East Chapel Hill beat Cedar Ridge 10-6 in a turnover-filled, penalty-ridden game Friday night in Chapel Hill, scoring all its points in before halftime and winning the field-position battle that ensued in the second half.

By Robbie Harms

Correspondent

CHAPEL HILL -- East Chapel Hill beat Cedar Ridge 10-6 in a turnover-filled, penalty-ridden game Friday night in Chapel Hill, scoring all its points in before halftime and winning the field-position battle that ensued in the second half.

Wildcats quarterback Ben Jones found receiver Will Buckley on a 36-yard touchdown pass with eight minutes left in the first quarter, and it seemed that the game might turn into an offensive showcase.

It was anything but.

“We just made too many mistakes on offense, and we had plenty of scoring opportunities,” ECHHS head coach Bill Renner said. “But luckily our defense is really good. We kept making the game in our favor by punting it deep, holding ‘em, punting it deep, holding ‘em.”

Cedar Ridge couldn’t capitalize on the Wildcats’ stagnant offense, but remained close because of its own defense.

Junior Raekwon Villines, who bobbled a punt in the first quarter that led to a Wildcats field goal, returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter with ECHHS threatening to score and take a commanding 17-0 lead into halftime.

“I dropped back … and the ball rolls up in the air, and I just took it. I saw daylight,” Villines said. “I had to make (the bobbled punt) up for my team.”

The Wildcats’ lead was cut to 10-6 after Villines’ touchdown, and neither team would score for the rest of the game.