RALEIGH — No. 5 Wakefield made its case to stay in the Cap Eight 4A championship conversation Friday with a 33-19 win over No. 3 Wake Forest-Rolesville.The Wolverines started slow, but used a three-score second quarter to take an early lead and held on to hand Wake Forest-Rolesville its first loss.
No. 5 Wakefield made its case to stay in the Cap Eight 4A championship conversation Friday with a 33-19 win over No. 3 Wake Forest-Rolesville.
The Wolverines started slow, but used a three-score second quarter to take an early lead and held on to hand Wake Forest-Rolesville its first loss.
“It was really a gut check,” Wakefield quarter back Connor Mitch said about the Wolverines’ week 7 loss. “After last week we knew we had to come out and get this win, especially against Wake Forest-Rolesville.”
Wakefield (7-1, 3-1) had to bounce back from a 55-24 loss at Leesville Road to take on another undefeated conference foe in a second consecutive week.
Wakefield coach Rod Sink said the way the Wolverines played last week wasn’t characteristic of his team. This week, their intensity level was higher this week, which made all the difference, he said.
“There was a lot of energy in the air surrounding this game, and when we stepped in the stadium you could feel it. Our guys really fed off that,” Sink said. “We were very disappointed after last week, but we knew if we wanted to have a shot at anything, we had to come out and make a statement.”
Leesville Road is the now only Cap Eight team that remains undefeated this year. Wake Forest-Rolesville (7-0, 3-1) will play the Pride on Oct. 26.
“All we can do it take care of ourselves and hope that (Wake Forest-Rolesville) can beat Leesville,” Sink said.
The Cougars’ Petey Williams went down with an injury midway through the first quarter. Wake Forest-Rolesville, coming off a short week and with one of its big runners out took to the air.
Quarterback Cameron Fray found Devante Reynolds on an 11-yard pass to put the Cougars on the board first, but Wakefield would rule the rest of the first half.
The Wolverines used a three-score second quarter to take a 19-7 lead into halftime. Though Wakefield’s extra-point attempt was blocked and quarterback Connor Mitch couldn’t connect with Jordan Fielleteau on a two-point conversion, the Wolverines scored on all three second quarter possessions.
Mitch found Chris Ballen on an 18-yard score and later hit Fielleteau with a 1-yard touchdown pass after the two connected on a 32-yard throw to put the Wolverines at the goal line.
Mitch walked in a score of his own to cap off the run.
Wakefield began the second half on the wrong foot, getting pushed back to the 11 yard-line after two consecutive penalties and then a botched snap turned into a safety for the Cougars.
Wake Forest-Rolesville then made it a one-score game on a field goal and tied it with 2:27 left in the third on a 5-yard pass from Fray to Taylor Bagley.
But the Wolverines quickly responded, going up 25-19 on another Mitch to Ballen touchdown, and scored again on a Kelton Whitehead run in the fourth.
With the win under its belt, all Wakefield can do is focus on itself, Mitch said.
“We have to just continue our game and treat every game like it’s a big one just like this and keep getting wins,” he said.
Mitch, focused on completing shorter passes than usual, finished with 200 yards passing on 28 of 36 passing. Fielleteau caught many of those balls, racking up 163 receiving yards on 15 receptions.
Bryce Love led the Cougars with 161 yards on the ground on 20 carries.
Wakefield travels to Enloe next week and Wake Forest hosts Sanderson for its homecoming game.
The win also brought the Predator Trophy, awarded to the winner of annual rivalry game, back to Wakefield. Wake Forest-Rolesville leads that series 4-2.
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