news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Rockingham County stunned Southern Guilford, winning its first playoff game since 1988 on Friday with a 17-7 triumph over the Storm in the first round of the Midwest 3-A playoffs.

The Cougars (7-5) used a clock-eating ground attack to control the game. And their defense gave up a lot of yards in the first half but made big plays when it needed, shutting out Southern Guilford (8-3) in the second half.

“I give our kids all the credit,” said Rockingham coach Lin Stadler. “We have run it well this year. That (the line of scrimmage) was a matchup we felt we could win.”

The Cougars’ Khalif Galloway was the difference for Rockingham. He only carried the ball six times, but he gained 97 yards and scored both of the Cougars’ touchdowns.

Stadler said that Galloway starts at cornerback against a passing team like Southern, and he needed Galloway more on defense than offense. It was decided before the game that Galloway would get a limited number of offensive plays. He made the most of them.

Galloway scored on a 56-yard touchdown run in the first half, dragging a defender into the end zone and giving the Cougars an early lead. At first, he and his coaches weren’t sure he scored on the play.

Galloway then put the game completely out of reach with a 15-yard scamper for another score with less than 3 minutes to play.

“That’s why I wanted to make the most of it every time,” Galloway said. “I was just hoping I was in (on the first score). It’s amazing. We’ve accomplished some things no teams have in a while. I just hope we can keep it going.”

The Cougars advance to play next Friday at Concord, a 30-6 winner over Northwest Cabarrus on Friday, in the second round.

Southern Guilford struggled to get its passing offense untracked. The Storm’s quarterback, Jamie Cunningham, was under pressure most of the game, missed several receivers and had several other passes dropped.

“We had some opportunities and we didn’t convert,” Southern Guilford coach Darryl Brown said. “When you play good teams, and in the playoffs every team is good, and you have opportunities and you don’t take advantage of those opportunities, you’re going to be in trouble.”

Both teams struggled in the first quarter, with neither team scoring. Southern Guilford had the best chance after marching deep in Rockingham territory on its first drive. But that threat ended when the Storm failed to convert on fourth down.

The Cougars found their ground game in the second quarter behind the powerful running of Darian Miller. After Miller picked up 29 yards on three consecutive plays, Rockingham County changed the pace and gave the ball to Galloway, who took it straight up the middle for a 56-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead.

The Storm came right back on its next possession. This time quarterback Jamie Cunningham converted a key fourth down by throwing a strike to Matt Colvin.

On the next play, Malik Moseley went off the left side, broke one tackle at the line and sprinted to the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7 with 5:13 to play in the first half.

RC—Khalif Galloway 56 run (Robert Blainey kick)

SG—Malik Moseley 25 run (Matt Brandon kick)

RC—Blainey 37 yard field goal

RC—Galloway 15 run (Blainey kick)