By: Tripp Norris

The Opp Bobcats culminated their spring football practice with a 40-30 win against Kinston on Friday night. 

The Bulldogs were up to the challenge, forcing an Opp interception on the first drive. 

Kinston scored two plays later for a 6-0 lead. 

On Opp’s second possession, Ashton Patel scored the first of his three touchdowns to tie the game at 6-6.  Kinston responded with a touchdown to go back in front 12-6 after one quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Opp tied the game back up. 

Dacarmeyen Hines scored from two yards out to tie the game at 12-12.  After forcing a Bulldog turnover, the Bobcats were back in the end zone on a 15-yard run by Patel.  He also ran in the two-point conversion for a 20-12 Bobcat lead. 

Kinston continued to come back, cutting the Opp lead to just two points with another score.  Up 20-18, the Bobcats extended their lead on a 58-yard touchdown pass from Hal Smithart to James Cornelius.  Less than a minute later, Kinston pulled to within two again, and Opp responded with a 1-yard plunge from Hines for his second score of the game and a 32-24 Bobcat lead at halftime.

Patel scored his third and final touchdown of the game in the third quarter on a 2-yard run, as well as converting the two-point attempt for a 40-24 Opp lead. 

Kinston’s final score came with one minute left in the third as they cut the game to 10 points, at 40-30.  The varsity played the first three quarters while the JV teams played the fourth with the score reset to 0-0.  Neither JV team scored in the fourth quarter and the game ended with Opp winning the varsity contest 40-30.

Smithart led the Bobcat offense with 225 yards passing on 9-of-18 attempts with a touchdown to go along with 43 yards on the ground on 11 carries.  Ashton Patel scored three touchdowns and had 65 yards on 11 carries.  Erik Matthews played a big part on both sides of the ball catching 4 passes for 72 yards and intercepting Kinston twice, returning one for 40 yards to set up a Bobcat score in the third quarter. 

Opp now shifts their focus to the start of summer workouts. Opp’s first game of the season scheduled for August 31st against Elba at home.  Kinston will face Hwy. 52-rival Samson in their opener also scheduled for August 31st.