CFNN Reporters AbbiKate Daughtry and Rachel Leonard 

The rivalry of the year. The match up in the 910 that both sides of the river rally over. The annual “Battle of the Blues” game: Cape Fear High School vs Terry Sanford High School. The doubts were stacked against us. Some sources even predicted a 36-33 Cape Fear loss. Internet rivalry, tense behavior from friends of both teams. It’s the one week of the year where a Colt and a Bulldog wouldn’t be caught dead talking to one another. But all of the high school football pageantry aside, the only part of the week that matters is what goes on in the 48 minutes on a crisp Friday night. 

The Cape Fear Colts did what had to be done, and secured the win, 50-35. The nerves were high, the crowd was buzzing, and both schools brought a crowd: a lively student section and fired up parents. At the start of the game, Terry Sanford scored not just one, but two touchdowns in the first quarter. If you have ever heard the phrase “down but not out,” that’s the best way to describe Cape Fear. The Bulldog ego was rising, and the Colts were shaking in their boots. Had the outside banter crept into the Colts minds? Was the prediction against the Colts going to be the outcome of tonight? The Colts couldn’t have afforded to lose this game- not just for their record, but for their dignity too. The reputation for all of Cape Fear was on the line- this was no ordinary game. 

Following the two touchdowns by the Bulldogs, the Colts knew that they had to change something and do some soul searching to determine how much blood they wanted to take from this game. Head Coach Jake Thomas needed his team to find some grit and aggression to find a way out to climb out of this 13-0 hole they dug for themselves in the first quarter. 

After a rude awakening, the Colts turned it up.  Less than a minute into the second quarter, Junior Running back Tai Phillips brought hope back for the Colts with the first touchdown of the evening, putting Cape Fear in better standing at 13-6. Phillips rushed for a grand total 310 yards on the night, with his first rush accounting for 41 yards.  This was the first of six touchdowns for Phillips for the evening. Following the touchdown, Junior Kicker Davis Spruill turned himself into “Mr. Consistent.” He was 6 for 6 on PAT kicks to give Cape Fear maximum points after touchdowns. 

Terry Sanford quickly retaliated, when a minute after the Colts scored, Bulldog quarterback Jacob Moore had a 20 yard rushing touchdown. That didn’t deter the Colts though. With five minutes left in the second quarter, Tai Philips had a 2 yard rushing touchdown making the score 20-14, with Spruill making his kick for an extra point. 

If you haven’t caught on to the pattern already, it was a constant  back and forth battle in the first half between the Colts and Bulldogs. The Bulldogs sent Izaiah Washington to the endzone, giving the Bulldogs another score. 

Following this touchdown, you should know by now the Colts don’t stay down for long. Phillips was on his third touchdown of the evening, making the score 27-21. Down by one touchdown at the end of the first half, the Colts were fully alive and out for blood. It was so close they could taste the victory. But in these final 24 minutes, it really was all or nothing.  

After the halftime show, the Bulldogs kicked off to the Colts. On the 8 minute mark in quarter three, you guessed it- the dangerous Junior Tai Phillips had his fourth touchdown- a 16 yard rush all the way to the endzone. Phillips tied up the score 27-27, and Spruil kicked for an extra point, now giving the Colts a 1 point lead. They would not trail again.

Not too long after that, Phillips decided to keep the momentum going. At this point, he was on his 5th TD, and no- he wasn’t stopping anytime soon. He rushed 5 yards, making the score 27-34. Quarterback Geronimo Sanchez then rushed for a 2-point conversion, and it was successful. 

To close out the third quarter, Tai Phillips had a 57 yard rushing touchdown with 30 seconds left on the clock. Spruill made the kick for an extra score boost. The Bulldogs did get the last touchdown in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough to deter the Colts. Going into the last 12 minutes with the Colts up 43-35  took a small bit of weight off the shoulders for the Cape Fear football team, and the fans too. 

“I hate losing. As soon as I went on offense my goal was to score, and get the ball back; I know I have to keep scoring and keep pounding. After I had seen the lead of Terry Sanford, then made a mistake with my taunting penalty and then they scored again- I thought, ‘Alright, why don’t I just score again?’ I have to get back, and do better each and every time; and I got it done,” said Phillips. 

In the 4th and final quarter, Sanchez had a 1 yard rushing touchdown. His versatility on the field has been dynamic for the Colts this season. With Spruill once again completing the kick, the game ended with a phenomenal Colts win- 50-35. 

The offensive squad cannot secure a win alone though. The Colts defense consistently holds up the end of their bargain. Despite a shaky start and a 13-0 lead for the Bulldogs, the Colts defense got their head in the game and turned up the aggression. Seniors Aydin Leonard, Dacori Davis, Darren Logan, and Venson Counsil work on holding down the backfield. Markel Hurley, the squads “Mike”Linebacker, Jackson Carte, and Brayden Payne also dominate on the field with their strength and knowledge. 

The defense knew things had to change after they were down by two touchdowns. This is when Varsity Veterans are expected to rise to the occasion, and lead with grit and wisdom.  

“We had to adjust- adjust how we played on the field. The biggest thing was that we were seeing plays that we weren’t used to, so what we did was find ways to adjust on the field. During halftime, I explained to some of our newer players what was going on. Like with Jacob Moore’s pitch play, some of our guys didn’t really know how to get outside for that, so I tried to explain how to get off the block and get outside. So really the best thing for us was on-field adjustments,” said Senior linebacker Aydin Leonard. 

The Colts have been a force to be reckoned with this season. Now having a record of 8-1, this puts them in good standings for the State playoffs. 3-star athlete Tai Phillips, proved why he is one of the greatest high school running backs during our time. He has broken the school record of 6 touchdowns in one game, and also secured Player of the Game- rightfully so. With offers from The Ohio State University, Penn State, University of Alabama, Wake Forest, and North Carolina State just to name a few, this game was firsthand proof of why he is Cumberland County’s most feared player. He wears number one on the field, and ranks number 1 on stats charts. 

The Cape Fear Colts will be traveling to Scotland High School this Friday, October 31st for their last regular season match-up. This game will determine if the Colts secure the Conference Championship. Come support the Colts as they play to take the victory back to the east side. Go Colts!