BY MILES AND NICOLE LAYTON

EDENTON – After a five year hiatus, the rivalry between John A. Holmes High School and neighboring Perquimans High School was renewed as the football teams took to Aces Stadium for Senior Night on Friday, Oct. 25.

The Aces continued their late-season surge with a commanding 59–21 victory over the Pirates in Edenton, riding explosive performances from junior running backs Caden Jernigan and Kazzure Downing to overwhelm their Albemarle Athletic Conference rivals.

The Aces (5–4 overall, 4-0 conference) combined a punishing ground game, opportunistic defense, and disciplined execution. By halftime, the Aces had built a 39–14 lead and never looked back, sealing their fifth win of the season in front of an energized home crowd on Senior Night.

A video with game highlights appears at the end of the story.

Prior to the game, all of the fall sports student-athletes who are seniors, as well as members of the chorus, band and JROTC programs, were recognized.

It was also PBIS night where Edenton-Chowan Schools students were rewarded for their good behavior with free tickets to the game. The children and their families lined the field prior to start to welcome the Aces onto the field.

The Aces will travel to Manteo (6-2 overall, 3-1 conference) on Thursday, Oct. 30, for a 7 p.m. game. With the win Head Coach Paul Hoggard’s record with the Aces improves to 96-36, four wins shy of tying the record of former Head Coach Jay Swicegood, 100-68. Swicegood coached the Aces from 1985-1999.

If the Aces win, they will secure the conference championship.

Perquimans (4-5 overall, 1-3 conference) will host Bertie on Thursday, Oct. 30. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The schools want everyone to be able to enjoy Halloween, Oct. 31.

Early Firepower

Edenton wasted little time establishing dominance. On the Aces’ opening drives, the Aces bulldozed through Perquimans’ defensive front for two early touchdowns, putting Holmes up 12–0 with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

Moments later, Downing sprinted 25 yards untouched into the end zone to extend the lead to 19–0 with just over four minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

Perquimans briefly swung momentum in its favor late in the first quarter when senior quarterback Benjamin Brown led the Pirates on their best drive of the night. After a defensive penalty pushed the ball into the red zone, Ataviyon White powered into the end zone to make it 19–7.

But the celebration was short-lived. The Aces defense, led by junior linebackers Jbreyon Gilliam and DJ Sutton, tightened up immediately. Gilliam recorded a game-high 11 tackles, while Sutton added six tackles and two sacks, harassing Brown in the backfield and forcing hurried throws.

The Pirates’ next possession stalled quickly after a third-down pass was tipped and intercepted by Myles Cobb, setting up another Aces scoring drive.

Relentless Ground Game

With their defense creating opportunities, the Aces offense went back to work. Sutton capped an efficient drive with a short touchdown run with 10:19 left in the second quarter, stretching the lead to 26–7.

Then Jernigan, who finished the night with seven carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns, broke loose for another highlight-reel run midway through the period. Following a well-executed handoff, he cut outside, broke tackles, and sprinted 40 yards down the sideline to put the Aces up 32–7.

The Aces’ ability to rotate between Downing and Jernigan proved too much for the Pirates’ defense. Downing’s vision and agility complemented Jernigan’s downhill power, and the pair combined for 251 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Perquimans Shows Fight

To their credit, the Pirates refused to fold. In the second quarter, Steven Elliott intercepted a pass from Holmes quarterback Mason Byrum, returning it for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 32-14 with 3:47 remaining in the half.

However, the Aces responded instantly. Byrum shook off the interception and marched the team downfield, aided by a 20-yard catch from senior Jamarion Basnight. On the next play, Jernigan broke free once more for a 35-yard touchdown run, pushing the halftime score to 38–14 and sending the home fans into a roar.

Second-Half Lockdown

While the Aces’ offense slowed in the second half, the defense stole the spotlight.

The Aces’ offense would score two more times during the third quarter, making the score 45-14 with 7:01 left, and 52-14 with 4:06 left. By this time, the running clock was implemented.

Closing out the third quarter, sophomore Brendan Ganzert intercepted the ball and ran it in for a touchdown which made it 59–14.

Perquimans managed one more touchdown with 4:14 left in the game, making it 59-21. The Aces’ secondary clamped down, with Downing and Cobb each recording interceptions to halt Pirate drives.