Rolesville, Wake Forest settle regional final in overtime
They beat Wake Forest in the regular season, and the Rolseville Rams did again Friday night, working double overtime to finally put away the Cougars, 24-21, to advance to the NCHSAA 4AA Championship.
The thrilling finish in the second extra session came after Wake Forest nearely ended it with 1:30 to play, but missed a game-winning field goal attempt with the score knotted at 14-14.
On the first play to start OT, Rolesville gave the ball to Davon Dunn for a 10-yard score and an early advantage. The Cougars returned the favor with another score from Michael Dipasquale, his third touchdown of the night, to send the game to double overtime.
The Rams defense ruled the second OT session, forcing both a fumble for a loss of yardage and an interception.
On Rolesville’s ensuing possession, Devin Versteegen sealed the deal with a 15-yard field goal, advancing the Rams into the 4AA state final to face Charlotte area juggernaut Vance High.
Back and forth
Rolesville wasted little time putting the first points on the board after capping off their opening drive with a 27-yard scramble from junior quarterback Byrum Brown.
Brown suffered an apparent leg injury midway through the first quarter, but returned in the second, despite playing the remainder of the game with a limp.
Rolesville’s defense made moving the football tough for the Cougars, but a 40-yard connection from junior quarterback Chad Hillman to Camden Rog would set the team up in the red zone. A two-yard push by Dipasquale evened the game at 7-7 at the start of the second quarter.
Going into halftime, Both teams continued to lean heavily on their rushing attack. Dunn would pushed his team ahead with a 3-yard run, but Wake Forest answered back after Dipasquale found the end zone once again to tie the game, 14-14.
The Cougars drove all the way to the Rams’ 4-yard-line in the third quarter, but failed to score after the Rolseville defense forced a fumble. Rolseville recovered, and used the turnover as a spark.
The teams volleyed momentum in the second half, with Cougars forcing an interception, the Rams making a crucial fourth-and-two stop, and then Wake Forest forcing a fumble of its own.
Back-to-back defensive stops gave Wake Forest the ball at their opposing 34-yard line with 1:30 left in the game. With 3.2 seconds remaining, the Cougars missed the game-winning field goal to go to overtime.
Three who mattered
Michael Dipasquale, Wake Forest: His running ability made up for Wake Forest’s inconsistent passing attack. He finished the first half with a pair of touchdowns and another in overtime.
Byrum Brown, Rolesville: Despite suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter, the junior quarterback continue to lead the way with both his legs and arm.
Defense: Both offenses showcased their high-scoring ability throughout the season but in this matchup neither offense could find consistency thanks to their opposing defensive units.
Worth mentioning
▪ This was Wake Forest’s fifth straight East Final appearance
▪ Wake Forest suffered its only two losses of the season at the handed of Rolesville. The first matchup being on March 26, losing 36-3.
RECORDS: Wake Forest(7-2), Rolesville (9-0)
What’s next: Wake Forest finishes their season 7-2. Rolesville improves their undefeated season to 9-0 and advance to the NCHSAA 4AA Championship against Vance
Scoring Summary:
Wake Forest 0 14 0 0 7 0 — 21
Rolesville 7 7 0 0 7 3 — 24
R: Byrum Brown 27-yard run (Devin Versteegen kick)
WF: Michael Dipasquale 2-yard run (Kaleb Standley kick)
R: Davon Dunn 3-yard run (Versteegen kick)
WF: Dipasquale 4-yard run (Standley kick)
R: Dunn 10-yard run (Versteegen kick)
R: Versteegen 15-yard field goal
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 10:58 PM.