WINDSOR – It’s usually the game that ends the regular season.

This year, however, it fell in the middle.

And this past Friday night it marked a beginning.

After four straight games where Hertford County High has failed to score in the second half, the visiting Bears lit up Roy Bond Stadium here with a 22-point effort in the final 24 minutes of the game and coasted to a 50-20 Northeastern Coastal Conference win over Bertie High.

It started with the Falcons getting the opening kick-off and going three-and-out before they had to punt the ball away.

On Hertford County’s first play from scrimmage Bear quarterback Ryan Weaver was intercepted by Tay Vaughn on the Bertie 32-yard line.

After a penalty and a three-yard loss on a run, Falcon quarterback Jaikeim Mosley threw a 76-yard touchdown strike to Marquis Holley for the game’s first score, but the point-after kick was blocked and the score was 6-0 with 9:24 remaining in the first quarter.

Kicking off to the Bears, Hertford County could not kick-start their offense and after three-and-out set up for a punt on fourth down. However, the Bryan Merritt effort was blocked by Bertie and Brenya Gallop recovered on the HCHS four-yard line.

On the first play from scrimmage, Alameen Sharif scored on a four-yard scamper to the end zone and ran in the two-point conversion and the Bears were in a 14-0 hole as Bertie led it in less than the first four minutes of the ball game.

The Bears still couldn’t get things going offensively after the kick and punted the ball back to the Falcons.

On Bertie’s first play from scrimmage, Hertford County’s Jquwan Ruffin intercepted Mosley on the 44-yard line.

On the Bear’s first play Kevin Chavis bolted for 53 yards to the Bertie three-yard line and Tyus Leary finished things off for the visitors and Merritt’s extra-point kick pulled Hertford County within seven, 14-7, and that score remained through the end of the quarter.

Early in the second quarter it was Ruffin again, this time with a punt return of 20 yards setting Hertford County up at the Bertie 21-yard line. Three plays later Anthony Lassiter had a ten-yard touchdown run and the kick tied the score at 14-all.

Bertie stalled again and had to punt once more and the Bears took over on the Falcon 47-yard line. Eight plays later Weaver ran it in from two yards out and the Bears had their first lead of the night 20-14 because the kick was blocked.

Less than a minute later the Bears were in the end zone again when first Jamel Monger recovered a Bertie fumble on the Falcon 35. On the second play from scrimmage Lassiter had his second score of the night with a 35-yard run to daylight. Weaver then passed to Monger for the conversion and the Bears had doubled the score, 28-14, at halftime.

The second half started with a case of déjà vu as the Bears turned the ball over again to start a quarter. This time it was a Hertford County fumble recovered by Bertie’s Eric Smallwood at the visitor’s 22-yard line.

Bertie took over but were stopped on fourth-and-12 and the ball went over to the Bears on downs.

Hertford County went 76 yards in five plays, the big run a 48-yard touchdown jaunt for Chavis, his first score of the night and the Bears first points in the second half after an eight quarter scoreless drought. It was 34-14 with 8:17 left in the third.

On Bertie’s next possession it was the Falcons turning the ball over as Monger intercepted Mosley on the Hertford County ten.  The Bears then went 90 yards in seven plays capped by Chavis’ 17-yard touchdown run, his second of the night, and the Merritt kick made it 41-14, Hertford County, with 4:28 left in the quarter.

Bertie got back on the scoreboard with a Mosley 59-yard touchdown strike to Sharif and the Falcons added six more as the run was stopped and Bertie was down by three touchdowns, 41-20 after three quarters.

Hertford County scored their final nine points in the fourth quarter on a safety and a touchdown.  O’Shane Ximenes tackled Mosley in the end zone for the two points that made it 43-20.and the touchdown came when second-string quarterback Jarrett Gatling had an 11-yard touchdown run with under four minutes left to play and the kick took the Bears to the half-century scoring mark.

Hertford County had 456 total yards with 405 coming on the ground. Chavis led the march with 143 yards on eight carries. Lassiter had 90 and Kenny Sharpe added 85.

Hertford County is 4-3 overall and 1-1 in conference. Bertie falls to 0-5 and 0-1 in the Northeastern Coastal Conference.  Next Friday it’s Homecoming for both schools: First Flight visiting Bertie while Hertford County hosts Pasquotank.