2 weeks Ago By Charlotte Observer
Daryl Vereen knows what the annual game between North Mecklenburg and Hopewell can be like — after all, he played in a few of them with the Vikings. So the closeness of Friday night’s game — a 14-6 homecoming night victory by North Mecklenburg — didn’t come as a shock, nor did its intensity. “It’s a rivalry week,” Vereen said.
“This is a rivalry that I played in four years in a row back in 2004, 2005, 2006, so I’m just happy we pulled out this win. I felt like I was playing myself. “This is a 20-year rivalry.
We’re fighting for something; we had the same record and we’re both trying to make it to the playoffs.” The win gives the Vikings (4-5, 2-4 Queen City 3A/4A) a 14-9 overall edge in the series, which dates back to Hopewell’s opening in 2001. But North Mecklenburg has dominated the series recently — it now has five consecutive wins over the Titans, and 10 out of the last 11.
Meanwhile, the loss by Hopewell (3-6, 2-4) extended its losing streak to five after opening the season 3-1. “We left too many missed opportunities out there,” Titans head coach Brandon Gentry said. “Bad penalties, and we had some things going on with us on offense and we couldn’t cash in in the first half.
We moved the ball up and down the field, but we couldn’t cash in in the red zone, which has been a problem for us all year.” Players who made a difference Jenkins and Johnson split time at quarterback, with similar results. Jenkins was 7 of 8 for 71 yards passing, with an interception, in playing the second and fourth quarters.
Johnson was 5 of 7 for 40 yards in the first and third quarters. The senior defensive back not only had the pick-six — his first of the season — in the second quarter, but he also nearly had one earlier in the period. The junior back kept the Titans in the game, rushing for 123 yards on 25 carries.
Four of his carries were for double-digit gains, including a 27-yarder in the third quarter. He also had a 20-yard reception. Threw for 129 yards on 10 of 20 completions, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Sigler’s touchdown came in the closing minutes of the game for the Titans. Observations Things were a little chippy between the Vikings and Titans throughout Friday’s game, with officials throwing flags for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties five times — four of them on Hopewell. One of those came as a result of an on-field brawl late in the third quarter, which led to Titans wideout Kamari Cooke getting ejected for fighting.
Up next Both teams wrap up their Queen City 3A/4A schedules with home games Friday night, with Hopewell taking on Hough High and North Mecklenburg facing West Charlotte. GAME SUMMARY NM—Antonio Jenkins 3 run (Asael Portillo kick), 4:48. NM—Kyce Williams 81 interception return (Portillo kick), 51.
4. H—Ty Sigler 15 pass to Messiah Cage (kick failed), 3:12..
