Greene Central Dominates North Lenoir 55-0 in Season Opener

Aug 23

Aug 23 Greene Central Dominates North Lenoir 55-0 in Season Opener

SNOW HILL, N.C. — Greene Central opened the 2025 football season with a statement, rolling past North Lenoir 55-0 behind quarterback Joshua Cetnar, wide receiver Sam Avent, and a defense that shut down the Hawks all night.

Rams Set the Tone Early

With 9:37 left in the first quarter, Cetnar connected with Avent for a 22-yard touchdown. The two would hook up twice more, finishing with three receptions, 68 yards, and three scores.

Senior running back Dejuan Cobb added a 78-yard touchdown run, and Cetnar later found Devaun Brewington for an 18-yard score to close out a dominant first quarter. Brewington powered through defenders on his way to the end zone.

Defense and Depth

By halftime, Greene Central led 35-0, with the defense smothering every North Lenoir drive. Defensive coordinator Collin Lee praised his unit’s effort.

“We are dominant on the inside,” Lee said. “We had to replace a lot on the D-line, and our young guys have stepped up.”

Lee also pointed out junior linebacker Ben Ramsey: “Shoutout to Ramsey. We have a lot of hustle guys out here, and we love hustle guys.”

Finishing Strong

Even with a running clock in the second half, Greene Central kept scoring. JoJo Sanders broke a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Mason Dillon closed the night with a pick-six to make it 55-0.

Head coach Jay Wilson credited his offensive line for setting the tone.

“I’m so proud. Parker Throne and Riley Wade couldn’t work out with the team because of summer jobs, but they came at 4 every day to get it in. Everything we did was behind them,” Wilson said.

He also praised Cetnar’s chemistry with Avent: “We’ve been blessed to have a quarterback back-to-back. I think it shows that he loves to find silky Sam.”

Looking ahead to next week’s trip to Goldsboro, where Wilson has deep ties, he said: “I want them to play with my energy. We talk about being a man, and as a man, I gotta do what I gotta do on Friday.”

North Lenoir Learns on the Fly

Despite the lopsided loss, Hawks head coach Larry Dale focused on the experience gained.

“We are going to be able to watch film and see a lot of young guys play,” Dale said. “We have some seniors but not with a lot of experience. The positive is everyone got varsity experience.”

Dale highlighted Devin Gray for his fight and Jaquell Gardner for his defensive effort. He also noted senior Kivon Wooton, a track athlete new to football: “He was part of the 200-meter relay team that went to states. He just has to learn football.”