The inevitability of death and taxes is mirrored in the enduring presence of Reidsville football.

After winning their fourth N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A football championship in the last six years, the Rams now have a total of 18 officially recognized titles, solidifying their place among life’s certainties. You may proceed to celebrate their success.

The location of the designated “Football Capital of N.C.” will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.

On Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium, Reidsville emerged victorious over Clinton with a score of 28-18. This was due to their strong offense and disciplined defense, which allowed the Rams to maintain a safe distance from the Dark Horses.

Coach Erik Teague stated that this had been on the minds of the team since last December. He expressed that they were aware of the need to improve every week and they rose to the challenge. Teague is currently in his debut year as head coach, succeeding his father Jimmy Teague who had a renowned record of eight state titles and 369 victories.

Al Lee, the quarterback for Reidsville, threw for 258 yards and four touchdowns, completing 17 out of 27 passes. The final touchdown, a 45-yard pass to Cam’ron Jones, was made with 9:11 left in the game and solidified the Rams’ (15-1) lead at 28-10, securing their victory.

Lee was awarded the title of MVP for the championship, a suitable end to his senior year. As a freshman, he witnessed Reidsville win the championship, but as a sophomore, he fell short in the West final. Last year, as a junior, he was the state runner-up.

According to Teague, he has likely achieved his top six performances consecutively during this period. He also expressed his admiration for the impressive work he has done.

At the end of the first half, Reidsville was ahead with a score of 14-3. All of the points were scored during the first quarter.

The Rams scored first with a 12-yard “pop pass” from Lee to Dionte Neal, bringing the score to 7-0 with 9:57 remaining in the first quarter.

In the first quarter, Clinton (15-1) scored a 23-yard field goal at the 3:26 mark, followed by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Lee to tight end Kendre Harrison with 1:42 remaining.

In the beginning of the third quarter, Clinton made a lengthy drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Amaris Williams at the 7:24 mark. However, the Rams quickly responded with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Harrison, bringing the score to 21-10.

Harrison was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player for offense on the Reidsville team. The Most Outstanding Player for defense on Reidsville was Paul Widerman, a senior linebacker who recorded six tackles.

Last year, Coach Morris advised us to allow the loss to affect us. This advice had a strong impact on all of us and motivated us to work harder during the offseason,” shared Widerman.

Jariel Cobb, the running back for Reidsville, rushed 24 times and gained 145 yards. Neal caught eight passes for 102 yards and scored a point, while Harrison had five receptions for 95 yards and scored two points.

Clinton refused to give up, with the Dark Horses continuing to fight until the end. A 17-yard throw from Nydarion Blackwell to Williams in the final moments reduced the lead to 28-18.

“I didn’t anticipate anything different as the kids fought until the very end,” stated Cory Johnson, coach of Clinton.

During the playoffs, the Dark Horses experienced a setback when Josiah McLaurin suffered an injury, hindering their potential. However, they still managed to effectively advance the ball in the championship game, despite being outgained by Reidsville 438-297. Unfortunately, Clinton was plagued by 12 penalties, causing some significant gains and touchdowns to be nullified.

Josiah Robinson from Clinton recorded 8 carries for 110 yards and no touchdowns. Williams, on the other hand, had 18 carries for 77 yards and also made 1 catch for 17 yards, resulting in a total of one rushing and one receiving touchdown.

Robinson received the Offensive Most Outstanding Player award for Clinton, while Jayden Williams, who made 12 tackles in the game, was named the Defensive Most Outstanding Player.

Johnson expressed great pride in his children’s determination and effort throughout the entire game.

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Source: highschoolot.com