news-record.com

PITTSBORO — One week after scoring 52 points, the Andrews Red Raiders never got on track offensively and saw their season end in the second round of the Class 2-AA Mideast playoffs with a 14-7 loss to the Northwood Chargers.

Turnovers, dropped passes and a running game that disappeared in the second half all hurt the Red Raiders, along with a solid Chargers defense and a playing field that caused several slips among the Andrews players.

“It’s not like we gave them a touchdown, they earned them,” Andrews coach Rodney McKoy said. “When you play this type of game, you can’t make mistakes and we made them.”

Andrews moved the ball in the first quarter, but mistakes killed their first three drives. The last of those ended with an interception that left Northwood on its 9-yard line.

But Kevin Williams ran up the middle, broke a tackle early and ended with an 87-yard touchdown that gave the Chargers (9-4) a 6-0 lead.

After the teams traded interceptions in the second quarter, Andrews got a break when Northwood missed a short field goal attempt.

The Red Raiders (8-5) responded with their best drive of the night, going 80 yards in 10 plays.

Xavier Quick had a big play on the drive, a 38-yard run on a draw up the middle.

But the biggest play of the drive came on fourth-and-goal. Everyone in the stadium thought Northwood had stuffed a run by the fullback, but instead Swinton kept the ball and scored Andrews’ only points of the game.

The Chargers scored the game-winner on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal at the 1.

“It didn’t end like we wanted it to,” McKoy said, “but you learn from your mistakes and move forward.”

N – Kevin Williams 87-yard run (kick blocked)

A – Marquez Swinton 2-yard run (Kenova Childress kick)

N– Adam Leviner 1-yard run (Leviner pass to Austin Mathews)