CORDOVA — The Cordova Middle School football team continued its impressive start to the season on Wednesday, posting at least 30 points for the second straight game.
At home against East Hoke Middle School, the Cavaliers used a balanced offensive attack to hand the Eagles a 30-20 loss. The defense also held East Hoke to just six points for the majority of the game before allowing two late touchdowns.
Cordova, which is comprised of students from Cordova and Ellerbe middle schools, got things started early in the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference contest when Marquan Martin hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Isaiah Lockhart.
It would be his first receiving score of the season, and Lockhart’s second passing touchdown. The extra point attempt was no good, but the Cavs held a 6-0 lead.
East Hoke would answer back with a kickoff return for a touchdown, and following a missed extra point, the game was notched at six points apiece.
Head coach Richard Kerekes’ team would start to break the game open just before the end of the first half. Tykeem Ellerbe, who had a rushing score last week, recorded his second of the season when he ran the ball in just prior to the end of the second quarter. Jamarion Wall made it an eight-point game when he caught the two-point conversion from Lockhart.
Freddie Hill helped the Cavs preserve the halftime lead when he recorded a forced fumble and recovered the ball. During last week’s win over Hamlet Middle School, he recovered a fumble on the Red Rams’ opening drive.
Cordova extended its lead in the final two quarters starting with another long touchdown pass from Lockhart to Martin, with the quarterback running in his second two-point conversion. Leading 22-6, Wall added an insurance rushing touchdown, his first of the season, and caught the two-point play for Cordova’s final score.
Kerekes added that the defense was “on fire the entire game,” seeing the Cavs record eight quarterback sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Lockhart finished the game 5-of-6 passing for 100 yards and two touchdowns, both to Martin. Ellerbe and Wall added one rushing score each.
Now 2-1 on the season, the Cavaliers will play at Rockingham Middle School (2-2) next Wednesday. Kickoff will get underway at 4 p.m.
Rockingham falls to Anson, Hamlet enjoys bye week
The Rockingham Middle School football team returned to SEMSAC play and traveled to Anson Middle School on Tuesday, but let a sloppy second half lead to a 38-6 loss. After starting the season with two wins, head coach Larcoy McRae’s team has dropped its last two competitions.
The Rockets and Bearcats would enter halftime tied at six points each, with Rockingham’s score coming courtesy of a 55-yard passing touchdown from Jordan Covington to Jada Zimmerman. Out of the break, the Rockets struggled on both sides of the ball, with the defense giving up 32 unanswered points in the second half.
Rockingham will reset and try to re-enter the win column against Cordova next week at home.
The other Richmond County middle school football team, Hamlet Middle School, took a break from action and enjoyed its bye week. With a 2-1 record, the Red Rams will host Anson next Wednesday at 4 p.m.
