Tyrese Jones returns a fumble for a touchdown for Western Harnett.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Western Harnett took advantage of a late turnover with a long touchdown run from junior Daquan McNeill to edge visiting Douglas Byrd 24-20 to open varsity football season on Monday.
“It was a typical first game,” said Western Harnett coach Blake Culbertson. “Penalties. Turnovers. Just things you’ve got to expect in the first game. But our guys kept fighting. There’s a couple of things we need to clean up, but we kept fighting. We had to overcome some adversity and we did that. I’m glad to get out of here 1-0.”
McNeill ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on five carries to lead the homestanding Eagles (1-0).
Tristin Ung completed nine-of-21 passes for 68 yards and ran for seven yards on one carry. Elijah Bass ran for 12 yards on three carries. Kylim Moore ran for four yards on two carries. Kahlil McLean had four receptions for 57 yards. Tyrese Jones had two receptions for five yards. Dillon Smith made a 35-yard field goal and was a perfect three-for-three on extra points.
Sophomore Alton Simmons ran for 240 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries to lead the visiting Eagles (0-1).
Western’s defense forced four turnovers in the contest, all fumbles. Tyrese Jones, Eric Bradshaw and Jayden Byrd each recovered a fumble, including Jones returning his for a touchdown.
“Defense fought hard the whole game,” Culbertson said. “They were running it down our throat the whole game. That’s a pretty good offensive line and a well-coached team.”
Western was the first team on the scoreboard when Smith made a 35-yard field goal late in the first quarter.
Early in the second, Byrd took the lead on a 43-yard touchdown run from Simmons, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.
Western responded immediately with McNeill scoring on a 55-yard run to put Western back in front.
Midway through the second quarter, Smith pinned Byrd back on its own four-yard-line with a punt. That led to a fumble, which Jones recovered and ran in for a touchdown.
Byrd scored again just before the half on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Donnell Melvin. The conversion attempt failed. Western led 17-12 at halftime.
Simmons broke another big run late in the third quarter, scoring on a 58-yard run. Sabeon Campbell ran for two to put Byrd in front 20-17.
Late in the fourth, Simmons looked to score on another big run, but Western forced a fumble, which rolled out of the end zone for a touchback. Western took advantage with McNeill running for an 80-yard score and Smith added the point after to give Western a 24-20 lead with 3:43 remaining in the fourth.
“That’s a huge break (the fumble),” Culbertson said. “Daquan, he’s pretty fast. He got some open field and got out there and scored.”
On the ensuing drive, Byrd got into Western territory, driving to the 37-yard-line. But with 11 seconds left and no timeouts, Byrd was forced to go to the air and a pair of incomplete passes ended the game.
“That was huge,” Culbertson said. “It helped that they didn’t have any timeouts and that forced them to throw, because they’d rather run it than throw it (Byrd had attempted just one pass, an incompletion, prior to the final drive).”
Western Harnett is at home against Smithfield-Selma (1-0) on Friday.
Eric Bradshaw recovers a fumble for Western in Monday night’s win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Nate Campbell stops a Byrd ball carrier for Western.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Dillon Smith kicks a 35-yard field goal for the host Eagles.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Daquan McNeill (3) takes off on a game-winning, 80-yard touchdown run.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
