Holly Springs High coach Will Orbin said his team took advantage of a big break in Friday’s 23-20 Tri-Nine 4A overtime football victory over Panther Creek. The Catamounts had a high snap and missed an extra point that could have given them the lead in the fourth quarter of the eventual loss to Holly Springs.

“We played well for about 38 minutes,” Orbin said. “We didn’t play very well for about 10 minutes. We got a big break when we needed it, because Panther Creek was playing very well. You have to give Panther Creek a lot of credit.”

In overtime, senior linebacker Kolani Coats ended Panther Creek’s possession with an interception. Holly Springs ran three plays to the one-yard line before Tyler Shade booted the overtime field goal to win the game.

Orbin praised the play of linebacker Daniel Nash and wide receiver Evan Allen, who had six catches for 89 yards.

Wake Forest defense: The Wake Forest-Rolesville defense was exceptional in Friday’s 34-7 victory over previously undefeated Southeast Raleigh.

The Cougars held a club that had averaged 30 points per game in three opening wins to a single touchdown. More impressive, the WF-R defenders held the Bulldogs to a net 38 total yards, including a minus-22 rushing yards. The Cougars intercepted two passes and recovered three fumbles.

“I was extremely pleased,” said Wake Forest coach Reggie Lucas. “The kids have worked very hard and I am so pleased with how they have played through our non-conference schedule.”

The Cougars have defeated Durham Jordan, 35-6 (in a game stopped at the half by lightning), East Wake 77-19, Northern Durham, 42-10 and Southeast Raleigh.

“You look at your season as three seasons – the non-conference, the conference and possibly the post-season,” Lucas said. “Now we’re getting to the conference season and we have no time to celebrate what we did in the non-conference games.

“The Cap Eight is so balanced that we have to start concentrating on that.”

Wake Forest opens its league season this week at home against Heritage. Leesville Road and Wakefield, the two other Cap Eight teams that are undefeated, play at home against Enloe and at Sanderson, respectively.

Broughton comeback: Broughton fell behind Fayetteville Terry Sanford last week 21-0 in the first quarter before rallying to tie the game 21-21. Terry Sanford eventually won the game with a 27-yard field goal by Peter Curt with 90 seconds left. The loss dropped the Caps to 0-4.

“We have had a tough four game stretch and we are getting better every game,” said Broughton coach Chris Martin. “We continue to make mistakes that cost us momentum and eventually the game.

“We did go down by 21 in the first but our kids did not drop their heads and we came out the second half and executed our game plan and had a chance to win.”

Broughton opens Cap Eight play on Friday against Millbrook.

Garner rushers: Garner rushed for 416 yards in its 46-29 win over previously unbeaten Middle Creek.

The Trojans had exceptional running balance with Nyheim Hines (152 yards, four rushing touchdowns), Tyler Hinton (101 yards) and Raeon Smith (129 yards, two rushing touchdowns).

Air attack: East Chapel Hill quarterback Ben Jones fired 45 passes in a 53-14 loss to Carrboro. Jones completed 24 passes for 233 yards. The Wildcats rushed only eight times for two yards.

Carrboro’s Alex McVeigh completed 6 of 9 passes for 196 yards.

Friday night football: Dave Diamont is the head football coach at East Surry High, but also served in the North Carolina General Assembly from 1975 through 2004 and was the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for three terms..

He recently wrote to the N.C. State athletic department to protest the Wolfpack’s Friday night football game against Tennessee. He called the game a direct attack on high school football in the state of North Carolina.

“When our biggest state supported universities no longer appreciate our hard work at the lowest levels – well, you are hurting the public school systems of your state,” Diamont wrote.

“...I think the athletic department at N.C. State has made a big mistake. I hope our other universities in our great state do not follow your example.”