood’s defense, which crowded the box and swarmed to the ball all evening. The Saints couldn’t solve blocking Micah Bell — a 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior defensive tackle who has received an offer from the US Naval Academy.
“Tonight, it was pick your poison,” Hine said. “If we wanted to run to the strength of our formation, we’re running at a Division I defensive lineman who played like a Division I lineman tonight.
“Then, if you run away from that, you’re running into guys who are flying to the football, pursuing like crazy. It was what we expected.”
Bryson Hobbs’ two-yard burst pushed the Eagles in front late in the opening quarter.
Just before halftime, Southern Wayne put together its lone scoring possession of the game. Lark completed two passes, including a tipped ball intended for Longmire that landed in Xzavion Dublin’s paws.
Dublin’s catch set up Lark’s 1-yard dive. Lark completed a two-point conversion pass and the Saints trailed 18-14 at the break.
Hine described it as the team’s “most efficient” drive of the game – and season, for that matter. However, the second-year mentor lamented his team’s inability to consistently move the ball.
“We’re not playing at a good pace, making penalties offensively at bad times, not taking the ‘next play’ attitude they need to take and build momentum,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be great plays all the time, but for our offense, we need do not to be behind the chains.”
Rosewood’s defense pitched a second-half shutout.
The unit held the Saints to 94 yards of total offense on 45 plays, picked off two passes and forced two turnovers on downs. Longmire led Southern Wayne with 28 yards rushing. Lark accounted for 55 total yards — 25 rushing and 30 passing on three completions in nine tries.
“I thought our defense stepped up big in the second half with adjustments made at halftime,” Rosewood head coach Josh Smith said. “A lot of white jerseys were rallying to the ball keeping Southern Wayne’s momentum to a minimum.”
Sasser threw three TD strikes — two to Jassir Myles and one to CJ Lucas. Moved into the starting role after an injury to starter Giovanni Pineda, Sasser completed six of 10 passes for 110 yards.
The Eagles piled up 270 yards, including a 73-yard performance from Hobbs.
“Hunter orchestrated the offense very well tonight with some really good reads and taking what the defense gave them,” Smith said. “He didn’t try to force anything, did really well and adjusted to how Southern Wayne was playing certain formations and motions.”
Southern Wayne gets a much-needed bye week.
The Saints lost Malachi Jenkins in the third quarter. The junior linebacker endured a stinging hit and was taken to UNC Wayne for further evaluation.
“I think he’s okay,” Hine said. “He was moving everything. He was talking. He complained of neck pain. Between that injury and being down a couple of bodies hurt from Tuesday [against Goldsboro], I don’t want to make excuses, but the depth got us real fast.
“We weren’t playing with the same fire we had.”
Southern Wayne (1-2 overall) launches its 2024 Quad County 3A campaign Sept. 20 at East Wake. Rosewood (2-1) welcomes nemesis Princeton to Branch Pope Field next Friday.
You may reach Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
SW — Lark 2 run (run failed), 9:34
R — T. Collins 43 pass from Sasser (kick failed), 8:28
R — Hobbs 2 run (kick blocked), 1:25
Second Quarter
R — Myles 17 pass from Sasser (run failed), 5:10
SW — Lark 1 run (Lark pass good), 0:20.0
Third Quarter
R — Myles 18 pass from Sasser (K. Collins kick), 3:55
Fourth Quarter
R — Lucas 8 pass from Sasser (K. Collins kick), 9:53
