SOUTH POINT BLANKS LINCOLNTON 14-0

By: Anthony Perkins

Lincolnton
– The Lincolnton Wolves and the South Point Red Raiders lined up against each
other on Friday night and both teams were looking for their first win of the
young 2019 season.  Lincolnton’s new head
coach, Joe Glass, fielded a very determined team that gave the visitors all
they could handle and after the game said, “This team (South Point) played a
tough Crest team last week and lost by a 13-7 score.  We just need to keep improving and instead of
talking about moral victories we will be able to talk about victories on the
field.” 

Indeed,
the Lincolnton team seems to be headed in the right direction especially when
you consider that they lost their starting quarterback, EJ Manjarres, on their
first offensive possession. Reid King, a junior varsity player, stood behind
the center for the rest of the game and performed in yeoman like fashion for
the Wolves.

Both
teams were able to move the ball a little in a scoreless first quarter but
could only get to midfield before they were forced to punt.

The
visiting Red Raiders started their second drive at their own 23-yard line with
10:28 remaining in the half.  The South
Point offense used nine plays and nearly four and half minutes to cover the 77
yards to the end zone to gain a tenuous 7-0 lead that they never relinquished
although it was challenged several times. 
The Red Raiders lead came on the heels of a 30-yard run by fullback
Naseem Jones.

Lincolnton
threatened to tie or at least cut into the lead when South Point fumbled the
ball away at their 20-yard line with 37 seconds left in the half.  After two passes the ball was still spotted
on the 20 and only seven seconds remained on the clock so the Wolves lined up
for a field goal attempt that was blocked by a smothering South Point defense
to keep the score a 7-0 as the first half clock ticked down to zeroes.

After
half time the Red Raiders took the opening kickoff and went on a time consuming
(7:13), fifteen play, 58-yard drive that was capped off with a 5-yard run by quarterback
Javus Davis.  Daniel O’Hanion added his
second point after attempt to push the lead to the 14-0 final margin.

The
fourth quarter had it’s share of fireworks but neither team could put points on
the board.  South Point was stopped first
at the Lincolnton seven-yard line on downs when fullback Hunter Hogue was
stopped for no gain on a fourth and two play. 
The Wolves advanced the ball to the South Point sixteen on their ensuing
drive but a three-yard loss on first down and three successive incomplete
passes ended Lincolnton’s deepest penetration into South Point territory for
the evening. 

Both
teams had one more turn with the ball. 
South Point pushed their drive to the Lincolnton 29 before turning the
ball over on downs and Lincolnton pushed the ball to mid-field before Alex
Campbell picked a King pass and returned it 28-yards to the Lincolnton 37 to
essentially end the game.

South
Point churned out 270 rushing yards and 19 yards passing for a total of 289
yards.  They moved the chains 12 times,
were flagged six times for 60 yards and they coughed up the ball two times on
two fumbles.

Lincolnton
gained 78 yards with their rushing attack and 95 yards through the air.  They also moved the chains 12 times, were
flagged 4 times for 35 yards and they turned the ball over one time on the
fourth quarter interception.

Next
week South Point will have their home opener against Clover, SC and Lincolnton
will travel to North Gaston.