North Carolina
J'Mari Taylor scores three touchdowns to guide North Carolina Cental past Alabama State 31-24
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — J’Mari Taylor rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns and caught a pass for a score as North Carolina Central waited out a lengthy halftime thunderstorm before dispatching Alabama State 31-24 in the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
North Carolina Central (1-0) took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 11 plays with Taylor running it in from a yard out for a 7-0 lead. Walker Harris completed all five of his passes for 55 yards on the drive.
Harris connected on his first seven passes and a 34-yard completion to Joaquin Davis gave the Eagles a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. Taylor ran it in on the next play for a 14-0 lead less than two minutes into the second quarter. Kole Jones picked off a Jonah O’Brien pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-0 just 53 seconds later.
AJ Gates Jr. took the ensuing kickoff and raced 82 yards for a touchdown to get Alabama State (0-1) on the scoreboard.
The Hornets pulled within 21-14 at halftime when Andrew Body finished off a 10-play, 96-yard drive with a 38-yard touchdown run on second-and-18.
Kamari Houze blocked a punt and the Eagles recovered it on the Hornets’ 25-yard line. Six plays later Harris hit Taylor for a 14-yard touchdown and a 31-17 lead with 8:40 left to play.
Keane Lewis blocked a punt and the Hornets jumped on it at the Eagles’ 35. Body raced 39 yards for a touchdown on fourth-and-14 to get Alabama State within seven with 3:33 to go.
The Hornets got the ball back with 1:39 remaining, but D.J. Estes picked off O’Brien at midfield to seal the victory.
Harris finished with 119 yards through the air after misfiring on 9 of his final 11 passes.
Body carried 15 times for 135 yards.
It was the first meeting on the football field between the two schools.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
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Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville on Friday evening.
The fire is across the street from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and near the Highlands Square Shopping Center.
Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said crews are fighting “blowdown from Helene.”
NEW WILDFIRES IGNITE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOREST AMID WORSENING DROUGHT
Around 11 p.m., the fire appears larger than it did an hour ago because crews are backburning, which refers to using fire to help control the wildfire.
Dana Fire Department Chief Jimmy Womack said that what was a 3-acre fire an hour ago will be an 8-acre fire due to back burning. He said the fire is 80% contained.
Womack said the cause of the fire is unknown, but one of the conditions contributing to the blaze is the Helene blowdown.
“There’s a lot of blowdown in these woods behind us. That’s what creates most of the problem,” said Womack.
Womack said there has been no property damage and no injuries have been reported for this fire in the woods that 24 personnel are fighting. They got the call to arrive at 6:05 p.m.
LOCAL NEWS
Dana Fire and Rescue and Henderson County Fire Department are supporting the U.S. Forest Service with this fire.
Glen said no structures are threatened at this time and Howard Gap Road is closed.
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This story will be updated as new information is discovered.
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