Charlotte’s Corvian Community falls to NCHSAA state power Tarboro in 1A state final

Corvian Community School’s unbeaten dream of a season came to an end in Saturday’s N.C. 1A state championship game.

The Cardinals, like many of the state’s small school programs, simply couldn’t stop Tarboro’s single-wing offense, and the Vikings won their 10th state title, 45-24.

“I just want to congratulate Tarboro. They played a great game,” Corvian coach Chris Amill said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my boys. We fought till the bitter end.”

The Vikings (14-1) made their eighth straight state finals appearance and simply ran away from Corvian, led by 233 yards and four touchdowns from junior tailback Kamerin McDowell-Moore, who was named championship MVP.

Tarboro rushed for 419 yards total on 42 carries.

Corvian, a third-year program, was making its first finals appearance under Amill, who had coached in seven state championship games in Ohio.

“They did what we expected them to do,” Amill said. “We just make enough plays, get enough stops.”

The Cardinals (15-1) got down 18-3 early, struggling to stop the Tarboro run game, but after getting a third-quarter touchdown from AJ Jackson to pull within 18-10, Amill decided to try an onside kick.

His team almost got it.

Bad news? Tarboro got the ball near midfield, and it wasn’t long before Mason Satterfield was scoring for the second time, from 23 yards out.

Down 24-10, Corvian again fought back, closing to 24-17 after a 1-yard score from Noah Best.

Amill again tried the onside kick. It didn’t work again, and this time, McDowell-Moore took off on a 60-yard sprint down the right side for a 31-10 lead shortly after Tarboro got the ball.

And after Corvian failed on a fourth-down try inside its 20, Moore quickly scored from 7 yards out, and Tarboro pushed its lead to 38-17.

“We just got guys that are going to fight,” Amill said. “We’ve got a lot of grit and toughness. I can’t be more proud of the way my boys fought the entire night. We want to win games and we want to win championships, but at the end of the day, my goal as the head coach is to develop great men, great fathers, great husbands, and great people in the community. And just to be able to come here and keep fighting is a reflection of what they can do.”

Three who mattered

Mason Satterfield, Tarboro: Satterfield rushed 13 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

Noah Best, Corvian: Best ran 10 times for 60 yards and a touchdown. He caught 11 passes for 122 yards. He finished with 138 return yards and 320 yards total. Best also had two tackles on defense.

Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Tarboro: Three of Moore’s four touchdowns came in the decisive second half. He had 20 carries for his 233 yards, averaging nearly 12 yards per attempt.

Notes

▪ Tarboro’s offensive MVP was Satterfield. Cole Craddock won on defense. Craddock had 17 tackles, a game high.

▪ Corvian’s’ defensive MVP was Jackson. Best was named his team’s offensive MVP.

▪ Tarboro attempted one pass all game. Corvian’s Jackson, who also played quarterback, was 18 of 28 for 213 yards. But he was sacked five times. Jackson added a team-high 10 tackles on defense.

GAME SUMMARY

Corvian 3 0 7 14 — 24

Tarboro 6 12 6 21 — 45

First quarter

T: Caiden Everette 11 run (PAT failed)

C: FG Cooper Peterson 29

Second quarter

T: Kamerin McDowell-Moore 10 run (PAT failed)

T: Mason Satterfield 23 run (PAT failed)

Third quarter

C: AJ Jackson 3 run (Peterson kick)

T: Satterfield 13 run (PAT failed)

Fourth quarter

C: Noah Best 1 run (Peterson kick)

T: McDowell-Moore 60 run (kick failed)

T: McDowell-Moore 7 run (2-point conversion pass)

C: Doug Quarles III 33 pass from Carson Nagel (Peterson kick)

T: McDowell-Moore 40 run (kick good)