Mills River – The big-play thermometer sizzled even more than the humidity. Both sides came through majestically on offense, defense, and special teams in Henderson County’s Super Bowl.
Falcon lineman Mason Carver snatched away the ball to seal victory, soon after McCraw dazzled the packed home crowd with his 65-yard touchdown gallop. Early on, Hendersonville made an interception and recovered a botched punt near West’s goal line.
Though no longer in the same league, these two powerhouse programs annually contend for bragging rights and the county’s unofficial championship. The Falcons (2-0) want to “three-peat” as champions of the county and Mountain Seven Conference.
The other unbeaten local squad, East Henderson (2-0), drove Madison mad 42-0. Kayden Williams recovered a fumble. Then Lex Burns passed to Landon Noel for a score. Eli Stokes had a “pick six.” North Henderson (1-1) beat Rosman 44-0. Mason Gasperson rushed for four TDs and 159 yards in the first half. A.C. Reynolds won 55-21 at Shelby. T.C. Roberson and North Buncombe (also 1-1) won.
‘McRun’ Is Next Star RB
West’s McCraw does not craw. The junior runs hard and swiftly. He rushed for three scores and 185 yards versus HHS. He averaged eight yards – 5.2 yards not counting his long TD. He has rushed for 406 yards (10 YPC) and seven TDs in the first two games. That puts him on track to approximate 2024 graduate Carson Dimsdale’s 2,135 rushing yards and 33 scores.
McCraw’s sidekick, bullish senior Da’Zion Murray, rushed for two TDs. The Falcons ran for 292 yards on 40 rushes (7.3 YPC), averaging 7 per pop. They rushed for 373 yards (10 YPC) in gnawing Newton-Conover 51-33 in week one.
Murray and McCraw credited their blockers. Head coach Paul Whitaker said, “our offensive line is creating holes, creases to run through. We like to get the lead, then grind it out to eat up clock.”
Cats Lead 13-0
Hendersonville (1-1) made big plays in the opening quarter, off of West (2-0) miscues. First, a high West punt bounced back toward the end zone. Big Cat Colton Ballard pounced on the ball inside the three-yard line.
Quarterback JaRon Ward ran four yards in for the opening score, on third-and-goal two and a half minutes into the game. The PAT missed.
Next, Bearcat Javanni Suber reached in at the last second to pick off a pass. Suber made a super return. Head coach Kirron Ward praised such “opportunistic” plays. “We got up early. We executed. We contained them. We were in control.”
JaRon Ward connected with Amir Albany for a 31-yard gain, and Gianni Thompson for 32 more yards. Star runner Hezzie Rudisill charged in for a two-yard TD. Mo Rainey’s extra point made the score 13-0, 1:19 into the second quarter. Ward threw for more than 200 yards.
Falcons Get in Gear
West ignited on Neil Robinson’s kickoff return to midfield. McCraw bashed in from two yards out, at 8:31. The Falcons seized the lead merely two and a half minutes later, as Murray dashed ahead seven yards untouched. Josh Sandoval‘s extra point produced a 14-13 “equity score,” midway through the second quarter. That was the halftime tally.
McCraw’s three-yard run in the third quarter put West up 21-13. “Defensively, we didn’t wrap up tackles,” Coach Ward said. McCraw “got going.”
The fourth quarter mirrored the first, with West outscoring HHS two TDs to one. The final three touchdowns came within two minutes. Murray’s eight-yard, wide TD run opened up a 28-13 lead. HHS answered as Albany caught Ward’s 29-yard TD pass. But the two-point pass was incomplete, keeping it a two-score game.
On the next play from scrimmage, McCraw sparkled. He veered left, cut right, then outran the Bearcats down the right sideline at the 9:33 mark. HHS Coach Ward said, “The pride of their offense is if you over-pursue, they cut back. We left some lanes open.”
Carver further foiled Bearcat hopes, with 5:38 to go. He charged Ward, and ripped away the ball at his own 38-yard-line. Ward “pulled his arm up to pass, and I tore the ball away,” Carver explained. Tymir Barber of HHS recovered Murray’s fumble, but it was too late.
Tyler Nash sacked Ward twice, and Carver did once. Nash said that Ward is elusive and hard to bring down, making sacks of him extra rewarding.
West QB Cade Young threw for 110 yards – 65 to Asa Osman. He was happy to pull out the win.
“Playing hard and playing smart” is critical, Coach Whitaker said in the post-win huddle. “Clean it up. Earn it.”