Union County - Carolina Weekly Newspapers

football noteS
Pirates win
close game, prep for
Charlotte Latin
by Aaron Garcia
aaron@unioncountyweekly.com
The Porter Ridge Pirates notched their
first win of the season on Aug. 28 after
freshman kicker Matt Wogan booted a
pair of field goals.
The decisive kick was a 20-yarder that
gave the Pirates a 6-3 victory over rival
Piedmont. The Pirates improved to 1-1 on
the year while Piedmont slipped to 0-2.
Porter Ridge coach Blair Hardin was
pleased with his team’s defensive effort.
The Pirates allowed only three first
downs in the game, and Demario Alexander
snatched his second interception
of the season. But the offense stalled.
The Pirates completed just two of their
23 passing attempts and made two of six
field goals.
Hardin wasn’t apologizing for emerging
with a victory, though.
“A win’s a win,” quipped Hardin. “We
just couldn’t score. We didn’t have any
turnovers. We just couldn’t get (the ball
into the end zone).”
Next up for the Pirates is a trip to
Charlotte Latin on Friday, Sept. 4. Hardin
said his team has focused on improving
the offense as it prepares for the matchup
with the Hawks, a private school that
has won numerous state championships
under coach Larry McNulty.
“We’ve really tried to go back and
make sure the kids have confidence in
what we’re doing and simplify a couple
of things,’” Hardin said. “It’s been repetition,
repetition, reputation. We had a
great practice (Wednesday), and the kids
feel good about our game plan, so it’s
been a good week for us.”
Piedmont travels to Concord Robinson
this week.
Warriors fall to Forest Hills
After dominating Cuthbertson High
on opening night, the Weddington Warriors
were brought back down to earth a
bit in Week 2 with a 42-21 loss to Forest
Hills on Aug. 28.
Both Forest Hills and Weddington
now have 1-1 records.
“We knew Forest Hills was athletic,
but they blocked better and tackled better
than us,” Weddington coach Justin
Hardin said.
Forest Hills amassed 420 rushing
yards, including 231 by senior quarterback
Juanne Blount.
“They came out with a good scheme,
and they played well,” Hardin said of the
Yellow Jackets.
The Warriors performed well in the
second half after falling behind 21-0 in
the first two quarters. Hardin praised
quarterback senior Anthony Boone, who
threw for two touchdowns and ran for
another.
“I thought (Boone) stepped up and
made some big-time throws in the second
half,” said Hardin. “He gave us some
momentum for the offense. I thought he
was poised. I thought he stepped up, and
that’s what we need from him. Week to
week, if we’re not moving the football,
Porter Ridge coach Blair Hardin’s team is coming off a 6-3 victory over Piedmont but has a
challenging game this week at Charlotte Latin.
Union County Weekly’s Super 7 football rankings
Robert Ashcraft/UCW photo
he’s athletic enough to make plays with
his feet and his arm. I was really glad to
see that from him.”
Even in a loss, Hardin said the game
was a good barometer of his team’s progress.
“Everything still is fairly new to our
guys, so it’s good to see where we are
right now against a traditional (powerhouse)
like Forest Hills,” said Hardin. “I
think it was a good challenge for us, and
we learned where we are.”
This week the Warriors travel to North
Gaston, and Hardin expects Weddington
running backs Brandon Little and Justin
Pleasant to set the game’s offensive tone.
“I think we should be able to run
against (North Gaston),” said Hardin. q
Rank Team Record Last week This week
1. Monroe 2-0 W, Parkwood, 55-21 vs. Mount Pleasant
2. Marvin Ridge 2-0 W, Hickory Ridge, 31-6 at Cuthbertson
3. Forest Hills 1-1 W, Weddington, 42-21 vs. Pageland Central
4. Porter Ridge 1-1 W, Piedmont, 6-3 at Charlotte Latin
5. Parkwood 1-1 L, Monroe, 55-21 vs. Concord Cox Mill
6. Sun Valley 1-0 Idle at Charlotte Olympic
7. Weddington 1-1 L, Forest Hills, 42-21 at North Gaston
Page 12 • Sept. 4-10, 2009 • Union County Weekly
www.unioncountyweekly.com