Fairview – The high flying A.C. Reynolds Rockets (5-0) shot down the North Buncombe Black Hawks (2-2) Friday night with a 42-13 score.
The Hawks kicked-off to the Rockets to get the game started with a lateral pass to Carter Lindsey with a massive run into Hawks territory. A penalty backed up Reynolds and a ground attempt went nowhere. A pass to the endzone to Lindsey got the Rockets on the at 11:05 mark, but it took three attempts for the Rockets, including a personal foul by North Buncombe, before the scoreboard read 7-0 Rockets.
The Black Hawks got the ball next, but not for long. The second play, a long pass, was intercepted and Reynolds would score again with a big run and a good PAT, 14-0 Rockets.
Hawks tried and put together a drive together on their next possession. Hawks running back Joe Jones had a couple of good runs but not good enough for a first down, forcing North Buncombe to punt. Rockets then scored when Anthony Lewis was wide open for a touchdown; a good PAT gave the Rockets a widening lead 21-0 in the first. The first quarter ended 28-0.
North Buncombe got on the boards early in the second quarter when Reynolds was on the verge of another touchdown when North Buncombe’s Dalton Kirchner (#15) intercepted a pass in the Rockets’ endzone and returned it for a touchdown. However, a blocked kick left the score 28-6. Reynolds scored again before halftime, making the score 35-6 at the half.
North Buncombe attempted to make the third a turning point. The Hawk’s defense holding the line didn’t allow Reynolds to score during the third, but the Rockets returned the favor.
Hawks got another chance to add points early in the fourth when North Buncombe recovered a punt down near the 30. With only 30 yards to cover, the Hawks stayed in trouble but overcame third and long with help from a Rockets interference call and an illegal substitution call giving them a first down and goal. Joe Jones (#26) ran about five of it and then another three to be just short of the goal line. The third time was a charm for Jones, getting the TD in and a good PAT made the score 35-13 with less than six minutes left in the game. One more score for the night gave the Rockets the win with the final 42-12 win score.
North Buncombe takes on Tuscola Friday followed by West Henderson to end their regular season.