Hez Krider runs the ball for the Hornets.

Curt Fowler photo.

 

By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The 10th straight victory for Salisbury’s football team was the coldest, the toughest — and the best.

The fifth-seeded Hornets got their revenge against Walkertown, although it was a harsh struggle that came with no bells and whistles, only some grim satisfaction. It was a defensive battle from start to finish. The Hornets got a safety in the final seconds to put a 12-6 win in the books in the second round of the 2A state playoffs.

“Walkertown is really good,” Salisbury head coach Clayton Trivett said. “Especially on the defensive side of the ball. It wasn’t pretty, but we figured it out.”

A 47-33 loss to Walkertown (8-4)  in Week 2 in a much different style of game is the only blemish on Salisbury’s season.

The Hornets were somehow favored by 28 points to get payback against 12th-seeded Walkertown by the Massey Ratings, but no one in their right mind expected anything like that to happen.

The Hornets (11-1) are thrilled just to be moving on to the third round. They’ll be at home again Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff against familiar playoff opponent Forest Hills. Forest Hills (9-3) won 38-21 to knock 4 seed Randleman out of the playoffs and by doing so, gifted the Hornets with another home game. Forest Hills is talented and pounded North Rowan early this season and achieved a comfortable win against Lexington in the first round of the playoffs.

The combination of Walkertown’s defense and chillier weather rendered Salisbury’s dynamic passing game ineffective for the first time in 2024. Hank Webb’s 19 aerial attempts generated only 76 yards and he was intercepted once.

Webb still did a lot to win the game, kicking a field goal and a PAT, putting two of his three kickoffs in the end zone, and averaging almost 53 yards on four punts.

Webb’s 37-yard field goal opened the scoring. Jackson Sparger’s 15-yard TD run and a lot of defense gave the Hornets a 10-0 halftime lead.

It was still 10-0 going to the fourth quarter when the tide turned temporarily against the Hornets. Santana Garcia’s 59-yard TD pass to Mitrend Curry that made it 10-6 came out of nowhere, Salisbury stopped the 2-point conversion, but after a flurry of penalties were assessed on the kickoff, Walkertown was kicking off from the Salisbury 30.

The Hornets were fortunate to cover the onside kick everyone knew was coming, but the Hornets couldn’t keep the ball long, and Walkertown got it right back.

Walkertown had momentum and drove it all the way inside the Salisbury 10, knocking hard at the door, but with the season hanging by a thin thread, Salisbury’s defense made a play. Torian Brown deflected a pass and linebacker Emmanuel Asare made an interception that changed everything.

The Hornets were able to move the ball out of the hole before Webb unloaded an amazing punt with 4:40 remaining. It turned over high above the lights at Ludwig Stadium like an NFL boot and traveled 62 yards. The Hornets downed it on the Walkertown 5.

Walkertown was forced to punt. The Hornets used some clock, as Walkertown used its timeouts. Webb pounded another punt, and Salisbury’s defense had the satisfaction of recording a safety with 2.3 seconds left on a quarterback sack.

Besides the critical interception, Asare made 10 tackles. A’Marion Pruitt had two sacks for the Hornets, while Ny’Gel Elliott had one. Samarion Collins made eight tackles.

Salisbury was held to 121 rushing yards on 35 carries. Hez Krider got 79 yards on 19 carries. Sparger ran 13 times for 39 yards.