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Kevin Carver
Chase owned the game, but East Rutherford rallied late.
However, an incomplete pass off the hands of East’s Griffin Stamey as he jumped for the ball close to the goal line and as time expired sealed the 2011 Rutherford County Championship, 24-20 for the Trojans in 2011.
Chase did everything they wanted to do until the final few minutes of the contest as they put together long methodical drives and kept possession of the ball for 25 of the first 36 minutes.
Chase led 24-6 after two rushing touchdown by Tajae McMullens and another by Marquis Cash. Ryan Price added a field goal as well.
Still, T.J. Watkins wasn’t giving up for East as he contributed a touchdown run and then a spectacular reversal of field to obtain 72-yard punt return for a score to cut the lead to four with 2:36 left in regulation, but in the end, it would be for naught.
In retrospect, the biggest play of the game was a punt block by Carlos Watkins that set up the Trojans third touchdown of the evening at the East one yard line during the third quarter.
Chase football coach Daniel Bailey was no doubt thrilled for his team after picking up the win.
“The kids committed themselves in the offseason and they are proud of this community,” Bailey said. “I feel like the Chase community has raised this football team to believe, which makes this season and title that much sweeter.”
On the other side of the coin, the East Rutherford locker room was a little heartbroken.
“The kids fought back, but we gave up way too much way too early” East Rutherford coach Clint Bland said. “We knew what they were going to do, but we just couldn’t stop them enough.”
As a result, when Saturday’s 2AA West brackets were released, 8th seeded Chase (7-3) will have a home playoff game on Friday as they host 10th seeded Newton-Conover. It’s the first time since 1998 that the Trojans have hosted a postseason football game.
Meanwhile in the 2A West bracket, East Rutherford (5-5), who got the 14 seed will head to seventh seeded Maiden on Friday. East has lost five games in a row now.
In men’s soccer, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy (14-5) will be at home for one game as they drew Pine Lake Prep in the first round of the 1A playoffs They will face Hayesville on the Saturday if they win round one.
In 2A, Chase (3-10-1) hosted Polk County and in 3A R-S Central (7-8) welcomed Hibriten on Wednesday for first round matches.
On the NASCAR scene, Carl Edwards may not run out of lucky charms afterall in 2011. Edwards, who stayed 25th for most of the day, got the free pass twice to stay on the lead lap and then wound up ninth in the 500 laps of wildness at the Martinsville Speedway.
Now Tony Stewart is on heels of Edwards championship run after passing Jimmie Johnson around the outside at Martinsville to collect the victory. Stewart sits eight points back, but the real winner was the speedway. Martinsville proved that there is nothing like short track racing. A near capacity crowd and another exciting and unpredictable race.
And after five on track incidents Sunday, I am sure Brian Vickers’ Christmas card list just got a little shorter. Dive-bombing the corners and floating up the track will not make you any friends at Martinsville.
As for the Sprint Cup Series, driver Kasey Kahne was to make a stop in Rutherford County on Wednesday, November 2nd at the new Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. While it is a great way to begin business in Rutherford County, it’s also a pretty cool deal for our area to have him make a personal appearance.
