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VANCEBORO – Junior quarterback Keveon Rodgers rushed for six touchdowns, including one in overtime, to lead Hertford County to a thrilling 44-43 win at West Craven High School here last night (Thursday) in the second round of the Eastern 2A state playoffs.

After the back-and-forth game ended with a 36-36 stalemate, the contest went into overtime.

West Craven scored first in the extra session. The PAT kick gave the Eagles a 43-36 lead.

Rodgers answered for the Bears, scoring on a 3-yard run. With the game and the season on the line, Rodgers then added the game-winning two-point conversion run.

Rodgers staked the Bears to a 14-0 lead by scoring on a pair of runs (5 yards and 4 yards) in the first quarter. His first TD was followed by a two-point conversion pass to Jahuan Bond.

After West Craven cut into that lead by scoring on a pass play in the second quarter, Rodgers found the endzone again, ending a HCHS drive with his 3-yard TD run. The conversion failed, leaving the Bears with a 20-7 lead.

West Craven rallied by scoring twice later in the second quarter, one coming on a run and the other one a pass. Both PAT kicks were good, staking the Eagles to a 21-20 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, Rodgers scored his fourth touchdown of the night, this one from 11 yards out. He then added the conversion run as the Bears reclaimed the lead at 28-21 in the early stages of the fourth quarter.

West Craven answered with a rushing touchdown and a game-tying (28-28) PAT.

Set up by a long run by Elijah Outlaw, the Bears responded with a drive capped by a 5-yard TD run by Rodgers. He added the conversion run for a 36-28 lead with six minutes left in the game.

A little over two minutes later, West Craven scored on a rushing TD and added the game-tying conversion, deadlocking the score at 36-36.

Hertford County (11-1 overall) advances to the third round of the state playoffs. The 11^th seeded Bears will travel to #3 seed Whiteville High School (11-1) for a 7 pm game on Friday, Nov. 18. Whiteville advanced by defeating Edenton-Holmes, 42-35, last night.

Also last night, fifth-seeded Northeastern was ousted from the state playoffs, losing 35-31 at home vs. #12 Wallace-Rose Hill.

Thursday, Nov. 10 Football Results

 Class 2A East

#1 Princeton 71, #16 Heide Trask 34

 

#8 Cummings 42, #24 Midway 7

 

#12 Wallace-Rose Hill 35, #5 Northeastern 31

 

#4 Nash Central 36, #13 Greene Central 28

 

#3 Whiteville 42, #14 John A. Holmes 35

 

#11 Hertford County 44, #6 West Craven 43 (OT)

 

#7 Clinton 26, #10 South Granville 0

 

#2 East Duplin 31, #15 James Kenan 17

 

Class 1A East

 

#1 Tarboro 48, #17 Southeast Halifax 0

 

#8 Riverside-Martin 44, #9 North Edgecombe 14

 

No. 21 Washington County (4-7) at No. 5 West Columbus (8-3) – Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

 

#4 Northampton County 28, #13 Northside-Pinetown 20

 

#3 Rosewood 42, #14 Warren County 0

 

#11 Hobbton 42, #6 Southside 34

 

#23 Perquimans 48, #26 East Columbus 14

 

#2 North Moore 13, #18 Pender 12