Eagles win a wild one, 62-55

Published 12:19 am Saturday, October 9, 2010

LASKER – On a long night and with tired legs thanks to a short week, Davis Harrell had one good run left in him.

The Northeast Academy senior quarterback scrambled 30 yards to paydirt with 2:13 left in the game here last night (Friday) to rally the home-standing Eagles to a thrilling 62-55 win over St. David’s School in NCISAA 8-man football action.

For the night, Harrell ran for four touchdowns and passed for three others.

The Eagles, who improved to 5-2, used the win to maintain third place in the state rankings.

Taking over at their own 30 yardline after the visiting Warriors had scored to take a slim 55-54 lead, the game-winning drive featured Harrell’s fast legs and strong arm. After he gained four yards on first down, Davis connected with James Pope on a 7-yard pass. One incompletion later, that same duo hooked-up on a 29-yard pass play that put the ball on the St. David’s 30 yardline. Davis called his own number on the next snap and ran to the endzone for the game-winner. Davis also ran in the two-point conversion.

The Harrell-to-Pope connection accounted for the game’s first score as the two played “pitch-and-catch” on a 34-yard TD at the 7:45 mark of the first quarter. The conversion failed, leaving the Eagles up 6-0.

After a St. David’s score, the Eagles bounced back on their next possession, using Pope’s 48-yard TD scamper and Harrell’s conversion run to reclaim the lead at 14-7 with 5:35 left in the first period.

Tied at 14-14 early in the second quarter, Northeast used a 47-yard run by Justin Francis to set-up Harrell’s 7-yard TD run that put the Eagles back on top at 20-14.

St. David’s rallied with a pair of scores to take the lead at 27-20 with 4:33 left before halftime.

Northeast answered with a 13-play, 71-yard drive capped by a 20-yard TD pass from Harrell to Pope. The conversion failed, leaving the Eagles on the short end of a 27-26 halftime score.

The Eagles struck quickly on their first possession of the second half, using a 65-yard pass from Harrell to Pope to reclaim the lead at 34-27 after Harrell ran in the conversion.

From there, the two teams exchanged scores as frequently as a teenage girl changes wardrobes.

Down the stretch, Northeast lit up their side of the scoreboard on touchdowns from Pope (53-yard run; 5:29, 3rd quarter), Harrell (3-yard run; 10:06, 4th quarter), and  Harrell again (12-yard run; 6:51, 4th quarter).

The Eagles will host Lawrence Academy at 7:30 p.m. next Friday (Oct. 15). The game will mark homecoming at the school.