High School Sports

By CLINT BUCKLEY
Staff Writer

NEW CHAPEL HILL -- It was clear this was the season opener, with the myriad of fumbles and penalty flags that littered Bulldog Stadium's newly installed turf.

The only one in midseason form was senior running back Matthew Tucker, who rushed for 260 yards and a touchdown to lead Chapel Hill past Palestine Westwood, 16-7, on Friday night.

Tucker shined in an otherwise sloppy game, which featured 13 fumbles and 16 penalties.

The Bulldogs' (1-0) first three drives all traveled inside the Westwood (0-1) 20-yard line, but each time Chapel Hill was stopped on fourth down as the Panthers took a 7-0 halftime lead.

It wasn't until Tucker rumbled for 24 yards inside the Panthers' 7-yard line that the Bulldogs finally seized a scoring opportunity.

DeKerrian Cooper's quarterback sneak put Chapel Hill on the board, and his successful two-point conversion gave the Bulldogs an 8-7 lead with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Westwood mounted a threat after D.J. Morrow's 28-yard completion to George White at midfield. But two plays later, Panthers receiver Domanick Turner coughed up the ball to Chapel Hill's Kevinski Pitts.

Tucker put the game away four plays later on a 37-yard scoring jaunt and ensuing two-point conversion with 5:59 remaining in the game.

Westwood fumbled the ball eight times, losing two -- resulting in minus-39 rushing yards for the game. The Panthers netted just one first down in the second half.

Aside from Tucker, the Bulldogs' offense wasn't much better. Cooper attempted just two passes -- both incompletions -- as the rest of the team picked up only 43 yards.

Chapel Hill was penalized 12 times for 90 yards, adding to the offensive inconsistency.

Palestine Westwood struck first blood after Laramie Lee muffed a punt, allowing the Panthers to set up shop at the Bulldogs' 45-yard line.

With two seconds remaining in the first half, Turner took the end-around handoff from Morrow and found the end zone for a 7-0 Westwood lead.

-- -- --

Chapel Hill 16,

Palestine Westwood 7

At Bulldog Stadium, New Chapel Hill

Westwood 0 7 0 0 -- 7

Chapel Hill 0 0 8 8 -- 16

Second Quarter

PW -- Domanick Turner 2 run (Tyler Dillon kick), :02

Third Quarter

CH -- DeKerrian Cooper 1 run (Cooper run), 1:42

Fourth Quarter

CH -- Matthew Tucker 37 run (Tucker run), 5:59

EST. ATT.

-- 2,000.

PW CH

First Downs 8 15

Rushes-Yards 20-(39) 54-303

Passing Yards 84 0

Comp.-Att.-Int. 6-10-0 0-2-0

Punts-Avg. 6-27.5 1-36.0

Fumbles-Lost 8-2 5-2

Penalties-Yards 4-20 12-90

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Palestine Westwood,

Domanick Turner 3-12, Cameron Shead 2-1, D.J. Morrow 15-(-52).

Chapel Hill, Matthew Tucker 32-260, Jordan Antley 3-36, DeKerrian Cooper 17-6, Laramie Lee 1-1, Fred Johnson 1-0.

PASSING -- Palestine Westwood,

Morrow 6-10-0 84.

Chapel Hill,

Cooper 0-2-0 0.

RECEIVING -- Palestine Westwood,

George White 2-30, Turner 2-7, Mark Reed 1-30, Ryan Mackie 1-17.

(Spotted Photo by Payton McCormick)