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Carolina Forest football winless no more (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO) - Sept. 4, 11:10 p.m.
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Carolina Forest defensive back Hamp Quillen (center) pumps his fist in the air in the moments after Carolina Forest's come from behind 28-21 win over North Myrtle Beach on Friday night. The win snapped a 14-game losing streak. Photo by Michael Smith | The Chronicle.
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Carolina Forest quarterback Marlon Horton (No. 5 black) evades a North Myrtle Beach defender. Photo by Michael Smith | The Chronicle
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Carolina Forest running back DeQuarius Wilson (left) looks for extra yardage in Friday night's game against North Myrtle Beach. Photo by Michael Smith | The Chronicle.
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Carolina Forest defender Hamp Quillen (right) brings down North Myrtle Beach tailback Kelton Chestnut in Friday night's game. Photo by Michael Smith | The Chronicle.
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Carolina Forest receiver Nick Recklaw (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring the first of two touchdowns Friday night against North Myrtle Beach. Photo by Michael Smith | The Chronicle.
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Editor's note: This story, first posted Sept. 4 at 11:10 p.m., was updated Sept. 5 at 9:55 a.m. Game updates were provided regularly on our Facebook fan page.
By Michael Smith
Editor
It’s finally over.
Nearly two years and 15 games later, the Carolina Forest football team is winless no more. And the team’s first win in 21 months came against a familiar adversary.
In November 2007, the Carolina Forest Panthers defeated North Myrtle Beach in order to squeak into the playoffs.
Little did the Panthers know they wouldn’t win again until Friday night, let alone against the team they last beat.
Carolina Forest (1-2) overcame a 21-13 deficit late in the fourth quarter to win 28-21 in overtime against the Chiefs.
“We’ve finally begun to turn the corner,” said CFHS coach Drew Hummel.
Whether it was fate or the full moon shining over Panther Stadium, but Friday night’s victory marked a wave of upset victories across the region.
Class AA Waccamaw stunned Class AAA Socastee 24-20, Class A Hemingway defeated Class AAA St. James 19-7 and Loris overcame a 25-7 third quarter deficit to win 29-25 over South Columbus (N.C.) as time expired.
About the only contest that didn’t end in an upset was the much hyped Myrtle Beach-Byrnes contest, which saw the Seahawks fall 65-14.
Hummel said it’s only coincidence Carolina Forest’s fourth quarter rally occurred shortly after the press box announced Byrnes’ 54-7 halftime lead over Myrtle Beach (Myrtle Beach routed Carolina Forest 49-0 a week earlier).
The real credit for Carolina Forest’s comeback, Hummel said, rests with the players, who didn’t let adversity get them down.
Carolina Forest quarterback Marlon Horton connected with Nick Recklaw for two of the team’s touchdowns, including a late fourth quarter score to tie the game 21-21 after a Ronnie Moses conversion.
“Marlon (Horton) made great throws to me both times. I can’t believe I made those catches,” said Recklaw. “We don’t want to lose anymore. We want to make a name for ourselves at Carolina Forest.”
In overtime, Carolina Forest went ahead for good when Alex Flucker caught a 10 yard touchdown pass on a screen.
Helping to make the play happen was DeQuarius Wilson, who laid a critical block on the 1-yard line allowing Flucker to tiptoe into the endzone unscathed. Chris Nwanegwo’s extra point was good, putting Carolina Forest ahead 28-21.
An interception by Mark Timmons on North Myrtle Beach’s next possession sealed the win, sending piles of Panthers into a post-game celebratory frenzy.
“We were down, but we fought back and kept our heads up,” Timmons said. “Coach told us in the locker rooms to focus, and on that last play I kept focusing and focusing.”
Read the full story in the Sept. 10 edition of the Carolina Forest Chronicle.
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