Ardrey Kell makes itself at home at Myers Park with big NC high school football win
The threat of weather related to Hurricane Ian forced North Carolina high school athletics officials to move this week’s slate of high school football games up a day, but the Ardrey Kell Knights didn’t seem to mind a bit.
Led by senior running back Beylor Morgan’s three-touchdown performance, the Knights rolled to a 40-9 victory at Myers Park after a slow start.
“The first quarter or two, it was a pretty close and competitive game,” Ardrey Kell head coach Greg Jachym said. “We made some mistakes that kind of kept it close. But, I was really proud of the way our guys responded. I just told them we have to clean some things up if we want to get to where we want to be at the end of the year.”
One thing that Knights definitely want more of are performances like they got from Morgan Friday — and the push he got from the Ardrey Kell offensive line.
“(Morgan) is our workhorse; he is tough as nails,” Jachym said. “He is a kid that you love to coach and I am proud as heck of him, but that o-line just did a great job as well. With our skill guys being able to spread the ball out, it helps us run the ball. Our quarterback did a great job making decisions. So, I think the whole offense played great.”
The play that really got things going for the Knights came early in the second quarter, when they lured Myers Park to sleep by running the ball consistently with Morgan as well as quarterback Josh Leclair.
Shortly after that, Leclair went play-action and found Brooks Stankavage for a 70-yard touchdown strike.
Beylor Morgan was quick to give credit to his offensive line after the game and felt like they were really able to do anything they wanted to on the offensive side of the ball.
“I’ve got to thank my o-line,” Morgan said. “They did a lot for me. They set the blocks and got where I needed to go. I just put my foot in the ground and got upfield, that is all that I had to do. We were able to do anything man. Our receivers were athletic enough to make the plays that we needed them to get me open holes in the middle. We could do anything we wanted that game.”
The defense contributed with three sacks and several tackles for loss. Mustangs quarterback Jaemyn Smith had very little time to make decisions.
“We are pretty fast across the board on defense,” coach Jachym said. “They have been playing at a high level for a very long time now. We have some seniors that have played since they were sophomores and have a lot of experience. We are playing good defense right now and hopefully, we can keep it up.”
Three Who Made a Difference
Beylor Morgan, Ardrey Kell: The senior running back led the team with three touchdowns, all coming on the ground. He ran for more than 100 yards during the game, which opened up things in the passing game for the Knights.
Josh Leclair, Ardrey Kell: The field general for the Knights had three passing touchdowns, one of which was the 70-yard bomb to his top target, Brooks Stankavage. It was a clean game for the senior, with no interceptions or fumbles.
Ardrey Kell’s offensive line: The Knights’ line won its battles in the trenches, not allowing the Myers Park defense to make plays. It paved the way for three rushing touchdowns and three through the air.
Worth Mentioning
▪ Knights junior linebacker Jake Davids had two sacks and forced pressure several times. He found a home in the Myers Park backfield and kept the Mustangs thinking quickly.
▪ Both teams’ kick return units set their respective teams up in great field position.
What’s Next?
Ardrey Kell improves to 5-1 on the season while Myers Park falls to 2-5. The Mustangs will travel to newly opened Palisades High next week, while the Knights will be at home against South Mecklenburg.
Score Summary
Ardrey Kell 7 19 7 7 – 40
Myers Park 6 3 0 0 – 9
First quarter
AK - 12 rush by Beylor Morgan (Shane French kick)
MP - 3 rush by Donyea Coleman (kick missed)
Second quarter
AK - Brooks Stankavage 70 pass from Josh Leclair (kick missed)
MP - Hank Thompson 21-yard field goal
AK - Morgan 9 rush (kick blocked)
AK - Xavier Esquillen 4 pass from Leclair (Andrew Bontekoe kick)
Third quarter
AK - Morgan 13 rush (Bontekoe kick)
Fourth quarter
AK - Ethan Presutty 6 pass from Leclair (Bontekoe kick)
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 10:11 PM.
