Rebels run over Hobbton
Oct. 30—The Boys from the Grove were looking to notch a win this past Friday as they traveld out to Calypso to take on the Rebels of North Duplin. The Wildcats were ransacked as the Rebels overpowered them that evening, getting a 63-35 senior night win.
The Wildcats had first chance taking the ball 90 yards and punching it in from the 1-yard line for the first touchdown of the game courtesy of powerback Reginald Thompson. The two-point attempt failed on an incomplete pass. The Rebels made no mind to the early score by the opposition and made one of their own with 6:35 left. They hit the extra point kick to take a 7 -6 advantage.
The next Wildcat drive ended with an incomplete fourth down pass giving up the ball at the Rebel 19-yard line. North Duplin turned that into a score with 3:06 left with a 45-yard touchdown run. The Rebels converted for two giving them a nine point lead at 15-6 lead.
The next Wildcat score came on a 2-yard pass from Cole Weeks to Ashawd Wynn. Hobbton got the PAT on a pass from Weeks to Thompson for a 15-14 game. The first quarter wound down with the Wildcats trailing by one.
The Rebels took to the field early in the second and scored again to go up 22-14 with the PAT kick. The next Wildcat drive came to an abrupt halt when the Rebels intercepted a Weeks pass at the 48-yard line. Rapidly, the Rebels were getting into a groove and sprinted 52 yards on a first down run to put them up 29-14 after the PAT kick.
The next Wildcat drive was stopped once more by the Rebel defense on a fourth down conversion attempt at the Rebel 11-yard line. Duplin was firing on all cylinders and quickly drove 89 yards for a score with 17 seconds left in the half. With the PAT kick, the took a 35-14 advantage into the break.
To start the second half, Hobbton was in an even deeper hole after the Rebels took the opening kickoff 80 yards for another score. With the PAT kick, they had a 43-14 lead. The Wildcats started their next drive the 39-yard line. With a combination of passing and running, they scored on a 15-yard scamper by Daniel Aguilar with 10:19 left in the third quarter. Will Blackman's PAT kick made it 43-21.
After a short kick, the Rebels started at midfield only to turn it around on a 50 yard touchdown run to go up 50-21 with the PAT kick. The Wildcats got the ball back at the 50-yard line. They took it deep into Rebel territory before losing possession after an interception in the end zone killing the scoring attempt.
North Duplin took the ball 80 yards and scored with 4:10 left in the third quarter for a 57-21 game. The Wildcat woes were in full effect as they fumbled the ensuing kickoff with the Rebels recovering at the Wildcat 40-yard line. They turned that opportunity into another score on a 9-yard run. With the PAT kick, they had 63-21 lead. With 10:30 left in the game, Noah Adams made it to the end zone on a 2-yard run. After Blackman's PAT kick, the score was 63-28.
After gaining a resounding advantage of the struggling Cats, the Rebels began sending in their second stringers for reps.The Wildcats took over at midfield. With 25 seconds left in the game, Aguilar scored from 6 yards out. With Blackman's kick, the final was 63-35.
Offensively, Weeks completed 21 of 30 passes for 320 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Thompson had one pass attempt the fell incomplete.
Wynn caught 16 passes for 267 yards and one touchdown, Thompson had 2 catches for 32 yards, Reece Bradshaw caught one for 12 yards, Joe Corbett had one reception for 5 yards and Adams had one for 4 yards.
On the ground, Aguilar had 24 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Weeks had 4 carries for 7 yards and one touchdown, and Thompson had one for a yard and a touchdown.
"We are proud of our kids," commented Hobbton coach Joe Salas. "We have a lot of work to do this week to get ready for the playoffs. We are hoping to get some of our injured players back this week and that will make a difference."
The Wildcats have a home field advantage for the first round playoffs host Northampton County Friday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Reach Anthony McConnaughey at amcconnaughey@clintonnc.com or on Twitter @SportsSampson
