PEMBROKE — After cruising to their respective conference regular season titles, the matchup between South Robeson Intermediate and Pembroke Middle at Purnell Swett High School in chilly conditions Wednesday brought one of the best matchups of the season for both teams.
A late touchdown and a stop from Pembroke was the deciding factor in the 26-20 win for the Warriors to claim the Robeson County middle school football title.
Both teams stayed within a touchdown for the entire contest, but in the final quarter the game heated up. Entering the fourth trailing 20-12, South Robeson scored when Darius Bethea plunged in from 4 yards out. Bethea converted on the following two-point attempt to tie the game at 20-all with less than seven minutes to go in the game.
The Warriors, much like they had the entire contest, controlled the time and possession with their running game, and posted the game-winning score on a 1-yard dive with two minutes to go from Kieran Oxendine.
Despite Pembroke taking the 26-20 lead late, the final two minutes saw Pembroke recover a fumble on the Mustangs’ next play from scrimmage, only to give the ball back to South Robeson on the Warriors’ next play. Pembroke’s Elija Oxendine and South Robeson’s Emmanuel Oxendine recovered the loose balls.
South Robeson took over with 1:45 left and drove into Pembroke territory before a pass from Gabriel Washington intended for Bethea was swatted down on fourth-and-long.
Both teams scored in the first period, with Pembroke taking an 8-6 lead into the second quarter. The lead grew to 14-6 when Isaiah Locklear bullied his way for an 4-yard touchdown run. On the following kickoff, Bethea returned the ball 65 yards for a touchdown to cut the Pembroke lead to 14-12 at the half.
Pembroke recovered the onside kick attempt to start the second half with the ball and scored three minutes later on a 38-yard run from Walker Chavis to go up 20-12.
