ROLESVILLE, N.C. — Friday night’s highly anticipated football matchup between Cap-8 Conference contenders Millbrook and Rolesville quickly turned into a rout as the visiting No. 7 Wildcats used a big second quarter to take control in a convincing 28-7 victory over the No. 16 Rams.
Millbrook’s victory was the program’s first over Rolesville since 2021. With the win, the Wildcats move to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the conference. The Rams fall to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Cap-8.
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The Wildcats raced out to a 21-0 halftime lead, with all of those points coming in the second quarter.
Rolesville had the game’s first big break in the first quarter when standout junior safety Marquis Bryant intercepted a Millbrook pass and returned it to the Wildcat 37. However, an unsportsmanlike penalty after the return, one of five penalties in the first quarter for the Rams, and a bad snap on the first play of the possession that led to an 18-yard loss squashed that opportunity for Rolesville.
Millbrook began its second-quarter onslaught with a nine-play drive that began with eight consecutive runs up the middle, highlighted by Brilison McCullers’ 32 yards on 7 carries, and culminated with a play action pass from Bryson Gray over the middle to junior Quinton Cypher for 20 yards and the game’s first score.
On Rolesville’s next possession, the surging Millbrook defense forced two quick incompletions. Junior defensive lineman Rashad Streets, who caused havoc in the Rolesville backfield for much of the night, then created a strip sack of Ram quarterback Kaleb Williams inside the Rolesville 10-yard line, and the opportunistic Cypher recovered the fumbled and scored for a 14-0 Wildcat lead.
Millbrook scored a third time with just over 4:00 remaining in the half when McCullers burst through the middle of the line behind the blocks of junior 6’6 guard William Ramsey and junior tight end Hayes Brawner.
Rolesville had some success moving the ball with the pass in its final possession of the half as Williams was able to find Louisville commit Gavin Waddell three times during the drive. However, the drive eventually stalled as Millbrook’s defensive line began to get pressure on Williams. Linebacker Chase Sizer keyed the onslaught with 2.5 sacks on the drive as Millbrook took a 21-0 lead into the half
The Rams showed some fight to open the second half as they forced Millbrook into a three and out and then went on a scoring drive of their own, capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Waddell at the 7:17 mark in the third quarter.
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The Rams seemed to have things going their way after cutting the deficit to 21-7, but Millbrook proceeded to go on a 17-play drive that lasted until the 11:13 mark of the fourth quarter. The drive, which included three third-down conversions and one fourth-down conversion, did not end with a score, but it did serve to stimy Rolesville’s momentum.
Coach Ranier Rackley's team was able to advance inside the Millbrook 30 on their next possession, but Rashad Streets had one more big play left in him as he tackled Rolesville’s outstanding running back Amir Brown in the backfield on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Wildcats and essentially sealing the victory.
Millbrook added one more score on their next possession as Gray found senior wideout Taden Martin behind the secondary for a 45-yard touchdown, capping the scoring at 28-7
Millbrook has little time to celebrate as it hosts another major Cap-8 contender next week in Leesville Road. Rolesville, meanwhile, will look to get back on track as it hosts Broughton (3-2), 38-0 winners over Corinth Holders on Friday night.
BOX SCORE
Millbrook 0-21-0-7 - 28Rolesville 0-0-7-0 - 7
Scoring Plays
Millbrook Individual Stats
Rolesville Individual Stats