Turnovers cost Hough in third-round NCHSAA 4A playoff loss at Greensboro Grimsley
There are turnovers — and then there are really costly turnovers.
Hough, needing all the offense it could muster against an explosive and unbeaten Grimsley team, made a pair of mistakes at bad times Friday night and fell, 42-35, in the third round of the 4A playoffs.
The Huskies (11-2), who lost their season-opener and then won 11 in a row under first-year head coach DeShawn Baker, had a pair of interceptions deep in Grimsley territory in the second half.
“We knew, coming in, that the team that turned the ball over might lose, and that’s how it turned out,” Baker said.
Grimsley (13-0) will face Weddington for the second straight year in the fourth round, this time in Union County. The Whirlies played at home last year when they squeaked past the Warriors, 28-27.
Grimsley beat Hough in triple overtime in the playoffs last season, and Friday night’s game wasn’t a lot different.
The Huskies quieted the home crowd at Jamieson Stadium in Greensboro, vaulting to leads of 7-0, 14-7 and 21-14, before Grimsley scored three straight touchdowns for a 35-21 lead.
But Hough wasn’t finished. The Huskies scored twice in the final four minutes of the game –on a short pass from Trey Blakeney to Will Jones that cut Grimsley’s lead to 35-28, and then on a 95-yard kickoff return by Morgan Linton.
The problem is, Grimsley scored between Hough’s two touchdowns, when Mitchell Summers dashed 79 yards to the Hough 1, then got a touchdown on a short run two plays later. That turned out to be the game-winner.
“We allowed them to have a couple big plays in the second half,” Baker said. “That, and the turnovers, really cost us.”
The first turnover came midway in the third quarter, after Grimsley had surged ahead 28-21. Hough drove to the Whirlies’ 22, but a Blakeney pass was intercepted near the goal line by Grimsley’s Deon McLaughlin.
The Whirlies then drove the length of the field for a touchdown that made it 35-21.
The second turnover, also an interception, came on a flea-flicker pass play at the Grimsley 33 early in the fourth quarter.
The Huskies got a 165-yard rushing performance from senior Will Jones.
“Will really had a big game, and he had a talented offensive line blocking for him,” Baker said.
“Our kids worked hard and really improved as the season went along,” he added. “I hate that it had to end this way.”
Three who made a difference
Will Jones (Hough): Jones’ high school career ended with him carrying 22 times for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Mitchell Summers (Grimsley): Summers, a junior running back, rushed for 194 yards and scored four touchdowns. He carried for 154 of his yards in the second half.
Alex Taylor (Grimsley): A 6-2 senior wide receiver and a UNC commit, Taylor caught six passes for 183 yards. That included a 72-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.
Worth noting
▪ Despite allowing 42 points, Hough’s defense had some bright moments Friday night. The Huskies forced Grimsley to punt four times. The Whirlies had averaged less than one punt a game before this week.
▪ Grimsley coach Darryl Brown has built a powerhouse in Greensboro. He took over as head coach in 2016, and his first three teams had a combined record of 15-20. Since then, the Whirlies have gone 62-3.
▪ Grimsley lost 40-28 to New Bern in the 4A state championship last season, but New Bern was forced to forfeit all its victories after school system officials said the team used ineligible players. So Grimsley got credit for a 16-0 season in 2022. And who is the last team to officially beat the Whirlies? It was Porter Ridge, which dumped Grimsley 41-27 in the 2021 playoffs.
▪ Hough’s junior quarterback, Trey Blakeney had a good game, despite the two interceptions. He completed 14-of-24 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
What’s next
Grimsley travels to Weddington next Friday for a 4A playoff quarterfinal game.
Summary
Hough 14 7 0 14 – 35
Grimsley 7 14 14 7 – 42
H – Jacob Dossey 15 pass from Trey Blakeney (Nolan Houser kick)
G – Mitchell Summers 1 run (Jackson Henry kick)
H – Will Jones 4 run (Houser kick)
G – Summers 9 run (Henry kick)
H – Jycen Anciso 12 pass from Blakeney (Houser kick)
G – Alex Taylor 16 pass from Faizon Brandon (Henry kick)
G – Taylor 72 pass from Brandon (Henry kick)
G – Summers 5 run (Henry kick)
H – Jones 7 pass from Blakeney (Houser kick)
G – Summers 1 run (Henry kick)
H – Morgan Linton 95 kickoff return (Houser kick)
