North Lenoir Claims Braggin' Bowl Victory Over South Lenoir, 20-6
Deep Run, NC — With a game full of defense and field position, the Hawks' offense finally broke through in the second half as North Lenoir defeated South Lenoir 20-6 in the annual Braggin' Bowl rivalry matchup.
South Lenoir Strikes First But It Didn’t Take The Hawks Long
Kamarion Uzzell-Graham got the night started for the Blue Devils as they threw the first punch with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with two minutes left in the first quarter.
The Hawks responded in the second quarter when Jaquell Garner picked off a pass and returned it for a pick-six with 10 minutes left in the quarter to tie the game. Six minutes later, RJ Warren broke off a long 44-yard touchdown to give North Lenoir a 14-6 lead.
South Lenoir Head Coach Brandon Proctor said after the game, "We lost the line of scrimmage. That’s the style of football we play, that’s a big thing for us. We were a little overmatched, undersized, and outweighed. We are still hitting the weight room hard but we are still behind there. The physicality part we didn’t do the same as last week."
He added, "The pick 6 and the long run hurt us. The defense came to play in the second half, can’t say the same for the offense. We will be back in the squat rack."With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, South Lenoir blocked a North Lenoir field goal attempt to keep the game within reach. But late in the quarter, the Hawks put together a long, grinding drive that ended with Devin Gray punching in a 2-yard touchdown with just under a minute to go, making it a two-possession game.
Garner was involved with the Hawk offense as well, racking up almost 40 yards on the ground. Gray did what he does best—multiple carries for 3 yards and a cloud of dust—accumulating over 60 rushing yards. Warren also finished with over 50 rushing yards.
Coach Larry Dale and Devin Gray Reflecting on The Game
North Lenoir Head Coach Larry Dale emphasized what this game meant: "It’s huge for us, and it’s huge for the boys. When you get in on Monday and start scout and I see numbers but these guys know the names. It’s important for us, for this county. Sometimes we get put down because we ain’t the Duplins of the world."
"When it comes to South Lenoir I don’t have to say much. Rivals games, they fuel themselves. The difference with this group compared to others is they gotta play so much on both sides of the ball. We have some warriors."
Devin Gray reflected on his development: "It was good being behind some seniors, and shoutout to Braxton (Loftin-Myers), childhood friend—sad he left and wish he was here but I'm trying to recover the spot, and I feel like I have done a good part in that. Last year was a learning curve for me as a leader and a ball carrier."
Blue Devil Standouts
Despite the loss, South Lenoir had strong performances on the ground. Kamarion Uzzell-Graham led with 63 rushing yards. Christian Wooten added 26, Michael Jones had 15, Isaiah Howard added 5 rushing and a 12-yard catch, Zion Carr and Jackson Owens chipped in 10 rushing yards each.
The rivalry continues to hold great significance for both programs and their respective communities. On this night, it was North Lenoir who held the bragging rights. The Blue Devils host Lejune High School next Friday night. The Hawks look to carry the momentum into their first home game vs the Kinston Vikings.
