Two Top-10 Raleigh-area football teams combine for more than 100 points in a game
Fans witnessed an offensive showcase Friday night when undefeated Apex Friendship defeated Millbrook, 63-41, in a high-scoring non-conference battle.
Patriots senior quarterback Sam Lersch led the way for his team, finding three different receivers for six total touchdowns — senior Payton Bloom accounted for four of those.
Apex Friendship (6-0) set the tone early by scoring on its opening drive, a 14-yard pass from Lersch to Bloom. The Panthers (4-2) answered with a 73-yard connection from senior quarterback Witt McClendon to junior Wesley Grimes.
The Patriots scored again after another Lersch-Bloom connection, but the momentum remained in favor of the Wildcats after two more scores from Grimes and Jaylan Bowen.
Both quarterbacks picked their opposing defense apart in the pocket, but after a series of scoring barrages, Lersch pushed the Patriots back into the lead with back-to-back scores, finding Blooms once again for a 61-yard dime, and Dylan Niklas on a 4-yard dump pass.
The Wildcats missed an extra-point attempt early in the second quarter, allowing the Patriots to retain a 35-34 edge at the half.
After giving up 34-points in the first half, Apex Friendships’ defense made a statement by shutting down Millbrook’s offense on its opening drive to kick off the second half. In fact, the Patriots held the Wildcats scoreless throughout the third quarter.
While the Wildcat offense remained stagnant, the Patriots kept the ball rolling, scoring 28 unanswered points to push the lead to 63-34 with fewer than eight minutes remaining.
Millbrook’s scoring drought ended when senior Ethan Lentz entered the game at quarterback and found Bowen in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
Three who mattered
Sam Lersch, Apex Friendship: The senior quarterback brought his team back from a 20-point deficit in the first half. He led the way with six passing touchdowns.
Payton Bloom, Apex Friendship: Accounted for four of the team’s six receiving touchdowns in the game.
Wesley Grimes, Millbrook: The two-way player was a problem early on with two big touchdowns in the first quarter, as well as a key interception in the second.
Worth mentioning
▪ Apex Friendship secured another Southern Wake Athletic Conference title after their 21-18 victory over Holly Springs last week.
What’s next
Apex Friendship will travel to face Garner Magnet next Friday. Millbrook will host Broughton next Friday.
Scoring Summary
Apex Friendship 14 21 14 14 — 63
Millbrook 21 13 0 7 — 41
AF: Sam Lersch 14-yard pass to Payton Bloom ( Alan Josephson kick)
M: Witt Mcclendon 73-yard pass to Wesley Grimes (Hunter Crute kick)
M: Mcclendon 6 yard pass to Wesley Grimes (Crute kick)
M: Mcclendon 63 yard pass to Jaylan Bowen (Crute kick)
AF: Lersch 22-yard pass to Bloom (Josephson kick)
M: Jaylen Donaldson 56-yard run (Crute kick)
AF: Lersch 23-yard pass to Bloom (Josephson kick)
M: 95-yard kick return by Nathan Leacock (Crute missed kick)
AF: Lersch 61-yard pass to Bloom (Josephson kick)
AF: Lersch 4-yard pass to Dylan Niklas ( Josephson kick)
AF: Lersch 52-yard pass to Ashton Locklear (Josephson kick)
AF: Dontay Hamer 34-yard run (Josephson kick)
AF: Judah Wilson 5-yard run (Josephson kick)
AF: Ashton Locklear 52-yard punt return (Josephson kick)
M: Ethan Lentz 20-yard pass to Jaylan Bowen (Crute kick)
This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 9:55 PM.