By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
PLYMOUTH — One fantastic Friday night washed away a sour taste that resided in the Vikings’ mouths for over year as Plymouth avenged last season’s heartbreaking playoff loss to Jones Senior with a 54-0 thrashing of the Trojans to advance to the NCHSAA Class 1-A East Regional.
The Vikings fell 16-14 to Jones Senior last year when they could not cash in on a last-second, fourth quarter drive that ended when Plymouth fumbled on the Trojan 1-yard line.
This year the Vikings cut out the dramatics as they dashed for 303 yards on 40 carries to capture a school-record 14th win.
The No. 4 seeded Trojans ended their season with a 9-5 record, and after the game coach Greg Hampton said the play of the Plymouth lineman tipped the scales in the Vikings favor.
Plymouth, the No. 1 seed in the East Region, continued to look like the Patriots of prep football as it successfully continued its pursuit of perfection by tossing another playoff shutout. So far this postseason the Vikings have out-scored opponents 116-0.
Andre Mitchell, who rushed for 111 yards and two scores on eight carries, got the Vikings on the board late in the first quarter with a 10-yard TD run.
Mitchell struck again at the end of the quarter when a he dashed down the middle of the field, then juked the Jones Senior safety for a 72-yard touchdown run to give Plymouth a 16-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Vikings’ lineman dominated up front, as they paved the way for QB Dasheen Perry to rush for two TDs and throw a 47-yard scoring pass to Angelo Sharpless.
Running backs Tobias Clagon and Dwayne Brooks also came up big on Friday night. Clagon scored on a 25-yard run, while Brooks had three two-point conversions, and was effective running up the middle for the Vikings.
Cody said the play of his upperclassmen was pivotal.
While the offense was potent, the defense was stellar as it extended its postseason scoreless streak to 12 quarters.
Jones Senior failed to sustain any significant drives, and had its running game shut down by the end of the first quarter. The Trojans rushed for 121 yards, but 82 of them came in the fourth quarter.
Perry made plays all over field for the Plymouth defense, including an interception that was returned 45-yards for a score. The Vikings forced Jones Senior quarterback Covair Frost into three INTs. Dominique Butler and Brooks recorded the other two interceptions for Plymouth.
Cody said after the game that the team’s hard work in practice on Wednesday paid off Friday night.
The Vikings will continue their playoff push Friday when they host Roanoke in the East Regional.
Jones Senior Plymouth
9 First Downs 10
27-121 Rushes-Yards 40-303
32 Passing Yards 47
3-170-3 Pass-Comp-Int 1-1
5-21 Punting 3-33
5-3 Fumbles-Lost 4
8-70 Penalties 10-80
Jones SR 0 0 0 0 — 0
Plymouth 16 14 16 8 — 54
Scoring Summary
P — Andre Mitchell 10 run (Dwayne Brooks two points), 1:57, 1st
P — Mitchell 72 run (Brooks two points), 5.5, 1st.
P — Dasheen Perry 1 run (Perry two points), 8:27. 2nd.
P — Angelo Sharpless 47 pass from Perry (two points failed), 3:10, 3rd.
P — Perry 45 interception (Perry two points), 9:42, 3rd.
P — Tobias Clagon 25 run (Perry two points), 8:10, 3rd.
p — Perry 11 run (Brooks two points), 11:37, 4th.