N&O roundup: Panther Creek fends off Cary’s upset bid

After failing to put points on the board in the first half, Panther Creek scores 20 unanswered points in the second half to hold off Cary’s upset bid, 20-3.

Panther Creek quarterback Dom Samson scored once on the ground and twice through the air. Two touchdowns landed in the hands of junior Justin Smalls, who had six catches for 54 yards for the Catamounts (3-1, 1-0).

Cary’s Quinn Dunphy scored the only points for the Imps (1-3, 0-1), a 28-yard field goal at the end of the first half to lead 3-0 at the break.

Bunn 49, Northern Vance 18: All of the points in this game were scored in the opening half. Bunn (2-2) took the lead for good by going 37 yards on seven plays on its initial possession, with Devante Caldwell finishing off the drive with a 12-yard touchdown burst up the middle.

After a Wildcats’ defensive stop, Caldwell raced 69 yards on the third play of Bunn’s next series for another touchdown. Caldwell paced Bunn’s balanced offensive attack with 86 rushing yards. The Wildcats had 373 yards, including 340 on the ground.

Northern Vance (2-2) received 185 total yards from quarterback Kris Haywood.

Cardinal Gibbons 35, Broughton 13: Gibbons (2-2) forced five turnovers, including three interceptions. The Caps (0-4) will have a bye next week.

Clayton 48, Smithfield-Selma 0: Smithfield-Selma (0-4) threw just three passes, but Clayton (1-3) stopped the run for its first win. Clayton star player Blake Joyner scored two touchdowns on two catches early, but was injured on a kick return in the second quarter and did not return.

Dudley 34, Hillside 13: The Hornets (1-2) fell in Greensboro to the 4-0 Panthers.

Garner 24, Leesville Road 10: Garner (3-1) bounced back from its loss with a comfortable win over Leesville (1-3). The Trojans’ defense held the Pride to just 93 yards of offense and forced three turnovers.

Both teams were missing significant offensive firepower due to injury. Leesville quarterback Clay Vick, who’d passed for 456 yards per game, is out with an injured knee. Collin Eaddy, Garner’s leading running back with 141.3 yards per game, was out for the Trojans.

Heritage 52, Jordan 7: Heritage (2-2) overcame a sloppy start and 7-3 first quarter deficit to roll the Falcons (0-4). The Huskies rode a stingy defense and big plays in the passing game.

Holly Springs 22, Green Hope 21: The Golden Hawks (2-2, 1-0) came from behind to edge the Falcons (2-2, 0-1) on the opening Southwest Wake Athletic Conference matchup for both teams.

Chris McKoy scored on a 1-yard run with 44 seconds left, and then Davis Ferguson completed a 2-point conversion pass to Bryce Wheaton to propel the Hawks (2-2) to the win.

J.F. Webb 40, Louisburg 6: Tevin Evans rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns to spark visiting Webb to its third consecutive victory. Webb (3-1) never trailed after Evans’ 3-yard touchdown run finished off the opening drive of the game. By halftime, Webb was in command at 28-6, with Evans delivering each of the first-half touchdowns.

Louisburg (0-3) scored on Terry Allen’s 19-yard fumble recovery in the first half.

Knightdale 26, Enloe 0: Andre Willis tossed a first-quarter touchdown pass and both Tauraz Williams and Malik Branch added long TD runs to lead visiting Knightdale (3-1) past Enloe (0-3).

Willis hit Drew Tuazama for a 17-yard TD pass to give the Knights a 7-0 lead with 4:51 left in the first quarter. Williams added a 67-yard TD run in the third quarter and Branch ran 71 yards for a score in the fourth.

Lee County 13, Western Harnett 0: The Yellow Jackets (4-0) had some trouble with the winless Eagles (0-4) including a scoreless first half.

Middle Creek 56, West Johnston 0: The Mustangs (4-0) had six different players score, including a 47-yard interception return from Johnathan Spencer.

Dominique Shoffner made the most of his limited playing time, completing only eight passes, but sending half of them for touchdowns against the Wildcats (1-3)

Millbrook 21, Northern Durham 12: The Wildcats (3-1) held off the Knights (0-4) thanks to some explosive plays. Reid Herring completed an 87-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Bowman, and Larry Rountree had a 72-yard touchdown run to lead the offense.

Northern’s on-field nonconference losing skid hit 18 games.

Northwood 63, Carrboro 0: Montel Goods rushed for seven TDs and John Scott had two to lead the Chargers (3-1) past the Jaguars (0-4).

Orange 35, Cummings 19: The Panthers (4-0) are undefeated going into next week’s bye. Bryse Wilson, an all-conference linebacker filling in for injured quarterback Jackson Schmid, threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for another, blocked a punt and recorded an interception against the Cavaliers (0-4).

Overhills 56, Harnett Central 6: The Jaguars (3-1) won the Dan Richards Cup for the second year in a row by virtue of going 3-0 against Harnett County rivals. The Trojans fell to 1-3.

Riverside 19, Cedar Ridge 13: After blowing a 13-0 lead, Pirates running back Kaligah Murrell broke loose for a 47-yard touchdown with 4:04 left to give Riverside (2-2) the win against the Red Wolves (2-2).

Tarboro 62, Franklinton 26: Undefeated Tarboro broke open a close game by scoring the final 27 points against the visiting Red Rams (2-2).

Franklinton trailed 28-13 at halftime despite a pair of touchdowns from sophomore Ricky Person, including a 98-yard interception return. Quarterback Avery Wilder located Jivel Teasley and Dillon Sykora for third-period scores, and Franklinton recovered a pair of onsides kicks.

But with a chance to draw closer, the Red Rams were stopped on fourth down, and the Vikings would wrap up the victory with four unanswered touchdowns.

Wake Christian 23, Spring Creek 0: The Bulldogs (3-1) have held three of four opponents to 12 points or fewer.

Jon Alexander, Bonitta Best, Tim Candon, Cale Colosimo, Jeff Hamlin, Leon Hargrove, Dave Malenick, Mike Mangan, Geoff Neville, Ian Pierno, Jonas Pope IV and Matt Purdy contributed.

This story was originally published September 11, 2015 at 10:53 PM with the headline "N&O roundup: Panther Creek fends off Cary’s upset bid."