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GREENSBORO - Page failed to put a goose egg on the scoreboard Thursday night against visiting Southern Lee, but that's not to say the Pirates' defense still wasn't perfect.

Page rolled to a 32-6 victory behind a well- balanced offensive attack and a relentless 'D' that held the Cavaliers to just 114 yards of total offense.

The Pirates of the 4-A Metro improved to 3-0. It was the first game of the season for Southern Lee, members of the 3-A Cape Fear Valley.

"They're not a bad football team, but I think our defense just stepped it up tonight," said Pirates coach Kevin Gillespie. "They were relentless and they got to the ball - my hat's off to them."

Wide receiver Jeremy Collie turned a pair of short slip screens into long touchdowns, and running back Perry Fryer ran for two scores of his own to give Page all the offense it would need.

Southern Lee was on the verge of being blanked until Antonio Singletary blocked a punt and snared the ball out of midair in the end zone with just 7:15 left in the game.

"That's special teams right there, that wasn't our defense," Gillespie noted. "Defensively, we've only given up one touchdown this season, so if we quit that junk (on special teams) we'll be all right."

Aside from allowing the blocked punt, the special teams unit was no slouch either. The Pirates blocked a punt and a PAT, and kicker Matt Millisor made sure the Cavaliers never started better than their own 20 by sending every kickoff into the end zone for a touchback.

The Pirates ran out to a 14-0 lead by halftime after Collie's first TD reception - a 44-yarder - and Fryer's 13-yard run. Quarterback Will Newman completed 8 of 17 passes for 137 yards, but several balls were dropped, including what would have been a surefire touchdown toss to Collie on the game's opening drive.

The junior made amends later by breaking off the short passes for scores in the first and third quarters.

"They were really easy," Collie said of the touchdowns. "I just followed my blocks right into the end zone. That's just fundamental football."

But the offensive show couldn't steal the spotlight from the defense. Southern Lee's James Butler broke off a 44-yard run late in the contest, but the Pirates made life miserable for the Cavalier backfield a majority of the night, holding runners to 2 yards or less on 21 attempts.

"Defensively, we just fly around," said defensive back T.J. Todd, who blocked a punt in the opening quarter. "We think we have the best defense in the state. Our motto for our defense is the 'Red Death'. We just don't allow people to get any yards," Todd added.

P - Jeremy Collie 44 pass from Will Newman (Matt Millisor kick)

P - Perry Fryer 13 run (Millisor kick)

P - Intentional grounding in end zone, safety

P - Collie 30 pass from Newman (Millisor kick)

P - Fryer 7 run (Millisor kick)

L - Antonio Singletary block punt (kick blocked)