By Kacy Kincaid
Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — It was the perfect ending to Homecoming Week in Chapel Hill Friday night, with the Forrest Rockets (4-1) extending their win streak to four, taking the colossal win over the White House Heritage Patriots (3-2), 47-21.
Forrest picked up momentum late in the first thanks to a Fletcher Fields interception in Patriot territory.
Quarterback Aiden Cantrell completed a 14-yard pass to Ben Villazon, putting the Rockets on the 22 yard line.
Liam Bell continued to move the chains, setting Gavin Grissom up for a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:37 left in the first frame.
Grissom added his own extra point, giving the Rockets a 7-0 lead.
Less than a minute later, Jesse Lindeman recovered a Patriot fumble for the scoop and score.
Grissom tacked on the extra point, Forrest cushioning their lead, 14-0 with 43 seconds left in the first.
The second quarter was seemingly going to belong to the Patriots, with White House Heritage going on a 17-play drive, but ultimately turning over possession to the Rockets at their own 18-yard line.
Cantrell found Lindeman on a 13-yard pass, followed up by a 69-yard hike to the end zone from Fields.
Grissom split the uprights yet again, to give Forrest a sturdy 21-0 lead with 2:57 to play in the half.
The Patriots forced to punt on the next drive and the Rockets took possession on their own 38.
Eli Bell and Grissom moved the ball upfield, and it was Fields again sprinting in the 43-yard touchdown run at the buzzer.
Grissom again connected on the extra point, and the Rockets held a firm grip on the lead heading into the half, 28-0.
The Rockets kept up the momentum in the second half.
After a failed onside kick attempt by the Patriots, it was all Liam Bell in the first drive of the third, working his way upfield to the 11-yard line over five plays, punching one in with 9:15 left in the third quarter, bumping the Rocket lead to 34-0.
White House Heritage went full throttle on the next drive, quarterback Xavier Murray dropping a dime to Pal Jal, Jal landing on the Ro
Post Photo by Kacy Kincaid
Jesse Lindeman makes the catch for the Rockets.
cket 11-yard line.
On the next play, Murray found Dason Springer on an 11-yard pass, and the Patriots finally got on the board with 7:42 left in the third.
On the next six-play drive for the Rockets, Cohen Grissom and Gavin Grissom picked up the first downs, getting Cantrell set up to find Villazon on a 16-yard touchdown pass, Forrest running away with the lead, 40-7, with 5:27 left in the third.
Still not able to convert, the Rockets took possession from the Patriots to start the fourth quarter.
Not wasting any time, Landon Groeneveld and Fields came together to gain some ground, Groeneveld dipping across the goal line from the one with 9:16 left in the game.
Grissom’s extra point was good, the Rockets with a hefty 47-7 lead.
Not ready to back down, the Patriots took only five plays to to make their way to the Rocket 17 yard line, where Murray found Eric Lopez on a 17-yard pass. Curtis Qualls added one, the Patriots still down 47-14 with 5:43 left to play.
Jumping on a Rocket miscue, White House Heritage took possession late in the game on the Rocket 45-yard line. Aidan Cottar picked up 35 yards, putting the Patriots in the red zone. From the five, Cottar dashed into the end zone for one last push with 1:20 to play. Qualls tacked o
Post Photo by Kacy Kincaid
Kam Street makes a big hit in the second half for Forrest.
n the extra point, the final score 47-21.
Fields led all players again this week with 111 yards on the evening.
The Rockets are back on the road this week, traveling to Cascade for their second region matchup of the season.
Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
WHH 0 0 7 14 — 21
Forrest 14 14 12 7 — 47
First Quarter
F — Gavin Grissom 10 run, (Grissom kick) 1:37.
F — Jesse Lindeman fumble recovery, (Grissom kick) 0:43.
Second Quarter
F — Fletcher Fields 69 run, (Grissom kick) 2:57.
F — Fields 43 run, (Grissom kick) 0:00.
Third Quarter
F — Liam Bell 11 run 9:15
W — Dason Springer 10 pass from Xavier Murray, (Curtis Qualls kick) 7:42.
F — Ben Villazon 16 pass from Aiden Cantrell 5:27.
Fourth Quarter
F — Landon Groeneveld 1 run, (Grissom kick) 9:16.
W — Eric Lopez 17 pass from Murray, (Qualls kick) 5:43.
W — Aidan Cottar 1 run, (Qualls kick) 1:20.
