N.C. builds Shrine momentum

North Carolina wins the football game for the third time in the past four years

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The role reversal in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas continued Saturday at Gibbs Stadium.

North Carolina won the 70th edition of the classic, downing South Carolina 23-16. The win is the Tar Heel State's third in the past four seasons. South Carolina, which had won three straight meetings from 1999-2001 by a combined score of 107-17, still leads the all-time series, 38-28-4.

The way in which the Tar Heels won Saturday's game on the campus of Wofford College came as a surprise as well. North Carolina held South Carolina's highly touted passing game in check for much of the night and hurt the Sandlappers with its air attack.

Area standouts Dominique Ellis of East Wake and Jonathan Williams of Greenville Rose took home MVP trophies for North Carolina.

Ellis, who had five tackles, helped lead the defensive effort against five-star Clemson-bound recruit Willy Korn and Matt Lentz, South's quarterbacks.

Korn and Lentz were both intercepted; Korn also lost two fumbles. Lentz also fumbled under pressure from Bunn's Kerry Neal. There were a total of nine turnovers in the game with six of those coming on the South Carolina side.

"I've got to give congrats to our defensive line," Ellis said. "They put so much pressure on their quarterback, it made our job easier. And coach [Chuck] Proffitt [a Garner assistant] gave us a great game plan."

Despite Ellis downplaying the secondary's contributions, the pressure his group created made things easier for the North defensive line, which included Neal and Durham Riverside's Weslye Saunders. All three sacks recorded on the day were due in part to the secondary's excellent coverage.

The secondary unit also included Garner teammates Chris Culliver and Josh Oglesby.

"We picked seven of the best defensive backs you'll find anywhere," Tar Heels coach Ed Emory said. "These guys are all great players. They did an outstanding job for us today."

With South Carolina up 16-13 with 1:08 to play in the third quarter, Korn couldn't handle a low snap from his center. Neal, a Notre Dame recruit, swooped in and covered the ball at the Sandlappers' 17-yard line.

Three plays later and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Williams scored on a 9-yard run. Jay Wooten's extra-point put North Carolina up 20-16.

Williams, who helped lead Rose to the 4-A state title last week, led all rushers in the game with 106 yards on 21 carries. Most of his carries and yardage came in the second half.

"It felt good to step up and take care of the ball and help us tuck away the win," Williams said.

North Carolina added a 26-yard field goal with 5:36 to play after pressure from Neal forced Lentz's fumble.

The Tar Heels led 13-9 at the half on a 9-yard fumble return for a score by Melvin Ingram and Dwight Jones Jr.'s 63-yard TD catch from Scott Riddle.