Published: 12:57 AM, Sat Sep 05, 2009
Byrd's new back comes up big over Cape Fear
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor
Douglas Byrd came back in a big way from its upset loss to Terry Sanford a week ago.
Literally.
The Eagles unveiled 6-foot-3, 350-pound fullback Jenard Whitfield, who scored the clinching touchdown in Byrd's 26-20 win at Cape Fear on Friday night.
Both teams left the game with 2-1 records.
The Eagles survived a rash of penalties and four long plays that were called back to get the win. The Byrd defense held Cape Fear backs Josh Williams and James Virgil both under 100 yards rushing.
Meanwhile, Cape Fear hurt itself with four turnovers.
"I just wanted our kids to play hard after last week,'' Byrd coach Russell Stone said. "We lost a lot of confidence and we really had to play together and get our stuff back.
"I thought Cape Fear was the best team we had played. Virgil and Williams are something else. Their offensive line is huge and their defense plays hard.''
Byrd appeared to clinch the win halfway through the fourth period when Whitfield capped a 70-yard drive with his 3-yard scoring run. The extra point failed and Byrd led 26-13.
Whitfield said he's played in the backfield since middle school and has practiced at the position all season with the Eagles.
"It was like butterflies inside my gut,'' Whitfield said of his touchdown. "I couldn't believe I got it.''
"When they put the big boy in, he's a chore to play,'' Cape Fear coach Bobby Bennett said. "I think we could have had 12 out there and would have had a hard time tackling him.''
But Cape Fear rebounded with a 71-yard drive that ended on an amazing run by Terrence Kenan. Kenan bulled his way up the middle of the Byrd defense, seeming to drag the whole unit with him, and forced his way into the endzone on a 12-yard scoring run.
Matthew Robinson's kick pulled Cape Fear within 26-20.
Both teams had possessions in the final 5:03 of the game, but neither could muster any offense.
"Sometimes it does you a lot of good to have to fight for 48 minutes,'' Stone said. "After last week, that was really good for us to have to dig, and scrap and fight all night.''
The first half ended deadlocked at 13. Byrd got scores from Lorenzo Pooler on a 63-yard run and Rasheem Bronson on a 3-yard run.
Cape Fear countered with scores by Williams from 19 yards out and Virgil from 44.
Byrd went ahead for good on a 1-yard run by quarterback Junior Williams in the third quarter that made it 20-13.
Bronson led the Eagles with 114 yards rushing.
"Byrd's a team you really want to throw the ball on,'' Bennett said. "We missed a couple of big throws just by inches. We had two fades that had a shot. We couldn't quite connect on it.''
Bennett said all of Cape Fear's goals are in place, except for going undefeated. "Our goals are to win as many games as we can, win a conference championship and a state championship,'' he said. "It's all out there.''
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.