Photo and article from Laieke Abebe
Rosewood ran into a buzz saw on Thursday night.
The Eagles gave a good effort, but ultimately fell, 63-27 to Wallace Rose-Hill in non-conference action at Branch Pope Field. In a game that was moved up a day for potential storms, the Bulldogs’ offense proved too fast and physical for the hosts.
“Full credit to them,” Rosewood head coach Robert Britt said. “They’re one of the best teams in the east, and you can’t prepare for the type of speed they have offensively. I told my team either I didn’t have them in the right position to be successful, they weren’t lined up right, or [Wallace Rose-Hill] was simply too fast.”
The Bulldogs (6-1) scored touchdowns on their first six possessions. It began with a Kaymond Farrior rushing touchdown within the first two minutes of the contest. Rosewood (3-2) was forced to punt, but a botched snap led to the Bulldogs starting their next drive at the Eagles one-yard line.
Kanye Roberts would score another rushing touchdown and it was 14-0. The Eagles would answer immediately when Micah Cox took the ensuing kickoff for a 90-yard house call.
Roberts would add two more rushing touchdowns to make it a hat trick in the opening quarter. Cox would respond with his second score of the night to keep the Eagles close.
The Bulldogs senior running back scored his fourth touchdown of the first half to make it 34-14. Rosewood would execute a drive to end the first half capped off by a Keovin Vance touchdown tote.
However, there was still time for the Bulldogs to do something with 42 seconds left. Farrior then scored from 65 yards out to make it 42-20 at the half.
Rosewood went three-and-out and fumbled on its first two drives of the third quarter. Wallace Rose-Hill would cash in with a pair of touchdowns from Roberts and Antwon Montgomery to put the game further out of reach.
Rosewood quarterback Dalton Phlippeau found Wyatt Lassiter for a score in the third quarter, but the damage was already done. Now, Rosewood heads into their bye week looking to heal up and prepare for a conference title push to close the regular season.
“It might be a while before we see a team of that caliber again,” Britt added. “We’ve got to heal up over the next week and prepare for the home stretch. Our next two games will be the most important games of the season for us.”
The Eagles have a bye next week and will face North Duplin at home on Oct. 22. They end the season with a road tilt at Lakewood on Oct. 29. Rosewood did pick up a 55-28 win in their conference opener against Hobbton last week.
