Gamecocks rally but fall to WS Neal

After falling behind 25-0 in the first quarter, the New Brockton Gamecocks rallied only to fall 44-25 in the end to the WS Neal Eagles at Bates Memorial Stadium in Enterprise.

While the Gamecocks managed to settle in as the game went on, the Eagles dominated the first quarter scoring on touchdown runs of one yard, six yards, 52 yards and 63 yards. WS Neal added one PAT, failed on two others and converted a two-point try to make the score 25-0 heading into the second quarter.

“It started out really bad but I felt like we settled in,” New Brockton coach Zack Holmes said. “This week has been all about worrying about ourselves and the product we put on the field and putting our heart and soul into what we do on the field.

“I felt like after the first quarter we did that. I thought we played three really good quarters of football but the first quarter did not go our way at all.”

The Gamecocks capped off its best drive of the game – up to that point – with a 6-yard touchdown run from running back Jordan Tacey with 9:47 left in the half. The PAT was blocked, so WS Neal’s lead remained 25-6.

The Gamecocks then forced a turnover when linebacker Julian Noble forced a fumble and Clay Reynolds covered it up.

The New Brockton offense heated up again and quarterback Kaden Cupp tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Colton Marsh with 6:43 left in the half. The two-point attempt was no good and WS Neal’s lead was cut to 25-12.

The Eagles weren’t quite ready to pack it in, however, as WS Neal runner Samuel Bosarge scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left in the half. The PAT was no good and the Eagles ultimately took a 31-12 lead into halftime.

The Gamecock defense made another big play to start the second half as Noble recovered a fumble on the WS Neal 28-yard line.

Cupp then scored on an 8-yard touchdown run with 10:20 left in the third quarter. The PAT cut WS Neal’s lead to 31-19.

WS Neal’s Isaac Bonan answered with a 6-yard touchdown run to cap off a 9-play drive and extend the lead to 37-19 with 5:10 left in the third quarter. New Brockton’s Tacey blocked the PAT attempt.

Neither side was able to get back on the scoreboard for the remainder of the third quarter, but Cupp exploded with a 44-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to cut the WS Neal lead to 37-25 with 10:06 left in the game.

WS Neal answered right back, however, as Dashawn Smith scored on a 78-yard touchdown run to extend the Eagle lead to 44-25 with 8:59 left in the game.

Neither New Brockton nor WS Neal was able to get back on the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.

“WS Neal is a good football team with really good players and that’s why we scheduled them,” Holmes said. “The brand of football they play is really good and to see our kids fight and battle and play together was a positive. Losing is never a positive but I think we grew and that was kind of my goal for the week.”

Cupp led New Brockton with 107 yards and one touchdown with one interception on 7-of-19 passing along with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 15 rushing attempts.

Tacey added 52 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Brandon Johnson led the receivers with three catches for 79 yards.

Tre Boland led the Gamecock defense with 12 tackles and a tackle-for-loss, while Noble had four tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Reynolds also had five tackles and a fumble recovery. Jack Royce recorded six tackles.

WS Neal rolled up 581 yards of offense with 566 yards coming on the ground. Leading the rushing attack was Dylan Kirkley with 10 carries for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Trevor Morris rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.