Get your own Free Home PageHIGH POINT -- Smith struck for three first-quarter scores Friday night and never looked back en route to a 47-6 Piedmont Triad win over Southwest Guilford.
The Eagle victory sets up a showdown with defending state 3-A champion Winston-Salem Carver next Friday night at Manzi Stadium. Both teams will enter the regular-season finale with unblemished league records. The winner will be conference champion and get the league's top spot in the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs. The loser is guaranteed the conference's No. 2 slot in the playoffs.
Smith's J.J. Thompson continued his offensive productivity by scoring two touchdowns Friday night. He now has 13 TDs on the season.
But it was tight end P.J. Southerland, the team's top tackler, who got things started. After the Golden Eagles recovered a Southwest fumble, Southerland scored on a 6-yard pass from Duane Taylor with 7:18 left in the first quarter. Brian Woodward added the PAT kick for a 7-0 BLS lead.
Safety Kemar Dunn then notched his second touchdown of the season with a 40-yard interception return just 15 seconds after Southerland's TD. Again Woodward added the PAT.
Thompson got the third touchdown with a 5-yard run. Woodward's PAT kick upped the lead to 21-0. Thompson's score came with 1:52 remaining in the first period to complete a seven-play, 98-yard drive.
Smith (5-0, 8-2) used two long runs to move its lead to 33-0. Tailback Dasharn Russell scored on a 44-yard run with 3:02 left in the half and Thompson added an 11-yard TD. Woodward missed both PATs. Thompson's second TD was set up by a Brandon Summers fumble recovery. Thompson's score came after a nine-play, 61-yard drive.
Smith coach Tony McKee then went to his bench, with Victor Jarrell and Nick Michael getting late touchdowns on runs of four and two yards, respectively. Jarrell's 4-yard score came after a second Summers fumble recovery. Michael's TD came with 6:11 left to play.
Southwest (1-4, 1-8) got a touchdown in the last minute to prevent the shutout.
Southerland turned in an excellent defensive performance with an interception and a dozen tackles.
Tailback Mike Able didn't suit up because he was hampered by a groin injury. Meawnhile, Tre Clayton suffered a concussion and, following a spectacular catch in the closing minutes of the first half, Brandon Free was injured as well. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons.
Next Friday's game with Carver will have a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Carver edged Smith last season 26-21 in Winston-Salem.
The Yellowjackets defeated Glenn 35-7 last night. The Jackets only led 13-7 at halftime, but scored 15 points in 30 seconds in the third quarter to quell any thoughts of an upset. Smith beat Glenn 34-14 the previous week.
Carver rushed for 322 yards Friday night. LaShun Peoples ran for 100 yards on 11 carries.
"I think the last four or five games we've really played pretty good football," Carver coach Keith Wilkes said. "We've been in a lot of games, especially the seniors. Most of them have been in a lot of big games.
"Smith's got a good team. We've just got to come down next week and control the football and not make any mistakes."
Glenn and Parkland will play next week, with the winner getting the PTC's third playoff berth.
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