A 91-yard kickoff return by Trebion Hackney to open the second half gave the Imps their only touchdown in a 9-7 victory over Athens Drive in the regular-season finale.

By J. Mike Blake

mblake@newsobserver.com

CARY -- After so many close losses -- four by seven points or less --- Cary had its back against the wall going into the final week of the season.

The Imps needed a win to reach the playoffs. Another close game awaited the Cary Friday night. But this time the Imps came out on top.

A 91-yard kickoff return by Trebion Hackney to open the second half gave the Imps their only touchdown in a 9-7 victory over Athens Drive in the regular-season finale.

“We were really worried that we were not going to get in. We had kind of taken that for granted, being in the post-season,” said Cary coach Ben Kolstad. “We feel like we deserve to be in the playoffs and we earned it tonight. I am proud of the way we played.”

All of Cary’s points came from special teams, a bounce back effort from a week ago when a blocked punt gave Green Hope a 20-17 victory over the Imps.

Phillip Thomas, who missed field goal attempts of 45 and 37 yards and had an extra point blocked, made a 21-yarder in the fourth quarter with 10:45 to go.

Athens Drive (5-6, 4-4), which finished tied with Cary (5-5, 4-4) and Green Hope (6-5, 4-4) for fourth in the Tri-Nine 4A will advance to the post-season also.

Cary had conference leading rusher Dominique Lynch to 78 yards on 20 carries.

Athens Drive’s longest play of the night came on a 54-yard wide receiver pass from Brad Bowling to Henry Smith. That play set up a seven-yard touchdown run by Lynch with four seconds in the first quarter.

Running back Marquise Sherrod-Ponds had 194 rushing yards on 41 carries for Cary. Scott Kinsey filled in at quarterback for the injured Jordan Dawson.

Kinsey, who is normally a fullback, had 28 yards rushing, completed one pass for seven yards and had no turnovers.