Cedar Ridge’s 20-19 win over Chapel Hill on Friday night wasn’t just its first varsity win in 765 days. It also showed how persistent this team has grown over the past two months. The Red Wolves trailed until its final possession. But Isaiah McCambry, K.J. Barnes and several big plays by the Cedar Ridge defense wouldn’t let the Red Wolves lose on Homecoming night. Here are the 12 plays that led to Cedar Ridge’s long-awaited 1st win under head coach Torrean Hinton.
- Zachary Holmes make a key tackle on 3rd-and-12.
Chapel Hill jumped out to a 13-0 lead, but Cedar Ridge’s defense held the Tigers to only six points in the final three quarters. The Tigers tried to mount a drive in the second quarter to go ahead 19-0, but on a 3rd-and-12, Cedar Ridge defensive tackle Zachary Holmes sniffed out a screen pass and forced a punt with a solid tackle.
2. Isaiah McCambry 53 yard touchdown run
Since Cedar Ridge fielded a junior varsity team last season, Isaiah McCambry has been someone the coaching staff has been high on. This game provided a look at the Red Wolves’ future. After Holmes’ stop on the previous Chapel Hill drive, McCambrey injected some momentum with this 53-yard touchdown run to give the Red Wolves life going into halftime.
3. Elijah Whitaker blocks an extra point.
Chapel Hill came out of the locker room with a touchdown, but Elijah Whitaker blocked an extra point. Sometimes missed extra points don’t amount to very much, but this one did by the fourth quarter.
4. Braxton Mergenthal and Jared Clayton team up on big stop
Chapel Hill was in position to take a two touchdown lead in the 3rd quarter. It was only fitting that interior lineman Braxton Mergenthal would factor in on one of the biggest plays of the game for the Cedar Ridge defense. Mergenthal and Jared Clayton fought off blocks on this draw play on 3rd down that led to a Chapel Hill punt.
5. Isaiah McCambry 30 yard run
We’re just getting going on the Isaiah McCambry fun. McCambry finished with a career-high 190 rushing yards and three touchdowns. This was a 30-yard run that led to Cedar Ridge tying the game.
6. McCambry scores his second touchdown
Cedar Ridge drew to within 14-13 after McCambry’s fourth touchdown of the year. Strong blocks from Clayton and right guard Ryan Long on this score as Cedar Ridge went into the final quarter trailing 14-13.
7. Another blocked extra point.
Chapel Hill scored on its first possession of the fourth quarter, but the Tigers missed the extra point. The Red Wolves trailed 20-13 leading to the big finish.
8. K.J. Barnes 49 yard kickoff return
Right after the final Chapel Hill touchdown, Cedar Ridge wide receiver K.J. Barnes would jump start the game-winning drive with a 49-yard kickoff return to immediately put the Red Wolves in scoring position.
9. Isaiah McCambry’s final touchdown from 36 yards
Check out sophomore Jake Mergenthal at fullback on the lead block for McCambry as this play starts. He spring McCambry to the inside of the right tackle, and McCambry does the rest to put Cedar Ridge within one point.
10. K.J. Barnes scores on a 2-point conversion for the game-winning score.
Cedar Ridge got creative on the game-winning score. Lining up in an old school power-I formation, it appeared the Red Wolves would be content with riding the hot hand of McCambry. But Barnes may be the fastest man on the team. Once McCambry handed off to Barnes, he had nothing but open field and he could have skipped to the end zone after he turned the corner.
11. Desi Raspberry breaks up a pass on Chapel Hill’s final drive
Chapel Hill crossed the 50-yard line on its final drive and could have done serious damage if it wasn’t for cornerback Desi Raspberry, who made a big pass breakup on 3rd down.
12. Chapel Hill misses field goal
Chapel Hill opted not to go for it on 4th down, instead opting to go for a 43-yard field goal. After it fell short, the celebration was on along the Red Wolves sidelines. Elijah Whitaker got a strong rush around the corner and nearly blocked it