No. 17 Wakefield locks down on No. 20 Southern Durham football
The two teams entered Friday night’s game lacking winning records but not N&O Top 25 rankings. No one can say Wakefield and Southern Durham padded their nonconference schedules.
But it was Wakefield that beat a ranked opponent for the second straight week as the No. 17 Wolverines (2-1) won 21-3 over No. 20 Southern on the Spartans’ field. Southern’s third-straight loss to a ranked school dropped the Spartans to 1-3.
In a defensive struggle, the teams traded punts in the first quarter, but Wakefield’s Michael Tilley tilted the field for the Wolverines with a pair of 57-yard punts – 40 yards in the air plus rolls.
On the second punt, Southern started from its 11-yard line. On the third down, Wakefield junior safety Gary Pearson picked off a pass at the 31-yard line and returned it for a 7-0 lead.
Wakefield took advantage of the turnover touchdown by responding its next possession with a nine-play, 55-yard TD drive followed by a two-point conversion for a 15-0 lead with 8:58 left in the first half. Chad Norfleet scored on a 1-yard run, but the big plays were runs of 15, 8 and 4 yards by senior quarterback Matthew McKay.
TURNING POINT
Wakefield’s Andrew Bennett and Tavin Sharp preserved the Wolverines’ 15-3 halftime lead with a 9-yard sack just before intermission. Southern’s Santonio Marshall had returned a punt 47 yards to the Wakefield 13-yard line. On second down, Bennett and Sharp blitzed to combine for a 9-yard sack. That led to a 41-yard field goal attempt that was blocked.
THREE TO KNOW
Matthew McKay, Wakefield: The senior quarterback was able to sprinkle in some big gains on option reads on the Wolverines’ two scoring drives. He carried 22 times for only 71 yards, but he had six gains of eight yards or more.
Rico Jenkins, Wakefield: McKay’s favorite target caught four balls for 31 yards.
Luis Vidal, Southern: The senior kicker booted a 40-yard field goal that would have been good from another five yards.
THEY SAID IT
“We’ve got some momentum. We’ve been practicing with more focus. We just took what they gave us. We didn’t force anything and we’re able to move down he field.” – McKay.
BY THE NUMBERS
1: Sensational open-field tackle of the elusive McKay by Southern’s Guilford Archie.
11-110: Southern’s number of penalties and yards.
12: Number of negative yard plays Southern’s defense recorded. Offense was the problem.
This story was originally published September 9, 2016 at 10:09 PM with the headline "No. 17 Wakefield locks down on No. 20 Southern Durham football."