If there’s one sport where your quantity determines your quality, it’s football.
With 21 players on its roster, the last thing Cedar Ridge could afford in its season-opener against East Chapel Hill was an injury to its senior starting quarterback. Yet that’s exactly what happened on the first series, no less.
Matthew Asay, who also serves as Cedar Ridge’s punter, was injured after a botched punt snap. It forced backup Thomas Matthews into the game as an emergency.
East Chapel Hill’s Leo George threw for 154 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats defeated Cedar Ridge 41-16 in the season opener at Red Wolves Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Junior Josh Freeman finished with 108 yards receiving and two touchdowns as the Wildcats defeated the Red Wolves for the fourth straight time.
It was Paul Ronga’s debut as Cedar Ridge head coach.
Unlike last year, when the Wildcats shutout the Red Wolves 41-0, Cedar Ridge got offense early. Matthews threw to Michael Wells for a 60-yard touchdown pass. Later, Wells caught another touchdown. He finished with a career-high 123 yards receiving on six receptions and two touchdowns.
Asay later returned to the game and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Wells.
“Some of the things we did were admirable and impressive,” Ronga said. “Virtually playing with 20 players with a lot of the coming off the field with minor tweaks and ailments and then finding a way to regroup and go back in. I have a lot of respect for them for that. Mikey Wells played very hard for us and I’m proud of him.”
Junior running back Gabriel Davis, Freeman and George each had rushing touchdowns for the Wildcats.
Cedar Ridge was supposed to face Graham next week in Alamance County, but the Red Devils canceled their season. Now that classes have started, Ronga is hopeful more players will join the team as Cedar Ridge prepares for its next game against Western Harnett on September fourth.
