Fuquay-Varina (9-2, 6-2) pulled away from Lee County (3-7, 2-6) on Friday night with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win, 35-14 on senior night to wrap up the regular season. Meanwhile, just down the road, Athens Drive beat Holly Springs to create a three-way tie for second place in the Tri-9 conference. Following the game, Fuquay, Athens Drive and Holly Springs – who all finished the regular season with 6-2 conference records - participated in a tie-breaker drawing. Fuquay drew the second seed. Athens drew the third seed and Holly Springs was left with the fourth seed from the Tri-9. The result, for Fuquay, is a home game in the first round of the NCHSAA 4AA state playoffs, this Friday night as 12th seed Raleigh Millbrook High (6-5) from the Cap 7 conference visits Bengals Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Fuquay senior defensive back, Jahel Carter intercepted a Lee County pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the Bengals win. “It was really important because this win gives us our spot in the playoffs,” Carter said. “If we didn’t win it could have been a lower seed. It could have been on the road for our first playoff game. So it was very important that we got a win.”

Junior running back, Cory Hunter got things started in the first quarter, capping Fuquay’s 65-yard opening drive with a three-yard touchdown run. It was the first of four touchdowns for Hunter, who racked up 201 yards on 31 carries. Fuquay took a 14-0 lead into halftime, but the Yellowjackets came out in the third quarter with a touchdown of their own to cut the lead to 14-7.

Senior, Isaac Minor scored for Fuquay late in the third on a five-yard run and Eric Powell added one of his three PAT’s on the night. Senior, Nate Budde intercepted a Lee County pass in the fourth quarter that led to Malcom Thaxton’s 30-yard touchdown run. Lee County then scored, but it was too little too late for the Yellowjackets. Especially since Lee County had no answer for Hunter who added his fourth touchdown with just over four minutes remaining.

Hunter, who is averaging 169 yards per game, said whenever opponents concentrate on him it just opens up opportunities for his teammates.



“I think teams are preparing more for what we do and keying on certain things,” he said. “But as they do that it’s going to open up everything else. So there’s really no one direct way to stop it.”

Fuquay coach, Ryan Habich said he’s pleased with how his team bounced back from two heartbreaking Tri-9 losses that kept the Bengals from a fifth straight conference championship. He said senior leadership has sustained the team.

“It’s a great bunch. It’s a great character bunch,” Habich said of the class of 2010. “The difference for us in being 11-0 or 9-2 was five points and two minutes. I’m proud of the senior class. You know, we didn’t win the conference championship, but I’m just as proud of this group as if they’d won a conference championship.”

Millbrook, who visits this Friday, is led by running back Keith Marshall who is averaging 106 rushing yards per game and quarterback Trey McFarland. McFarland has completed 73 of 150 passes for 102 yards per game. Knightdale High was the only common opponent for Fuquay and Millbrook this fall. The Wildcats downed Knightdale 20-14 on August 28. Fuquay beat Knightdale 38-14, the week prior.

Bengals Soccer

The Fuquay-Varina soccer team advanced to the second round of the 4A state playoffs with a win at home over Raleigh Leesville Road (17-4-1) last week. Senior forward, Hector Valentine scored two goals including the game-winner in the 65th minute against the Pride. Junior, Jonathon Furr added the other goal on a bending free kick.

The Bengals’ reward for advancing to the second round? They won the right to take on the top-ranked team in the state at Durham Jordan High on Saturday. Undefeated Jordan (21-0-0) is also ranked #3 in the nation according to the NSCAA and ESPN.COM has the Falcons ranked 4th nationally.



But, the Bengals didn’t travel to Durham to admire the play of the Falcons, they went there to win and advance – and almost did just that. In the end, Jordan prevailed, 2-1.

“It was a great game,” Fuquay coach, James Mountford said. “It was one of the better games we’ve played in a long time. It was a championship type atmosphere.”



Despite playing without injured starters David Sizemore and Aaron Schiappa, Fuquay battled Jordan to a 1-1 draw until late in the second half. The Falcons slipped one in after a scrum in front of the Fuquay net.



Fuquay (17-5-1, 11-4-1) ended the regular season in third place in the Tri-9, the Bengals’ best-ever finish at the 4A level. The team won more conference games (11) this fall than ever before.