PHOTOS: Cardinal Gibbons pulls away from Leesville Road to earn Cap 6 conference crown
By Staff report
Leesville Road wide receiver Evan List (16) is tackled by Cardinal Gibbons’ Braylon Peebles (4) and Matthew Greene (7) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024.
Steven Worthy
Gannon Jones didn’t push Cardinal Gibbons past Leesville Road by himself, but the Crusaders quarterback certainly did his fair share.
Jones tossed two touchdowns and ran for another to help Cardinal Gibbons to a 25-7 win over Leesville Road in the Cap 6 conference finale in Raleigh on Friday night, giving the Crusaders sole possession of the regular-season conference title. The teams had each been unbeaten in conference play before Friday’s game.
Cardinal Gibbons (8-1 overall, 5-0 Cap 6) will be the top seed out of the Cap 6 in the 4A state playoffs when seedings are announced next week. Leesville Road (8-1, 4-1) should also earn a state playoff berth.
Cardinal Gibbons quarterback Gannon Jones (3) runs for the touchdown in the first half against Leesville Road. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Jones set the tone early for the visiting Crusaders, capping the game’s opening drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. A successful point after gave Cardinal Gibbons a 7-0 lead..
As time wound down in the first quarter, the Crusaders again marched inside the Leesville Road 20, but the Pride held them out of the end zone. Cardinal Gibbons did add points, though, on a 20-yard field goal from Evan Windley to push the lead to 10-0.
Late in the second half, Cardinal Gibbons extended its lead to 17-0 on a 20-yard toss from Jones to Sean Manuel and subsequent Windley PAT.
Leesville Road wide receiver Evan List (16) is tackled by Cardinal Gibbons’ Braylon Peebles (4) and Matthew Greene (7) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Leesville Road’s 10-point deficit after the first quarter marked just the second time this season the Pride trailed after one, and its 17-0 deficit at halftime was the first time this season it trailed through two quarters.
After the Crusaders pushed their lead to 23-0 on a 69-yard pass to Joey Jonske, Leesville Road got on the board on a 1-yard AkShar Barnes plunge with about six minutes to play in the third quarter.
After a sloppy series of plays from both sides — the Crusaders drove inside the Leesville 10, fumbled and then drove the Pride backward — Cardinal Gibbons put the final points of the night on the board when it forced intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety near the six-minute mark of the final quarter.
Cardinal Gibbons’ Aidan Kranick (58) celebrates withwide receiver Joey Jonske’s (11) touchdown against Leesville Road during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Leesville Road wide receiver Devin Goldston (88) runs for yards against Cardinal Gibbons’ Xavier Hasan (21). The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Leesville Road’s Derek Schemenauer (5) celebrates Sam White’s (9) sack of Gibbons quarterback Gannon Jones during the second half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons defensive tackle Chris Pinder (56) rushes for yards against Leesville Road’s Cameron Carr (10) and Christian Shaw (11) late in the second half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons defensive tackle Chris Pinder (56) rushes Leesville Road quarterback Deiondre Goldston (4) in the end zone and forces the safety late in the second half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons defensive tackle Chris Pinder (56) grapples Leesville Road’s AkShar Barnes (21) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons’ wide receiver Brayden Karras (9) rushes for yards along the sidelines against Leesville Road’s Christian Shaw (11) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Leesville Road’s Jayden Lee Perry (22) runs for yardage against Cardinal Gibbons’ Christopher Shelton (22) and Corban McDaniel (1) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons wide receiver Hudson van Dyke (15) rushes for yards against Leesville Road’s Walker Hakerem (1) and Adam Sonye (81) during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons offensive tackle Jack Sheehan (71) and Leesville Road defensive lineman Sam White (9) grapple on the line of scrimmage during the first half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
Cardinal Gibbons running back Kendall Scotton (5) runs for yardage against Leesville Road’s Christian Shaw (11) during the second half. The Leesville Road Pride and the Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders met in a conference football game in Raleigh, N.C. on November 1, 2024. Steven Worthy
