Share
Sometimes, football is a simple game. Usually the team that runs the ball well and turns it over less will come out victorious.
East Mecklenburg proved that theory correct, as the visiting Eagles forced six South Meck turnovers and ran for 295 yards as they rolled to a 38-7 victory in the regular-season finale for both teams.
"I thought we were crisp on both sides of the ball tonight," East Meck coach Greg Hill said. "This group has been through so much this year that people don't even know about, so this is a good way to end the regular season."
East Meck (6-5, 2-4 Southwestern 4A) began the takeaways on its first possession, intercepting quarterback Chase Ferguson at its 39. Two long Ronald Howard runs put the Eagles in the red zone, and Olen Little found Elgin Counts for an 18-yard touchdown to begin the scoring.
Another Little touchdown pass made the score 14-0, but the Eagles took control late in the first half. South Meck (4-7, 0-6) drove deep into East Meck territory, but Ferguson was picked off again, this time at the Eagles 1.
East Meck then went 99 yards in 11 plays (nine of them runs), with Counts scoring on a 5-yard run with 1 minute, 29 seconds left in the half. A South Meck fumble led to a 31-yard field goal by David Marvin on the final play for a 24-0 lead at halftime.
Things got worse for South Meck. The Sabres fumbled the second-half kickoff, which led to Little's third touchdown pass of the game, a 21-yarder to J.P. Phifer. The Sabres fumbled on their next possession, and Howard scored what would be East Meck's final touchdown four plays later on a 15-yard run. The junior had 149 yards rushing on 18 carries.
"That's the big thing, that not only did we get turnovers but we capitalized on them," Hill said. "We also did a good job running the ball and that opened things up for the passing game."
South Meck avoided the shutout with some trickery, as Michael Campbell threw a pass to Mitch Wagner, who lateraled to Larry Kennedy for a 25-yard touchdown midway through the fourth.
East Meck will wait to see if it earns a berth in the state playoffs when the brackets are announced today.
