South quarterback Paul Olive gets the deciding two points.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
South Johnston’s varsity football team topped visiting East Wake, 34-32, in overtime on Friday night to improve to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
The Trojans had the ball first after regulation play ended in a tie at 26. Brayden Barefoot ran for the go-ahead touchdown.
A 2-point conversion carry by South quarterback Paul Olive proved to be the difference as the Warriors (3-6, 2-4) scored on their ensuing possession but had their 2-pont try picked off by C.J. Redmond.
East Wake had some mismatch advantages with the length of its receivers, but Redmond was able to make the win-clinching interception.
The Trojans close the regular season at home against West Johnston (4-4, 2-3) on Friday at 7 p.m. Coach Lee Webb is looking to enhance his team’s prospects for the NCHSAA playoffs.
South is currently tied for second with Fike and Smithfield-Selmain the Quad Counties 3-A Conference. Fike beat South, South beat SSS and the Spartans beat Fike, so head-to-head matchups are even.
“We moved up Senior Night in case we weren’t able to get this game in (with West Johnston),” Webb said. “It’s going to be a big one coming up Friday. These last two teams, we lost to them last year, so we told our guys, ‘Come ready to work on Monday through Wednesday.'”
Barefoot finished with 22 carries for 241 yards with three touchdowns.
Olive completed 14 of 20 passes for 166 yards with a touchdown. He had 12 carries for 47 yards and a score.
South took a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard keeper by Olive with 7:45 left in the first quarter. A scoring run by Barefoot later in the first quarter provided a 13-0 lead.
The Warriors closed within 13-6 before the half on Michael Perry’s touchdwon pass to R.J. Vick.
South extended its lead to 20-6 on Olive’s scoring pass to Brayden Fair with 3:30 left in the third quarter.
Deaunti Lucas scored for East Wake in the fourth quarter to trim the lead to 20-12. The visitors pulled even at 20 on a Perry-to-Vick connection and a 2-point conversion with 3:54 left in regulation.
South went up 26-20 with 55 seconds to go when Barefoot scored from four yards out. East Wake’s passing game produced a tie at 26 with 10 seconds left.
Brayden Barefoot goes into the end zone in overtime.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
C.J. Redmond gains yards on South’s first scoring drive.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Brayden Barefoot is headed to the end zone for South’s second TD.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Jamie Cole records a sack for the Trojans on Friday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Lucas Layman gets a sack for South Johnston in a 34-32 OT win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
East Wake’s Michael Perry makes a third-quarter pass for a first down.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
SJ’s Brayden Fair makes a catch for a first down at the EW 6-yard line.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
South’s Paul Olive gets set to throw for a score and a 20-6 lead.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Kalib Brown gets yards after a catch for a fourth-quarter first down.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
