Kenan's defense gets job done

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on December 17, 2013 1:47 PM

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WINSTON-SALEM -- Keevon Miller looked up toward the big screen at BB&T Field to watch the replay of AJ Collins' 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The James Kenan senior defensive end didn't like it.

The Tigers trailed West Montgomery 14-7 barely halfway through the opening quarter of the 2013 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-AA state championship game Saturday afternoon.

"We needed to step it up," Miller said. "I was nervous at first. I had confidence in my team. I knew that we were going to get back on track and we did."

Kenan's offense built steam behind its goal-line package and reeled off 35 unanswered points en route to the program's third state championship -- a dominating 42-14 triumph over the No. 3-ranked Warriors. The Tigers compiled a perfect 15-0 campaign and gave Duplin County its seventh state crown in 13 title-game apperances.

While N.C. State commit Marcelias Sutton and Ja'Quan Williams emerged the offensive stars in miserable playing conditions, James Kenan's defense certainly stole the spotlight.

West Montgomery's heralded offense, which averaged more than 40 points and 463.5 yards a game, couldn't create a rhythm against the physical, quick and fast Tigers. The Warriors mustered a playoff-low 179 yards of total offense and finished 2 of 8 on third-down plays.

Senior quarterback Caleb Drake completed just three passes and threw one pick against a Kenan secondary that finished with 14 interceptions on the season.

"They were fast," said Drake, who had accounted for more than 3,500 yards of total offense and 46 TDs heading into the state final. "The receivers were covered, but it was my fault most of the time. They made some adjustments."

The Tigers yielded just one offensive TD and limited the Warriors to an average of 4.6 yards on 39 offensive plays. Drake's backfield mate, Suave Pegues, ended the night with minus-6 yards rushing on eight carries.

Six James Kenan players combined for four stops that resulted in minus-21 yards rushing. Ironically, Sutton collected a team-high nine tackles, followed Juan Hooper with eight. Hooper was named the Wendy's most outstanding defensive player-of-the-game.

Miller had five stops and recovered a fumble which led to Kenan's third touchdown of the game.

"I tried to pick it up and score," grinned Miller. "We had to stay on our man. If he broke the line of scrimmage, we had to come up and make a play."

James Kenan recorded 45 tackles and forced three turnovers.

"We would have loved to come away with the fast state championship in school history," Warriors head coach Nick Eddins said. "But it just wasn't meant to be today."

The Tigers were just too hungry.