The Game of the Year: Kinston Outlasts Greene Central in a Chaotic 32-31 Finish
Kinston Outlasts Greene Central in Wild Finish, 32-31
SNOW HILL — In a rivalry game packed with emotion, lead changes, and late heroics, Kinston found a way to survive. The Vikings erased a 12-point halftime deficit and outlasted Greene Central 32-31 in a Friday night thriller that featured five touchdowns in the final quarter alone.
Kinston quarterback Tyler Jones orchestrated the comeback, throwing for 207 yards and two touchdowns while adding two more on the ground. His final strike — a 57-yard screen to Tyreek Copper with just 25 seconds left — sealed a heart-pounding win after Greene Central appeared to have snatched it away seconds earlier.
“This was one of the craziest second halves I’ve ever seen in my life,” Greene Central head coach Jay Wilson said. “Big-time players make big-time plays. We gave up some things in the second half we shouldn’t have, but we had a chance at the end. It just went wide left — that’s football.”
The Rams had that chance after a roller-coaster final two minutes that swung momentum like a pendulum. Kinston led 26-25 after Jones hit Copper on a 14-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff, Greene Central’s Tre Bynum exploded through coverage for a 90-yard touchdown return, putting the Rams back on top 31-26 with 46 seconds remaining.
But the Vikings weren’t done. After multiple kickoffs went out of bounds, Kinston started near midfield. On the next play, Jones found Copper on a quick screen, and the NC leader in receiving yards weaved through traffic for a stunning 57-yard game-winning touchdown to make it 32-31.
“Down 12 at halftime, I just told our guys to keep believing,” said Kinston head coach Ryan Gieselman. “It was a huge night for us. We scored 32 points in the second half. The last three minutes were wild — so many emotions — but we weathered the storm.”
Copper finished with five receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns, including the decisive play.
“I was telling my teammates on the sideline we weren’t playing as a team early,” Copper said. “But I knew my time was coming.”
For Greene Central, the night began with dominance on the ground. Senior running back Dejuan Cobb powered the Rams with 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. He scored on runs of 37, 4, and 19 yards, repeatedly finding seams behind a physical offensive line. Quarterback Josh Cetnar went 9-for-15 for 103 yards and a touchdown to Deuce Wilson, adding 39 rushing yards himself. Wilson finished 3 catches 50 yards and a TD. Rams outgained Vikings 395 to 240 in total yards.
The Rams led 12-0 at halftime after Cobb and Wilson’s first-half touchdowns. But once Kinston adjusted, Jones took over — combining his arm strength with timely running, including two quarterback sneaks for touchdowns.
“My line blocked great for me tonight,” Jones said. “I just loved seeing the fight from our guys.”
Despite the heartbreaking finish, Wilson praised his team’s effort. “We never backed down, never stopped fighting,” he said. “We ran the ball, made plays when we were supposed to. We just came up a point short.”
Gieselman echoed that respect while savoring the rivalry win. “I’m very proud of how our guys handled adversity,” he said. “We’ve been on the other end of games like this before. Tonight, we came out victorious — and hopefully it’s nothing but up from here.”
With the win, Kinston improves to 4-3, while Greene Central falls to 4-3, dropping their third straight. Both teams walked off the field exhausted — and knowing they had just played one for the ages.
