win over Burlington Cummings in the first round of the NCHSAA 2AA Mideast playoffs.

_ – Sophomore running back Trai Sharp scored five touchdowns to spark Carrboro to a 68-31

win over Burlington Cummings in the first round of the NCHSAA 2AA Mideast playoffs.

Carrboro, ranked No. 5 in the state by the Associated Press, is 12-0 overall while

Cummings fell to 5-6. Carrboro, ranked No. 10 in the News and Observer Poll, advances to play either

Randleman next week in the second round.

The Jaguars raced out to a 35-0 lead at halftime. In the first half alone, Sharp carried the ball 13

times for 162 yards with three touchdowns. Senior running back Douglas Parrish also had two

touchdown runs in the first half.

Defensively, Carrboro held Cummings to 115 total yards on 41 plays in the first half. The Jaguar

defense also forced three turnovers in the first half.

“I thought we executed very well,” said Carrboro head coach Jason Tudryn. “I think our defense

showed up and played extremely well in the first half. They flew around to the ball. I think we have a

really talented bunch of guys who play hard for each other and I think that is the key to the whole

thing.”

Carrboro scored first after starting with great field position following a shanked punt by

Cummings. Carrboro took possession at the Cummings 15-yard line and on first down Sharp raced off

tackle before carrying a Cavalier defender over the goal line for the touchdown. The extra point by Mike

McPeak gave Carrboro a 7-0 lead with 8:47 left in the opening period.

Carrboro’s next touchdown came after a nice punt return by Sharp set up the Jaguars at the

Cummings 42-yard line. Carrboro kept the ball on the ground, with Sharp carrying four times and

quarterback Alex McVeigh carrying the ball once on the drive. Sharp finished the drive with a 3-yard

touchdown run. The extra point gave Carrboro a 14-0 lead with just over 11 seconds left in the first

quarter.

After Sharp returned another punt to the Cummings 19-yard line, Carrboro scored after two

running plays by Parrish. On first-and-goal from the Cummings 5-yard line, Parish went in motion and

took the handoff before plowing over a Cavalier defender into the endzone. The extra point gave

Carrboro a 21-0 lead with 7:07 left in the second quarter.

Carrboro’s Malik Carrington recovered a Cummings fumble on the ensuing kickoff, giving the

Jaguars the ball at the Cummings 25-yard line. Parrish went in motion again before taking the handoff

and racing untouched into the endzone. The extra point put Carrboro ahead 28-0 with 5:06 left in the

half.

On Cummings’ ensuing possession, Keith McAdoo replaced Tevin Smith at quarterback.

McAdoo had completed nine of 17 pass attempts with one interception up to that point. The Cavaliers

were forced to punt after three downs and the ball was downed at the Carrboro 21-yard line. On first

down, Sharp turned the corner and raced down the sideline untouched for a 79-yard touchdown run.

The extra point gave Carrboro a 35-0 lead with 3:37 left before halftime.

McAdoo completed seven passes on Cummings’ next possession as the Cavaliers made its

deepest first-half penetration into Carrboro territory, but the drive stalled and the Cavaliers turned the

ball over on downs.

Sharp added a 62-yard catch and run for a touchdown and a 29-yard touchdown run in the

second half. Parrish had second-half touchdown runs of seven and 69 yards.

“Sharp is a special competitor,” Tudryn said. “There is something about him that just triggers in

on a Friday night and he makes plays and plays extremely hard.”