Ford ignites Gryphons to Big East win over Southern Nash

November 1, 2009

By Charles Alston of Rocky Mount High School

ROCKY MOUNT - This hasn't been a stellar season for senior running back Jordan Ford.

He led the team in rushing with over 1,100 yards last season as a junior, and much was expected of him for his senior campaign.

The big numbers haven't been there this season for Ford, but he still knows how to electrify a crowd and he did it twice Friday night in the Gryphons' Big East battle with Southern Nash. They helped propel Rocky Mount to a 24-19 win on Senior Night.

Ford's 60-yard touchdown reception from senior Collins Cuthrell with 1:10 left in the game turned out to be the game-winner in a contest that saw Southern Nash run nearly twice as many plays as the Gryphons (63-33).

The victory still leaves Rocky Mount in position to claim the No. 2 spot in the conference and at least one playoff contest at home on Nov. 13. The Gryphons travel to Northern Nash for their regular season finale Friday. The Knights (2-8, 2-2), riding a two-game winning streak, can possibly claim that No. 2 spot with a victory over the Gryphons.

Normally, when two opposing running backs top the century mark, a certain loss normally follows.

Not so Friday night.

Despite 147 yards rushing from Terron Huffman and 118 from Tracy Coppedge, Rocky Mount some how found a way to get its fifth win of the season and move to 3-1 in Big East play.

RM's defense responded by stopping the Firebirds three times on fourth downs when they were driving for a score. And despite giving up a safety, the Gryphons played well - when they had the ball.

After giving up that safety and coming up with a defensive stop inside at its 25, Rocky Mount marched 75 yards on six plays for its first touchdown. Senior Marquavis Alston (11 carries for 90 yards) sliced though the heart of SN's defense for a 25-yard score with 1:40 left in the first period. Tim Bishop added the first of his three PAT's for a weird 7-2 RM lead.

Southern (7-3, 2-2) promptly put together a 10-play, 84-yard march that concluded with quarterback Chris Whitley scoring from a yard out. Huffman's two-point run gave SN a 10-7 lead.

But on Rocky Mount's next play from scrimmage, Ford slashed through the line and flew 72 yards for the score to put the Gryphs up 14-10. Bishop nailed the first field goal of his career (27 yards) on the final play of the half for a 17-10 lead.

On a Wildcat play, Coppedge showed his speed with a 66-yard jaunt for a score on the final play of the third quarter. Southern tried another two-point run, but failed to trail 17-16.

A little over five minutes later, the Firebirds' drive stalled and they settled for a Lawrence Sandifer 34-yard field goal to Southern on top 19-17.

Two possessions later, RM got the ball at its 30 to begin its winning drive. An Alston 5-yard run, a 5-yard pass from Cuthrell to Diandre Harris followed by an Alston 1-yarder, Cuthrell hit Ford to basically win the game.

Southern did drive down to the RMHS 27 in the final seconds, but four straight Whitley incompletions at that point gave the Gryphons the win.