Gunner Harden finds an opening and gains yardage for the Vikings. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — The Community Vikings could not get untracked in the first half as the Forrest Rockets increased their lead with a huge second quarter and went on to defeat the Vikings 54-0 in a Region 4-3A football contest Friday night.
Forrest (5-2, 1-1) scored on the opening possession of the game as Quincy Mitchell reached the end zone on a 9-yard run.
Isai Garcia was successful on the extra point as the Rockets led 7-0 with 9:32 left in the first quarter.
The Rockets added to their lead as Micah Morgan connected with Isaac Cruse on a 42-yard pass play.
The extra point was blocked as Forrest led 13-0 with 7:19 remaining.
Community (0-7, 0-2) found some success on the ground on its next possession as the Vikings picked up a first down with the help of four rushes totaling 20 yards by Severen Garman.
Facing a fourth do
Noah Land of the Vikings makes the tackle on a Forrest runner. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
wn and four, the Vikings could not convert on the fourth down conversion attempt as the Rockets took over in Community territory.
The Rockets increased their lead as Braiden Bourne scored on a 21-yard run to give Forrest a 19-0 lead.
After a 45-yard punt by Jarrett Yancey, the Rockets added a touchdown as the game moved to the second quarter.
Mitchell finished the 8-play drive with a 1-yard run as the Rockets led 26-0 with 10:12 left.
An 18-yard kickoff return on the ensuing drive by Isaac Jacobs gave Community good field position at its own 41, but another fourth down conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
The Rockets upped their lead as Morgan found Cruse again, this time for 29 yards as Forrest went up 33-0 with 8:00 remaining.
With the help of a Viking fumble, the Rockets added three touchdowns in the half.
A 15-yard run by Mitchell, a 2-yard scamper by Blaze Bourne, and a 12-yard pass from Morgan to Shawn David on the final play of the half gave Forrest a 54-0 lead at the intermission.
The Vikings picked up three first downs on the opening drive of the second half before the drive stalled on a failed fourth down conversion attempt at the Forrest 37.
But a fumble recovery by Gunner Harden on the next Rocket drive gave the Vikings new life as the game moved to the fourth quarter.
Starting at the Rocket 39, the Vikings picked up a first down before a roughing the passer penalty on fourth down extended the Community drive and moved the Vikings inside the red zone at the Forrest 11.
Community could only pick up one yard after the first down and could not connect on a fourth down conversion attempt as the Rockets took over and ran out the clock.
“We can’t take a snap, and we do it well during the week,” Coach Glenn Tidwell of the Vikings said.
“We don’t have those issues during the week.”
“And the most frustrating part about the whole thing is if we would just do the little things well, we would be so much better,” Tidwell added.
Community hosts Giles County for a Region 4-3A game next Friday night. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Community 0 0 0 0 — 0
Forrest 19 35 0 0 — 54
First Quarter
F – Quincy Mitchell 9 run (Isai Garcia kick) 9:32.
F – Isaac Cruse 42 pass from Micah Morgan (kick blocked) 7:19.
F– Braiden Bourne 21 run (run failed) 4:14.
Second Quarter
F – Mitchell 1 run (Garcia kick) 10:12.
F – Cruse 29 pass from Morgan (Garcia kick) 8:00.
F – Mitchell 15 run (Garcia kick) 4:49.
F – Blaze Bourne 2 run (Garcia kick) 3:20.
F – Shawn David 12 pass from Morgan (Garcia kick) 0:00.