WEBCAST.
Round one of the playoffs began on Friday night at a very soggy Trojan Stadium on Friday night as Garner welcomed Wakefield to town for the third all-time meeting between the two schools.
After playing the field position game early in the games first quarter, Wakefield jumped on the board first as Niklas Sade nailed a 23 yard field goal to give the Wolverines at 3-0 lead.
Garner struck for the first touchdown of the game on their first drive of the second quarter as Demetrius Fairley scored from 29 yards out to give Garner a 7-3, which would be the halftime score.
Wakefield was the first team to find the end zone in the second half as Freshman quarterback, Connor Mitch found Alex Starnes for a touchdown and a 10-7 lead for the Wolverines. It was Wakefield scoring again at the beginning of the fourth quarter as Mitch found Nigel King who tip toed the sideline for the touchdown and a 10 point Wakefield lead at 17-7 with just over 10:43 to go in the game.
But, Garner came right back with some big runs, none bigger than a run on fourth and one. That's when Garner's spectacular sophomore, Juwan Moye, broke tackle after tackle and rumbled 56 yards down to the five yard line where two plays later, quarterback Lemond Johnson found Dwight Darity at the one yard line, Darity then dove into the end zone for the score and cut the Wakefield lead to three at 17-14 with over 8 minutes to play.
Wakefield came right back and it looked like Garner would hold the Wolverines to a three and out, however, a 15 yard roughing the kicker penalty kept the drive alive, but Garner's defense again came up big again and forced a punt.
Garner got the ball back down three with 6:02 to play Garner would move the ball down the field and again it was Juwan Moye who had another big run to keep the drive alive and get down to the three yard line where the super sophomore, Demetrius Fairley punched it in and gave the Trojans a 21-17 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Wakefield fumbled the kick-off and Terrance Fussell picked up the loose ball and rumbled down to the 19 yard line, however, Garner would go three and out and give the ball right back to Wakefield.
The Wolverines would move the ball in the wrong direction and on a third down and 15 Connor Mitch fired a pass down field that was intercepted by Bryan Watkins for his second pick of the night to seal the win for Garner.
Garner is now 8-2 in the first round of the playoffs under Head Coach Nelson Smith and the Trojans lead the all-time series with Wakefield two games to one.
With the win, the Trojans are on to round two of the state playoffs for the second straight year and they will travel to Wake Forest-Rolesville next Friday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be play at Heritage High School next week.
Cappolla's Pizzeria and Grill
Garner Downs Wakefield to Advance to Round 2
