Britt ousts WF-R in final

Proctor too tough for Cougars

FAYETTEVILLE -- There will be a time when many in Wake County will thrive on Everett Proctor-driven football victories. This is not that time.

Proctor, an N.C. State recruit, carried Fayetteville Jack Britt by Wake Forest-Rolesville 27-16 on Friday night in the Class 4-AA East championship, by scoring three touchdowns and compiling 272 yards of offense.

Britt earned a chance to avenge its only loss of the season with the win. The Buccaneers (14-1) will meet Mid-South Conference rival Richmond County in next Sunday's state championship game at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Richmond won the 4-AA western title Friday, downing Charlotte Independence.

Wake Forest-Rolesville ends its season with a 12-3 mark. The Cougars were trying to become the first Wake County school to advance to an NCHSAA state football championship game since Garner lost to Richmond County in 1998.

"That runner-up trophy isn't something you want," said Cougars coach Earl Smith. "But it doesn't take away from the things these young men did. Our seniors walk away with three conference championships and a eastern regional championship appearance."

The Cougars fell behind 20-6 in the second quarter but grabbed the game's momentum back with a late first-half touchdown drive, then closed within 20-16 on a 23-yard Tim Hartman field goal with 3:11 to play in the third quarter.

Proctor gave himself a chance to answer the field goal, directing a drive inside of the Wake Forest-Rolesville 10-yard line early in the fourth but the lead stayed at four points when Cougars senior nose tackle Christian Woods got a fingertip on the 24-yard kick, sending it just wide, giving the Cougars their first chance to go ahead.

But it wouldn't happen as Britt's Sebastian Hepburn stepped in front of a deep slant pass for WF-R's Jake Kahut at midfield, ending the drive.

The Cougars defense held again, though, with Kahut and Brandon Reynolds dropping Proctor for a pair of 1-yard losses, helping to force a quick three-and-out.

Proctor finished the night with 223 yards rushing on 16 carries with two touchdowns. He was 4-of-7 for 49 yards passing with a TD.

"Everett Proctor was amazing; he was a one-man show out there for us," Britt coach Richard Bailey said. "He also made a couple of big team-type plays that definitely helped us tonight as well."

But Wake Forest-Rolesville's offense couldn't take advantage of that chance either. The Cougars were forced to fall on a dropped handoff attempt in the backfield on third-and-4 and, facing fourth-and-12, punted the ball away with 3:44 to play.

"We got down two scores and came back and played good football to get back in the game," Smith said. "But we had two red-zone opportunities that we normally get touchdowns on that we couldn't punch in.

"When you play a football team of this caliber, you have to take advantage of every opportunity you have."

Smith also lamented the two fumble recoveries the Cougars came up with in good field position -- one in each half -- but were unable to get points out of.

"We were able to get ourselves into a situation where a touchdown would win the game," Smith said. "We just couldn't get that touchdown."

Britt responded with a quick, 80-yard drive to put the game away. Proctor broke free on an important 18-yard run, and Eric Johnson added the final punctuation mark with a 16-yard TD run with 1:23 to play.

Britt ran for 398 yards on the night. Wake Forest-Rolesville finished with 226 yards on the ground. Trea Jones paced the Cougars with 94 yards on 19 carries, while Brexton Young added 53 on 17 carries.

Proctor accounted for all three Britt scores in the first half.

"Everett Proctor's everything he's cracked up to be and more," Smith said. "We'd heard how good he was but he showed everybody again tonight."

He raced away on a 56-yard delayed draw on the fourth play of the game for a quick 6-0 lead.

The Cougars' Terrell Hartsfield blocked Proctor's extra point attempt.

Wake Forest-Rolesville came back with a score of its own.

Tim Hartman scrambled for a 27-yard gain on third and 11 early on the drive then completed a four-yard pass to Torrey White on third-and-3 later in the drive.

Hartman went back to White on a short curl pattern in the corner of the end zone to tie the score at 6-6 with 5:19 left in the first quarter.