Concord traveled to Mt. Pleasant to open the 2008 season. After a hard fought first half Mt. Pleasant took control in the 2nd half to defeat Concord 42-27 Friday night.

After a slow start both teams got the offenses going late in the 1st quarter. Mt. Pleasant would strike first with QB Evan Seymour hitting Andrew Carroll for a 32 yard touchdown pass. The first quarter would end with Mt. Pleasant ahead 7-0.

In the 2nd quarter Concord would answer with a 30 yard touchdown from Sean Willix to Jared Nash. Brandon Barnhardt would add the extra point to tie the game at 7-7. On the ensuing possession Seymour would again connect with Carroll this time on a 47 yard touchdown strike. Later in the 2nd Concord would take the lead after a 10 yard touchdown run by Roger Smith. That drive was highlighted by a 43 yard pass to Will Cowan and a 4th down conversion by Roger Smith. Concord's defense would recover a Mt. Pleasant fumble to end the half with a 14-13 lead.

Mt. Pleasant would score on the opening drive of the 3rd quarter on Haywood Forte's 3 yard touchdown run to put the Tigers up 19-14. The Tiger's defense would hold the Spiders and the Tigers struck again as Dalton Brandon would add a 20 yard touchdown run to give Mt. Pleasant a 27-14 lead. The teams would exchange turnovers before Mt. Pleasant would add another score as Seymour would find Brandon on a 57 yard touchdown pass. Concord's offense could not convert and the Tigers would add another score to put the Tigers up 42-14.

Junior quarterback Jordan Havinga came on in relief in the 4th quarter. The Spiders would add a 2 yard touchdown run from Brandon Phillips. Later after a Mt. Pleasant fumble was recovered by Tevin Barnes Havinga would connect with Davion Waters on a short touchdown pass. 

Willix finished 15-28 for 243 yards and 1 touchdown. Havinga would finish 4-8 for 64 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Phillips would lead the Spider rushers with 34 yards. Six different receivers would catch passes led by Will Cowan's 4 catches for 109 yards.  

Concord will be in action next week as they host the J.M. Robinson Bulldogs at Robert C. Bailey Stadium. 

Stats courtesy Scott Dyer and Billy Lyerly.

Click on read more for complete stats. 

L.J. Currie rushed for 312 yards to propel Concord past Phillip O. Berry Friday night at Cardinal Stadium. Currie's 312 total is the 3rd highest single game rushing total in Spider history. View records here.

Currie carved through the Cardinal defense for two scores in the first half. Currie ran every play on the first Spider drive and scored on a screen pass on the 2nd possession. 

Berry answered with two quick strike touchdown passes to get within two points. 

The Spiders spent much of the first half in Berry territory but two red zone turnovers and numerous penalties squashed their scoring chances.

Halftime adjustments proved to work for the Spiders. 

Currie and the offensive line continued the rushing assault in the 2nd half. 

The Spiders marched down the field to open the 3rd quarter. Jadon Bell plunged in on a 1 yard keeper to put the Spiders up 21-12. 

Once again Berry hit the deep pass for another score. 

Currie and the offensive line would add 2 more rushing scores in the 3rd to give the Spiders a bit of a cushion. 

Zyion Boger picked off a Cardinal pass in the 4th. 

Jourdan Heilig came on in relief of Currie late and added his own rushing touchdown from 49 yards. 

After the game Currie was quick to credit his offensive line. 

The Spider defense was led by Clint Bost Jr., Emmanual Arias, and Zyion Boger each had 4 stops. Boger added 2 interceptions. Sia Olomua and Louis Williams added sacks. 

Friday night was the first meeting between the schools. 

Paul Hershey

Sep. 1--CONCORD -- Head coach Bobby Cloninger has stressed mental toughness as the key to success for his Jay M. Robinson team.

The Bulldogs showed plenty of that on Friday night.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Robinson continually battled back and pulled out a wild 32-27 victory over rival Concord at Robinson High.

Jason Hampton's 4-yard touchdown run -- his third score of the game -- with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter provided the winning points.

"It gives a whole lot of credibility to what we're trying to do," Cloninger said of the victory. "They're a good football team. Our kids showed a lot of perseverance by the way they came back. I'm going to give them all the credit.

"We earned this one."

Concord, meanwhile, made big strides offensively but saw its second game end in the same way as its opener -- with an interception.

After Hampton's score, Concord got a 15-yard run by quarterback Tony Moore and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Robinson to move to the Bulldogs' 33 with 49 seconds left.

However, Moore's first-down pass over the middle was deflected and intercepted by Robinson linebacker Mike Skiptunas, sealing the victory for the Bulldogs (2-1).

"We finally got a good pass rush, we got a tip on the ball and Mike Skiptunas was there and made a good play on it," Cloninger said.

The Spiders dropped to 0-2.

With the score tied 20-20 at halftime, Robinson took its only other lead of the game on the opening possession of the third quarter.

Hampton ran for 57 yards on the first play from scrimmage and scored two plays later on a 2-yard run. The extra point was blocked.

Later in the third, Concord drove to the Bulldogs' 2 before losing a fumble after a pass reception.

The Spiders' defense held, though, and Concord took advantage of the short field. Tailback Roger Smith scored on a 27-yard run and Branden Barnhardt's extra point gave the Spiders a 27-26 lead with 1:18 left in the third.

The Spiders then put together a drive that took more than half of the time in the fourth quarter and were one play away from just about putting away the game.

Moore's keeper on fourth-and-7 from the Robinson 31 came up a yard short.

The Bulldogs took over with 2:32 left.

Bradley Clay threw to Chris Moon for 10 yards and a roughing the passer penalty two plays later moved the ball to the Concord 45.

Clay then rolled out and hit Cyrus Mojtabai over the middle for a 31-yard catch-and-run to the Spiders' 14.

"Cyrus extended the play and we were able to get them stretched and (Clay) threw back to him," Cloninger said. "(Cyrus) sat down in the hole and waited on it."

After a 10-yard reception by Moon, Hampton plowed in over the right side for the winning score.

Hampton rushed for 169 yards.

Concord led 7-0 before a track meet broke out in the second quarter.

The teams combined for five touchdowns in a span of 2:19.

Hampton had touchdown runs of 12 and 27 yards on consecutive carries.

In between, Dominique Posey returned a kickoff 85 yards for a Concord touchdown. After Hampton's second score, Moore connected with Bryan Franklin for a 72-yard touchdown play that put the Spiders ahead 20-12.

Robinson answered three plays later when Moon took a short pass and turned it into a 43-yard touchdown. Clay then threw to tight end Chris Dudas for the two-point conversion that tied the game.

Smith had a huge night in a losing effort for Concord, rushing for 218 yards and two touchdowns.

Moore completed 8 of 23 passes for 183 yards for Concord.

Clay was 13 of 30 for 163 yards for Robinson, which also overcame the loss of star lineman R.J. Mattes, who was ejected late in the third quarter for a late hit.

"Never giving up," Cloninger said about what the difference was for his team. "Staying after it and showing some mental toughness."

It was Robinson's second straight win over Concord following five straight losses.

Concord opens league play at home against Piedmont next Friday, while Robinson has an open date.

Hampton's TD run with 1:10 remaining completes rally

By Paul Hershey

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CONCORD -- Head coach Bobby Cloninger has stressed mental toughness as the key to success for his Jay M. Robinson team.

The Bulldogs showed plenty of that on Friday night.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Robinson continually battled back and pulled out a wild 32-27 victory over rival Concord at Robinson High.

Jason Hampton's 4-yard touchdown run -- his third score of the game -- with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter provided the winning points.

"It gives a whole lot of credibility to what we're trying to do," Cloninger said of the victory. "They're a good football team. Our kids showed a lot of perseverance by the way they came back. I'm going to give them all the credit.

"We earned this one."

Concord, meanwhile, made big strides offensively but saw its second game end in the same way as its opener -- with an interception.

After Hampton's score, Concord got a 15-yard run by quarterback Tony Moore and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Robinson to move to the Bulldogs' 33 with 49 seconds left.

However, Moore's first-down pass over the middle was deflected and intercepted by Robinson linebacker Mike Skiptunas, sealing the victory for the Bulldogs (2-1).

"We finally got a good pass rush, we got a tip on the ball and Mike Skiptunas was there and made a good play on it," Cloninger said.

The Spiders dropped to 0-2.

With the score tied 20-20 at halftime, Robinson took its only other lead of the game on the opening possession of the third quarter.

Hampton ran for 57 yards on the first play from scrimmage and scored two plays later on a 2-yard run. The extra point was blocked.

Later in the third, Concord drove to the Bulldogs' 2 before losing a fumble after a pass reception.

The Spiders' defense held, though, and Concord took advantage of the short field. Tailback Roger Smith scored on a 27-yard run and Branden Barnhardt's extra point gave the Spiders a 27-26 lead with 1:18 left in the third.

The Spiders then put together a drive that took more than half of the time in the fourth quarter and were one play away from just about putting away the game.

Moore's keeper on fourth-and-7 from the Robinson 31 came up a yard short.

The Bulldogs took over with 2:32 left.

Bradley Clay threw to Chris Moon for 10 yards and a roughing the passer penalty two plays later moved the ball to the Concord 45.

Clay then rolled out and hit Cyrus Mojtabai over the middle for a 31-yard catch-and-run to the Spiders' 14.

"Cyrus extended the play and we were able to get them stretched and (Clay) threw back to him," Cloninger said. "(Cyrus) sat down in the hole and waited on it."

After a 10-yard reception by Moon, Hampton plowed in over the right side for the winning score.

Hampton rushed for 169 yards.

Concord led 7-0 before a track meet broke out in the second quarter.

The teams combined for five touchdowns in a span of 2:19.

Hampton had touchdown runs of 12 and 27 yards on consecutive carries.

In between, Dominique Posey returned a kickoff 85 yards for a Concord touchdown. After Hampton's second score, Moore connected with Bryan Franklin for a 72-yard touchdown play that put the Spiders ahead 20-12.

Robinson answered three plays later when Moon took a short pass and turned it into a 43-yard touchdown. Clay then threw to tight end Chris Dudas for the two-point conversion that tied the game.

Smith had a huge night in a losing effort for Concord, rushing for 218 yards and two touchdowns.

Moore completed 8 of 23 passes for 183 yards for Concord.

Clay was 13 of 30 for 163 yards for Robinson, which also overcame the loss of star lineman R.J. Mattes, who was ejected late in the third quarter for a late hit.

"Never giving up," Cloninger said about what the difference was for his team. "Staying after it and showing some mental toughness."

It was Robinson's second straight win over Concord following five straight losses.

Concord opens league play at home against Piedmont next Friday, while Robinson has an open date.