THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511220306
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT PLYMOUTH
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Edenton-Holmes' topsy-turvy football season came to a screeching halt last week to a team that could go all the way to the 2A state championship.
Edenton's four-game winning streak also came to an end as four Plymouth running backs scored touchdowns and the combination rushed for more than 300 yards as the Vikings downed the Aces 44-14 in the second round of the North Carolina 2A state playoffs.
Coming into the game, Plymouth was the top-ranked 2A team in the state according to the Associated Press. The Vikings had beaten Edenton 30-20 in a Northeastern Conference matchup earlier in the season.
Plymouth was determined to prove that the closeness of the first game was just a fluke. But the Aces (7-6) were the team that came out fired up. After stopping the potent Plymouth (12-0) offense on four plays, Edenton marched 71 yards in seven plays for the first score of the game. Mitchell Stanley ran in from two yards out on a second effort push and kicker Steven Byrum booted the extra point to give Edenton a 7-0 lead with 7:00 to play in the first quarter. The touchdown was set up by a 38-yard burst by Karl Bailey.
Then the bottom dropped out. Plymouth erupted to score the next 44 points.
The Vikings Tito Young outran the Edenton defense for a 40-yard touchdown. Jemal Hyman ran the extra point and the Vikings took the lead for good 8-7 with 5:35 to play in the first quarter.
On their second possession, the Aces looked as if they would take the lead again. Devon Coston sprinted 45 yards down to the Plymouth 9. Edenton moved the ball eight yards in three plays and had the ball fourth and goal from the 1. Plymouth stacked up Stanley at the goal line and Edenton turned the ball over. The momentum swung toward the Vikings.
``That was a big, big play right there,'' said Edenton head coach Jay Swicegood. ``I think we had them second guessing themselves. They turned it up a notch right after that series. They knew what to do. They've been there before. It just mushroomed after that.''
An Edenton mistake in the second quarter really gave Plymouth the boost it needed. Edenton punter Matt Sclafani fumbled a snap and was sacked by Vernon Collins at the Edenton 1. On the next play, Jemal Hyman scored and Young ran in the extra point for a 16-7 lead with 9:54 to play in the half.
Hyman scored again with 4:52 to play in the half on a one-yard run for a 22-7 lead. The Vikings went up 30-7 with a 15-yard touchdown run by Louis Spencer and two-point conversion by Temell Purkett with 1:24 to play in the half.
To make things worse for the Aces, Plymouth, not known as a passing team, went through the air for its first score of the second half. Quarterback Daniel Hall hit a wide open Josh Purkett with a 35-yard touchdown pass with 6:45 to play in the third quarter.
The final Plymouth score was by the fourth running back, Temell Purkett, from two yards out.
Edenton scored in the last 41 seconds of the game when Stanley threw a 28-yard halfback option pass to Coston for a touchdown.
Known better for its offense than for its defense, Plymouth pressured quarterback Clifton Hudson all night, particularly in the second half. Every time he turned around, Hudson was being pursued by two defenders. He was sacked for a total loss of 38 yards in the final two quarters. The Aces played the game without top blocking back Shelton White, who injured his knee in Edenton's previous playoff win over North Johnston.
``We missed a lot of blocks on offense,'' Swicegood said. ``Missing Shelton White we missed the continuity of running our plays.''
Swicegood credited Plymouth with playing better defense than in the first matchup.
``Their defense was much better than the first game. They got off the ball real well and were real aggressive,'' he said. ``We set back on our heels for a long time after they turned up the intensity.''
Edenton has much to look forward to next season. The team now has playoff experience and, before the Plymouth game, played a strong four weeks. The team has a lot of juniors to build on and the JV team went 9-0. by CNB