It was all right there for the taking for Cedar Ridge.
The Red Wolves led 16-13 against McMichael midway through the fourth quarter on Friday night at Red Wolves Stadium in Hillsborough. They were driving for an insurance score that would all but guarantee its first win in over a year.
Cedar Ridge drove to the Phoenix 10-yard line, but the drive stalled out. After quarterback Matthew Asay’s pass on 4th-and-goal was caught for no gain. the Phoenix regained the ball. On the very next play, freshman running back Elijah Warner took a handoff and ran to the near sideline. For a moment, he appeared to be hemmed in, but he turned on the afterburners and outran the rest of the Red Wolves defense for a 90-yard, game-winning touchdown.
Cedar Ridge wasn’t done. In the final two minutes, Asay drove to the Phoenix 20-yard line, but time ran out when a desperation heave in the end zone fell short.
McMichael (1-2) defeated the Red Wolves 19-16.
It was a crushing disappointment for a Cedar Ridge team that had largely outplayed the Phoenix for much of the night. Asay had arguably the best game of his career. He threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Omari Smith had 121 yards from scrimmage, including two receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore Kamryn Smith caught a 8-yard touchdown pass. Wide receiver Thomas Matthews, who was pressed into quarterback duty in the season-opener against East Chapel Hill, led the Red Wolves with five receptions for 59 yards.
Asay was also the leading rusher for Cedar Ridge, finishing with 75 yards on 15 carries. He burned the Phoenix on several read-options during the final drive of the game to put the Red Wolves in a position to score. Smith finished with 42 yards rushing.
This was the final nonconference game for the Red Wolves. They will return to action against South Granville for Homecoming on October 2 in Hillsborough.
