The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

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  • Tarboro Vikings senior quarterback Aaron Moore throws a pass in the third quarter Friday night while Saiid Murphy blocks a Nash Central Bulldog defender. Moore rushed for 136 yards and scored a touchdown.

    Aaron Moore.jpg

  • Tarboro Vikings Aaron Moore, left, and Quentin Roberson, right, take a break with their injured comrade, Donnell Arnold, Friday night against Nash Central. Roberson and Moore ran for more than 100 yards each to lead the Vikings past the Bulldogs 42-26. See Page 7, for complete game story.

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August 20, 2012

Vikings get revenge defeat Nash Central 42-26

CORRESPONDENT Van Holland

TARBORO — After suffering a tough defeat last year at the hands of the Nash Central Bulldogs, the Tarboro Vikings were looking for a little revenge Friday night to open up the 2012 football season and they got it after defeating the Bulldogs 42-26.

Last year, the Vikings weren't in the best physical condition as a team and suffered numerous leg craps during the opening game, but this year Vikings head coach Jeff Craddock saw to it that his team wasn't going to have a repeat of that game this year.

"I was disappointed in myself last year as a head coach because I didn't have my players in the best shape as they could have been in and it showed," Craddock said. "I tried to do a better job of that this year by running them a lot more. At the end of the day these kids just had to man up and make the plays."

Craddock was wondering what a young offensive line would be able to accomplish for his back field going into the game, but they seemed to prove themselves against a big Bulldogs defensive line. Tarboro had three players, Aaron Moore, Quentin Roberson and Travonne Marshall to rush for over 100 yards. Moore rushed for 136 yard, Marshall had 131 and Roberson had 108 in the game.

Tarboro had several chances to put the game away, but let the Bulldogs hang around and continue to battle back.

With 11:12 left in the game,  Moore scored on a 26 yard QB keeper around the left side to put the Vikings up 27-12. After the score Craddock told his players to put the nail in the coffin.

The Vikings didn't respond to their coaches instructions, because Nash Central marched down the field and scored in a little over two minutes. Bulldogs quarterback Khalil Macklin connected with Jarius Richardson to cut back into the lead and make it 27-18 with 9:54 left in the game.

"I wanted our guys to make a stop and we get the ball back and hopefully drive down the field and score and go up three touchdowns but it didn't happen," Craddock said. "They have a good football team and a great coaching staff that works hard. I was disappointed after they scored that touchdown."

Craddock wouldn't stay disappointed long, because just over a minute after the Bulldogs scored, Roberson took the hand off from Moore and busted it up the middle for 31 yards and another Vikings score. Tarboro led 34-18 at that point.

Nash Central wouldn't go away. They scored again with 4:20 left in the game and pulled to within eight points after Richardson scored on a one yard run and the Bulldogs converted the two-point conversion to make it 34-26.

"Offensively I thought we did very well," Craddock said. "Our defense made some big plays and I saw some good things from our defense. We played great the first half on defense, but the second half was a different story. That may come with youth and that is something we will have to work on."

Tarboro got the ball back after both teams had a three and out series with 1:29 left. On a first and 10 from the 22 yard line, Marshall took the hand off up the middle and sprinted 78 yards for another Vikings touchdown and that helped seal the win for Tarboro.

The first big play of the game came when Moore broke free on the Vikings first possession of the season and sprinted 73 yards to the seven yard line to set up a Roberson seven yard touchdown run on the next play.

The Vikings second possession of the game proved that the were capable of moving the football down the field at will. The Vikings put together a 14 play, 64 yard drive after Marshall recovered a fumble on the Bulldogs 37 yard line.

Facing a fourth and goal situation from one yard out, Roberson punched it in again to put Tarboro up 13-0.

That lead didn't last long, because with 1:10 left in the second quarter, Bulldogs quarterback Khalil Macklin punched it in from 16 yards out on a quarterback keeper around the right side. The lead was cut to 13-6 and would stay that way until halftime.

In the third quarter, Tarboro put together an eight play 51 yard drive that was capped off by a Radja Bobbitt touchdown run after Moore pitched the ball to him down the right sideline.

Tarboro is looking to continue their winning ways and tradition from the past four years of making it to the state championship game.

If the Vikings make it that far, senior defensive end, Tyquan Lewis will be the only player in Vikings history to win four state titles as a player.

"I just want my teammates to continue to work hard everyday," Lewis said. "I know we have the talent to get back to the championship game but we have to work as a team."

Tarboro's next game will be Friday when they host Washington at 7:30 p.m.

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