Grafton remains unbeaten after escaping New Kent with 7-6 win

New Kent's swarming defense led by C.J. Mulligan (46), Garrick Edwards (25), Evan Branch (2), and Wyatt Terry (6) bury Grafton ball carrier Isiah Hawkins for a three-yard second quarter loss.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Last year when Clark Harrell assumed the task of rebuilding New Kent’s football program, one of the keys to success, he said, would be to defeat an upper echelon team. In his words: “Someone you’re not supposed to beat.” Monday night with Grafton’s unbeaten Clippers in town, Harrell’s Trojans got their opportunity.

But despite a punishing ground attack and a dominating second half performance, the hosts must look for another shot to secure that major upset. Grafton escaped with a narrow 7-6 win.

“We were that far [from winning],” Harrell said afterward, raising his hands for emphasis and holding them a few inches apart.

“I’m real proud of our defense,” he said. “[Grafton] is a high-powered offense that’s run all over everybody. They’re a good team, and we lost a real close game to a good team.”

New Kent’s defense limited the Clippers to 113 yards in each half. For the game, the visitors managed just eight first downs, including a mere two after intermission.

Three big plays accounted for most of Grafton’s 226-yard total, including a 43-yard toss from Demetrius Moore to Isiah Hawkins that set up the Clippers’ lone touchdown. Moore’s one-yard sneak helped create a 7-0 lead with 2:21 left in the opening quarter. After that, the Clippers never entered the red zone until late in the game on a 62-yard run. New Kent defense, meanwhile, forced five Clipper punts.

Grafton’s defense also had its moments, stopping the Trojans on downs inside the one-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Bryce St Clair’s plunge from the one on fourth down came up less than an inch short of the goal line.

Moments later, however, the Clippers handed the hosts another set of downs on a Moore fumble. Trojan defender Wyatt Terry smothered the ball at the Grafton nine-yard line.

Another fourth and goal from the one situation faced the Trojans, but this time St. Clair wedged his way behind blockers for the touchdown. With 6:07 left to play, the hosts were faced with a decision to go for a two-point conversion for the lead or play for the tie with a placement. The latter won out.

“We talked about [going for two],” Harrell said. “But we thought the safe play was to go for one.”

Clipper linebacker Cole Evans, however, blocked Julian Thacker’s attempt.

“From what I saw, [Thacker] hit it pretty good,” said Harrell. “It was just that 43 [Evans] came in unblocked from the right side.”

Down the stretch, the Trojans took possession on two occasions. The first turned into three plays and a punt. The second occurred with less than a minute to go, starting from their 12-yard line with no times out. Evans’ interception 22 seconds from the end sealed Grafton’s win.

“We had our chances,” Harrell said, pointing to a second quarter situation following Grafton’s TD in which the Trojans ran out of downs after advancing to the Clipper seven. Also, a fumbled snap turnover thwarted a third quarter drive that reached the 21.

“A couple of little miscues as we got close hurt us, no doubt about it,” Harrell said.

New Kent’s offense accounted for 15 first downs led by running backs C.J. Reeders (17 carries, 80 yards) and St. Clair (16 carries, 58 yards). The Trojans are 3-2 heading into Friday’s homecoming when they entertain Jamestown.