Hickory knocks off Freedom

Player injury ends game two mintues from scheduled finish

Credit: Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

Freedom High quarterback Mike Helms, No. 12, looks for an open receiver in the second half on Friday, against Hickory High.

By: Tommy Fleming | Morganton News Herald
Published: October 17, 2009

Morganton --

Hickory High's ground game proved to be too much for Freedom High to overcome.
Hickory (4-4) rushed for 261 yards in the Red Tornadoes' 20-9 non-conference victory on Friday in Morganton.
The Hickory running back duo of Casey Stinson (110 yards) and Shaquan Reid (100 yards) tallied a touchdown each for the Red Tornadoes.
Freedom's Patrick Parks rushed for 64 yards. Patrick Hill scored a first quarter touchdown on an 8-yard run. Wesley Franklin added a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter.
The contest was stopped with 2:01 remaining due to injury to Freedom defensive back Darren Fisher. The Red Tornadoes had the ball on the Freedom 5-yard-line and the Patriots had no time outs remaining.
Fisher was treated and release from Grace Hospital late on Friday night, according to Freedom Athletic Director Joe Davis. Fisher has no broken bones but has a probable concussion, Davis said.
The Freedom defense played aggressively against the run but had a few breakdowns in the secondary which led to two Hickory scores. Patriots linebacker Jesse Horne recorded 11 tackles on the night. Lineman Dalton Caldwell anchored the defensive front.
"The defense has really stepped it up. This was their best game of the year. I am really proud of what they did. We shut them (Hickory) down in the third quarter (the Red Tornadoes only had 6 yards total offense.)," said Freedom head coach Mike Helms.
"We played our most complete game at this time of the season. We are getting better and better. This game could have gone either way. The turning point was our secondary coverage hurt us a little bit. We're getting so much better but we must find a way to put it all together. We had a lot of positives to build on."
Freedom's 8-play scoring drive occurred in the first quarter. The Patriots started from their own 18-yard-line. Parks rushed five times for 21 yards. Sophomore quarterback Mike Helms connected twice with senior wide receiver Dean O'Neil for 48 yards.
O'Neil's big gainer was a 44-yard reception on third and three from the Patriots 38-yard-line. After two rushes by Parks to move the ball to the Hickory 13, the Red Tornadoes were signaled for offsides to give Freedom a first and goal at the 8.
On first down, Helms faked the handoff to Parks going up the middle then handed the ball to Hill on a reverse. The senior running back ran 8 yards untouched into the right corner of the end zone. Patriots tight end Zach Singleton sealed the left side with a huge block on the Red Tornadoes' left outside linebacker.
"We ran a 21-iso reverse. It was beautiful as it was executed just as you draw it up," said coach Helms. "We went into the game thinking we could beat Hickory. We're still learning."
Freedom began the second half with a 24-yard kickoff return by Hill. The Patriots utilized their own ground game in putting together a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive which resulted in Franklin's field goal. Franklin also had a good night with the punting duties. The senior kicker launched five punts (including a booming 53-yarder on his final attempt in the fourth quarter) for a 44-yard average on a wet, chilly night.
"Wesley is a college punter. He does a great job," added coach Helms. "I was glad to see him connect on a field goal tonight."
Helms only completed 4-of-16 passes for 60 yards on a rainy night as many balls slipped right through the hands of his receivers. O'Neil caught three passes for 57 yards. Hill was credited with three kickoff returns for 93 yards.
Sophomore linebacker Michael Dumaine recovered a Hickory fumble on the Patriots' 7 with 58 seconds left in the half.
Freedom (2-6) will look to end their 4-game losing skid when the Patriots travel to East Rutherford for a SMAC-7 conference game on Friday.