Hoke football roars back to edge Seventy-First 14-13

Fighting Bucks' defense shuts out Falcons in second half

Hoke's two-point conversion is margin of victory

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by Tom McKinney

The Hoke Fighting Bucks scored two touchdowns and a critical two-point conversion in the second half to roar back from a 13-0 half-time deficit to defeat the Seventy-First Falcons 14-13 on Friday night in Raeford.

Earl Wolff and A'Mario Sinclair each pounded out yardage on the ground to set up the first Hoke touchdown, a 2-yard TD-run by Sinclair in the third quarter. The extra point attempt was blocked, leaving the Falcons holding a precarious 13-6 lead going into the 4th quarter.

The determined Hoke defense continued to keep the Falcons in check throughout the 4th quarter en route to achieving an impressive second-half shutout of the Seventy-First offense.

With less than 5 minutes remaining in the game, Hoke regained possession of the ball in Falcon territory after a strong rush by Hoke's Antoine McGregor forced a bad Falcon punt. Minutes later, Earl Wolff ripped off a 20-yard touchdown run to pull the Fighting Bucks within one point of the Falcons, 13-12. After a timeout to discuss strategy, Hoke surprised the Falcons with a brilliantly executed passing play from Gregory Bryant to LaDarrian Beatty for a successful two-point conversion to put Hoke ahead 14-13 for the first time in the game.

With two minutes left in the game, Hoke's Jerrel Inman erased any chance of a Falcon's comeback as he electrified the Hoke players and fans with a pass interception, and 29-yard return down the sidelines to the Falcon 15-yard line, to seal the Fighting Bucks 14-13 come-from-behind victory.