AHOSKIE – There’s a first time for everything.

Unfortunately for Hertford County their first loss in school history to Nash Central came Friday night at home with the Bears on the losing end of a 61-21 contest.

Last year Nash Central came up short losing a one-point heartbreaker, 21-20.

This year the Bulldogs broke open a close contest early in the second quarter and scored 28 straight unanswered points – 21 before halftime – en route to the 40-point win.

Dorrien Askew was once again the workhorse for the Bears with 113 yards rushing and 90 yards passing on eight-of-sixteen attempts.

Aaron Thomas finished with 54 yards on the ground and a pair of scores while Montell Lewter picked up the other Hertford County touchdown.

Greg Arrington topped all runners with 123 yards for Nash Central, though he did not score.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first, going 75 yards in nine plays on their opening drive capped by Khalil Macklin bursting thru the Bears’ defense from 25 yards out.  Zach Conner’s kick made it 7-0.

Hertford County was driving for the equalizer on their first possession in a time-consuming drive but were stopped just short of the red zone and had to punt it away.

Nash went four-and-out on their next drive and punted away.  Hertford County’s Marvin Harrell took the kick 45 yards from near midfield to the Nash three-yard line.

Two plays later Lewter rumbled in from two yards out on the opening play of the second quarter and an Ackerman Grace kick tied the game at 7-7.

But that was as close as the Bears came.  Nash Central scored the next three straight times they had the football and bulged their way to a 28-7 lead at halftime.

Hertford County went four-and-out on their first possession of the third quarter and Nash Central answered with another score to make it 34-7.

The Bears would break their scoring drought with a 10-play, 65-yard drive that Thomas finished off with a 13 yard scamper to paydirt.  A botched extra-point attempt left the score, 34-13.

Nash Central made it again a 28-point game with another quick score before the Bears came back to pull within twenty on a quick three-play drive highlighted by a 58-yard pass play from Askew to Neil Outlaw.

Thomas did the rest, bulling his way in from 22 yards out at getting the Bears just three scores away from a tie.

However, Hertford County never found the end zone again the rest of the night despite some near heroics late in the contest from back-up quarterback Tim Sessoms.

A late Hertford County turnover gave Nash Central an easy score as the Bulldogs coasted their way to their first road win of the year and fourth in a row.

“I challenged the kids this week,” said third-year Nash Central coach Kevin Crudup, “because we’d never ever beaten Hertford County going back to 2005 and the third round of the playoffs.”

“They killed us my first year,” he added, “and then last year was a barn-burner; so I said let’s break this cycle and get a ‘W’ this year.”

“They were a lot like we were two years ago,” said an obviously disappointed Bears coach Scott Privott, “but the pre-season’s over and it’s time now for us to go back to work.”

Hertford County opens NEC conference play on the road next Friday night at Elizabeth City against Northeastern.