By Gattis Hodges

Sports Analyst

CROWELL’S CROSSROADS – Hertford County (1-1) shook off a sluggish first half here on Thursday Night to pick up their first win of the season over 1-A Southeast Halifax (1-1) 36-6.

It was the move to the “Wishbone” from the “Spread” on the offensive side of the ball that got the Bears in gear in the second half.

After leading only 8-0 at intermission thanks to a Aaron Thomas one-yard run early in the first quarter, the winners got to work behind their huge offensive line midway in the third period.

Fullback Montel Lewter, who had all of his 102 yards on the ground in the second stanza, broke loose from 45 yards out with 6:13 showing on the third quarter clock and raced untouched for his second touchdown of the season to give HCHS a 14-0 lead.

It stayed that way until early in the fourth and final period when Aaron Thomas capped off a 61-yard drive when he scored from nine yards out on a fourth-and-seven play. The bruising 5’-10” 194 lb. senior then bulled his way into the end zone for the extra two and the lead swelled to 22-0.

However, the home-standing Trojans took advantage of a short Hertford County kickoff following the Thomas score and moved in for their only touchdown of the evening.

With backup signal-callerAdonis Whitaker at the helm, Southeast moved to the HCHS 32-yard line and, from there, Undray Batts circled the right side from 32 yards away to get SE back in the game with 9:22 left at 22-6.

Hertford County would respond as they put together an 89-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock and Brandon Staton found paydirt on the eleventh play in the march as he scored standing from nine yards. Kevin Privott crashed in for the conversion to run the HC advanatge to 30-6.

The defense, which played lights out all evening, recorded the final visit to paydirt as Jermey Parker got a hand on Diavonta Brown’s punt and Tim Sessoms grabbed it out of the air and raced 28 yards for the game’s final score with 0:53 left.

By going to the “Wishbone” the Bears controlled the football as they accounted for 224 of their 331 yards on the ground in the second half alone. Thomas had a season-high 119 yards on 19 carries to go along with Lewter’s 102 yards. Grant Gatling also chipped in all of his 40 yards in that second half.

The Bears were stingy all night defensively allowing Southeast only 54 yards on total offense, while forcing two turnovers.

Hertford County will head to Ahoskie for the first time in 2011 Friday as they welcome Rocky Mount High School to Bears Field. The Gryphons enter the game 1-0-1.