After leading 7-0 at halftime, Millbrook scored 24 points in the second half to claim a win at Garner in Week 3 of the football season on Friday night.

The Wildcats beat Garner 31-6, avenging a heart-breaking loss to the Trojans last season in which Millbrook lost a fourth-quarter lead.

Millbrook scored the game’s first points late in the second quarter. After a 42-yard run by Neessiah McArthur got the ball down to the 9-yard line, Hayes Brawner capped off the drive with a short run for a touchdown with 41.8 seconds left. Millbrook led 7-0 at halftime.

The Wildcats also scored the first points of the second half. Kicker Breyson Palmer drilled a 27-yard field goal at the 8:48 mark to push the Wildcats lead to 10-0. That lead held until the fourth quarter.

Garner managed to get the ball inside the red zone early the first quarter, but the drive stalled and the Trojans turned the ball over to Millbrook.

Once again, McArthur broke a big run to setup a Wildcat touchdown. The senior running back broke a 60-yard run down, finally stopping inside the 10-yard line. Bobby Fulmore finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run to give Milbrook a 17-0 lead.

Moments later, Brandon Leacock caught a pass from sophomore quarterback Bryson Gray for another Millbrook touchdown.

Garner finally got on the board late in the game. Tyquan Richardson scooped up a loose ball after a bad snap on a Millbrook punt. The junior returned the fumble for a touchdown, but Garner trailed 24-6 with 2:35 left.

Millbrook’s defense put an exclamation point on the game in the final minute. Cairo Williams, a sophomore safety, recorded his third interception of the night and returned it more than 95 yards for a touchdown, giving Millbrook its decisive 31-6 lead with just 28.3 seconds left.

Millbrook (2-0) returns to play next Friday night with a road game at Broughton. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Garner (2-1) has a bye week next week, but the Trojans will return home on Sept. 20 to open Greater Neuse River Conference play against South Garner at 7 p.m.

Source: highschoolot.com