TARBORO —
WILSON – Coming into the game SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars head coach Raymond Cobb knew his team had to control the ball and clock. They also needed to be near flawless if they were going to be successful against the Beddingfield Bruins in Eastern Plains Conference action. Both teams were 2-0 in conference coming into the contest and in a three way tie for first place, but the Cougars were the better team and came away with a 32-13 victory after the game was called with 2:54 left to play when a storm approached. Both coaches agreed to call it a complete game, because the Cougars were driving inside Bruin territory when the storm came.
Cobb's team was very successful offensively gaining 412 yards with 396 coming on the ground. Special teams played a big part in the first half by recovering an onside kick, but the defense stepped it up in the second half and played flawless football. SouthWest's defense shut down the Bruins offensive attack in the second half and allowed only 48 yards of offense. The Bruins had 230 yards of total offense in the game and 152 was in the air.
The Cougars didn't waste anytime putting points on the scoreboard. On the opening series on the fifth play from scrimmage facing a second and three, senior running back Gerald Hinton took the handoff and found a wide open hole in the line of scrimmage and bolted 47 yards for the touchdown. He added the two-point conversion to give the Cougars an 8-0 lead.
The lead didn't last long though, because Beddingfield fought right back and put a six play, 73 yard drive together. They capped off the scoring drive with a 51 yard TD pass when quarterback Javis Nixon connected with Shauntavious Atkinson. That cut into the Cougar lead, but the two-point conversion failed and SouthWest led 8-6.
Cobb knew he had to control the football and put some lengthy drives together and keep the Bruins offense off the field. He went to his playbook and and put an 18 play, 84-yard drive together that lasted over nine minutes. Cobb used four different backs in the series to put the drive together and capped it off with Hinton scoring his second TD of the game from 4 yards out. The two-point conversion failed and the Cougars led 13-6.
After the Cougars score, their special teams went to work. All of the special team players lined up on the left side of the kicker, Quay Wooten and he kicked the ball straight into the ground and the Cougars found a big hop from the ball bouncing and recovered it at the 45-yard line with 10:40 left before halftime.
On the ensuing Cougars drive, they didn't chew but a little over three minutes off the clock on an eight play drive that was capped off when Wooten scored on a QB sneak up the middle. The two-point conversion failed again and SouthWest had a commanding 20-6 lead with 7:10 left to play in the first half.
That lead didn't last long though, because the Bruins took the ensuing kickoff and ran it back 70 yards down to the Cougar 21 yard line. Nixon punched it in for the Bruins on a QB keeper around the right side on an 11 yard run. The extra point was good and SouthWest led 20-13.
The Cougars marched right down the field on the Bruins defense. SouthWest put an eight play 80 yard drive toghether in a three minute span off of some big runs by fullbacks Devontrell Hyman and Devonte Williams. On a first and 10 from the Bruins 12, Milton Ransome had his number called and busted up the middle and had the ball knocked out of his hands at the one yard line and Beddingfield recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback.
The Bruins took the ensuing possession and moved right down the field behind some good passing from Nixon. Beddingfield called a timeout with 58 seconds on the clock when they were facing a third and goal situation. Bruin running back Terrence Paterson took the hand off and gained two yards and that put the Bruins facing a fourth and goal from the one. The Bruins took another timeout to set up a play. This time, Nixon had his number called again and tried to sneak the ball into the end zone, but he lost the ball on the snap and the Cougars defense held Beddingfield scoreless on that drive and led 20-13 at halftime.
The second half was all Cougars after Keyshawn Anderson picked off a Nixon pass on the opening series in the third quarter, which gave SOuthWest good field position at the 45-yard line.
The Cougars took advantage of the Bruin turnover and drove the ball down the field on eight plays and capped the drive off with Hinton's third TD of the game from 15 yards out. The two-point conversion failed and SouthWest led 26-13 with 7:24 left in the third.
SouthWest's defense stepped up again and forced the Bruins to turn the ball over on downs at the Cougar 33 yard line with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
SouthWest started another long drive, but was put in a tough fourth down situation at the 49 yard line. The Cougars facing a fourth and three, Cobb called a timeout. He sent his punt team out on the field, but the snap went to Hinton and he followed his blockers and gained five yards to give SouthWest a new life and a first and 10 situation. The Cougars ran six more plays and capped it off with Hinton's fourth TD of the game from six yards out to give them a 32-13 lead.
The game was cut short with 2:54 left on the clock due to lightening, but both coaches agreed to call it a complete game.
Hinton led all rushers with 219 yards on 26 carries, while Ransome had 75 yards on 15 touches. The fullback corp of Williams and Hyman combined for 87 yards on 16 touches.
SouthWest will be back in action Friday when they host the North Pitt Panthers.
Sports
Related Photos
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SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars running back Gerald Hinton runs the ball behind fullback Devante Williams who is lead blocking for Hinton.
Hinton explodes for 4 TDs in Cougars 32-13 win
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14-Under softball tryout
The Tarboro Parks and Recreation Department and Edgecombe County Girls Softball League will be having tryouts for 14-under girls fast-pitch softball Wednesday, May 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Farmington Park in Rocky Mount. The is located at 319 Wellington Dr. There will also be a tryout Thursday, May 30 at Indian Lake Sports Complex on field 1 in Tarboro from 6 - 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 fee for Tarboro residents and a $35 fee for non-residents. For more information call the sports complex at 641-4202, Kathy Webb 252-813-4697 or Jamie Lindsey 252-883-0883 or sftbllgrlunc@hotmail.com.
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Thorne tabbed Regional Player of the Year
Tarboro Lady Vikings forward Shayla Thorne is still learning about the game of soccer. She has turned into one of the best female soccer players in school history. Every time she takes the field she gets better and better, because of her hard work and the help of her teammates. Her hard work paid off for her during her junior year as she led the Vikings with a winning record, co-confoerence championship and into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
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Cobb, Rhodes inducted in Cougars Hall of Fame
PINETOPS – The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars athletic department inducted two legendary coaches into their Hall of Fame Monday night. Former football coach Raymond Cobb and former baseball coach Bruce Rhodes were the recipients of the awards.
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SWE Athletes of the Year
SouthWest Edgecombe Cougar Dawson Gould was named Female Athlete of the Year and Kenneth Plummer was named Male Athlete of the Year Monday night at the Cougars annual athletic awards banquet. Gould played volleyball, basketball and softball. Plummer played football, ran indoor and outdoor track.
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Pinetops 300
PINETOPS – With the threat of rain during the weekend, it put a little damper on the Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull attendance. Friday night there was a large crowd in attendance, but not the amount it has been the last several years. There was 500 less people in attendance Friday then there was a year ago, but it didn't stop the pullers from slinging mud everywhere. The fans in one section even had a chance to see what it looked like when a belt breaks on a fine tuned machine. During the Mini Modified run, Thomas Coleman, of Stoneville, had a belt break on his KB 526 Pure Hell ride and the belt slung into the crowd. No one was injured.
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Vikings, Cougars compete in 2-A state meet
The Tarboro Vikings and SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars had six girls apiece competing in the NCHSAA 2-A state track meet in Greensboro Friday at North Carolina A&T State University.
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Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals
Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.
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BIG FISH
Camden Grant and her boyfriend Ricky Davis, Jr. caught a 10 pound carp at a state wildlife pond Wednesday morning off of Highway 33 just outside of Tarboro. Grant said she caught the fish on a piece of shrimp around 10:30 a.m.
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Vikings ousted from playoffs by Jaguars
CARRBORO – After defeating the No. 1 seed in the playoffs Friday, the Tarboro Vikings forgot one thing, they had to hit the ball again Tuesday against the Carrboro Jaguars or their season would be over.
Tarboro failed to be productive at the plate and were eliminated from the NCHSAA 2-A playoffs after losing 8-0 in the second round. Tarboro never gave in after getting down early, but they just couldn't catch a break offensively and get anything going after trailing by five runs after the second inning. -
Cougars finish 7th in state golf match
The SouthWest Edgecombe Cougars went through the regionals and won by four strokes. They just couldn't get it going in the state golf championships Monday or Tuesday at Longleaf Golf and Country Club in Southern Pines. The Cougars finished seventh as a team after shooting 658 over the two day period.
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