Unbeaten Trojans prevail in OT

ANGIER -- Harnett Central's defense forced the only turnover of the night in overtime, then needed just one play on its overtime drive to earn the school's first trip to the third round of the state football playoffs.

Junior quarterback Brian Taylor walked in untouched on a 10-yard quarterback draw to give the Trojans a 27-21 victory over Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference rival Southeast Raleigh.

Trojans senior defensive lineman Brandon McLean came free up the middle on Southeast Raleigh's overtime possession, forcing a quick throw on third down that sailed high and ended up in the hands of Central junior defensive back Lemonte Taylor.

Brian Taylor scored on the next play.

Central had made three second-round appearances in the past six years under coach Marc Morris, but this is the first time it has lasted until Thanksgiving weekend.

"We feel like we've learned as a program from losing in the second round," Morris said. "We always talk about not dwelling on our past failures or our past successes. This is just a great win over a great team tonight."

The Trojans (13-0) will host Middle Creek, a 24-19 winner over Durham Hillside, on Friday.

The Bulldogs altered their game plan a bit from their earlier meeting with the Trojans, relying on a power running attack that operated out of the Power-I formation as well as the standard I.

"We knew we had to try to control the ball and keep their offense off of the field as much as possible," Southeast coach Daniel Finn said. "Our coaches came up with a great game plan, and the kids did a great job of executing. Central switched up in the second half and moved a safety into the box. Still, we were able to run the ball at times."

Southeast's running game was stuffed on the first play of overtime. Tommy Branch ran for 4 yards on second down, and Finn wished he had stayed with the run at that point.

"They were going to be tough yards, but thinking back now, I wish I'd stayed with the run," he said. "Our kids were getting the job done."

Branch led the Bulldogs with 89 yards rushing on 21 carries, while Gabe Henderson added 73 yards.

Southeast (10-3) led 14-7 after a half, but Central charged ahead 21-14 in the third quarter. The Trojans tied the score on a 2-yard TD run by Jarrod Spears on the first drive of the second half, then went up 21-14 when Taylor found Torin Walker open down the middle of the field for a 54-yard touchdown connection.

Walker finished with 97 yards receiving on the night, while Taylor had 88 yards rushing and 122 passing.

"Southeast did a great job of limiting what we got in the first half," Morris said. "We only had three possessions. We picked things up in the second half and made some plays. Torin Walker had just a great game tonight."

The Bulldogs pulled even on a 3-yard TD run by Kendall Moore with 10:37 to play in the fourth. Central drove to the Southeast 20-yard line on the ensuing possession, but a holding penalty killed the drive.

Then the Bulldogs and Trojans exchanged time-churning drives that produced no points. Central moved the ball to the Southeast 37-yard line at the end of the fourth quarter, but Taylor's Hail Mary pass into the end zone was knocked away by Keith Tucker, sending the game into overtime.

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