Top seed Rolesville falls to No. 5 Cardinal Gibbons in NC high school football playoffs

Cardinal Gibbons and Cleveland saw familiar faces in Friday’s N.C. 4A Football state quarterfinals. The visiting Crusaders held Rolesville to a season-low 21 points in a 28-21 win that redeemed one of Cardinal Gibbons’ two losses, Sept. 8 at Rolesville (12-2), 52-32. The Rams last scored as few as 21 points in their August 18 season opener.

The Cleveland Rams yielded a season-high points total in their first loss, 51-35 to Hoggard. Cleveland (13-1) won the teams’ Aug. 18 meeting, 28-20, in Wilmington.

Cardinal Gibbons (12-2), on a 10-game win streak, advanced to a state semifinal for the fourth time in the past five seasons. The Crusaders won each of their three previous state semifinals in 2019, and in the spring and fall of 2021. Next Friday’s game at Hoggard will be Cardinal Gibbons’ first state semifinal road game. Hoggard (13-1) will try to secure its first state final berth since the Vikings won the 2007 4A state championship.

Cardinal Gibbons completed its rally with 21 fourth-quarter points scored in a balanced fashion that has defined the Crusaders’ campaign. Sophomore quarterback Gannon Jones ran and threw for a touchdown, while an Aiden Smalls to Nic Leonard pass-and-catch accounted for another touchdown. Smalls’ two-point conversion closed the scoring.

Milestones and opportunities

Rolesville junior running back Devon Thomas scored two touchdowns and surpassed 2,200 rushing yards for the season. Cardinal Gibbons senior wide receiver Chet Yardley caught 10 passes for 200 yards, including Jones’ fourth-quarter touchdown pass that covered 60 yards. Yardley, who has at least one reception in each of the Crusaders’ games, needs two yards for a 1,000-yard season. Smalls, who averages 67 receiving yards per game, needs 59 yards to Give Cardinal Gibbons two 1,000-yard receivers.

Stokes shines in swan song

Cleveland running back Tyson Stokes, a 1,000+ yard rusher, concluded his career with a four-touchdown performance. Collectively, Stokes’ four scoring runs covered 101 yards.

Drew does it again

Cardinal Gibbons defensive coordinator Nick Drew reaffirmed his defense is not one to be seen a second time, let alone in the same season. The Crusaders limiting Rolesville to a season low scoring total aligns with previous seasons’ milestones, including one from the team’s 2021 state championship season.

Cardinal Gibbons lost its season opener on the field (though won by an eventual forfeit) to Chambers, and then held the Cougars’ offense scoreless in the state final. Chambers’ lone points came on a safety. Cardinal Gibbons fell to Scotland, 7-6, in the 2018 state playoffs’ second round.

One year later, the Crusaders’ defense held the Scots scoreless in the second half of a 15-8 semifinal win that secured Cardinal Gibbons’ first state final berth.

This story was originally published November 25, 2023 at 11:10 AM.