Windsor steamrolls NSA

Published 12:00 am Monday, September 3, 2007

WINDSOR—Kwamane Harris came of age Friday night.

Harris, in his second season at starting quarterback, threw for three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards to lead Windsor High School to a 34-12 rout of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in a non-district football game Friday night.

Harris looked poised running the offense, something that he did not always do in 2006 as a sophomore.

&uot;He’s a junior, and I don’t want to sound cruel, but it’s time for him to come of age. He’s got to,&uot; said Windsor head coach Bruce Carroll. &uot;He had it for a year and we expected him to make mistakes, and he’s still going to make some mistakes. We expect him to come and do a pretty good job for us.&uot;

The Dukes outgained NSA 329 yards to 39 yards in the first half.

Windsor took the ball on the opening drive and marched 82 yards on eight plays and hit paydirt when Taury Pittman, who gained 123 yards on the night on 12 carries, blasted 44 yards through big holes for a touchdown with 8:52 to play in the first quarter. Timmy Songer’s extra point made it 7-0.

The teams exchanged turnovers, then the Dukes put together another scoring drive in the first quarter. This one went 71 yards on eight plays and ended when Harris hit Ryan Acey with a three-yard touchdown pass over the middle at the 1:30 mark. Songer’s extra point put the Dukes up 14-0. The drive was highlighted by a 37-yard completion from Harris to Anthony Cruz on a &uot;jump ball&uot; on a third-and-7 play.

On its next series, Windsor took over on its own 35, and 20-yard runs by Harris and Pittman set up the Dukes again. With 8:13 to play in the half, Brooklyn Presson pushed it over from one yard out. Another extra point by Songer made it 21-0.

After another three-and-out series by NSA, the Dukes scored again, this time on a broken play. Harris improvised when he was about to be sacked and dumped the ball off to Pittman, who raced 22 yards for the touchdown, shocking the NSA fans.

Songer’s kick made it 28-0 with 1:40 to play in the half.

On defense, Windsor’s Chris Horne picked off NSA quarterback Andy Owens and the Dukes took over on their own 40. On the next play, Harris tossed one to Acey, who made an over-the-shoulder catch and raced 60 yards for a touchdown with 49 seconds to play in the half and a 34-0 lead.

Windsor used its second- and third-string offense and defense in the second half and moved the ball just three yards on offense. NSA scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns on a two-yard run by Owens and a three-yard run by Kenny Rice with 25 seconds to play. Rice finished the game with 59 yards rushing on seven carries.

Carroll was happy with the intensity of his team, especially on defense.

&uot;Our kids played with some intensity and for the most part they controlled it and played with class,&uot; he said. &uot;Our defense gutted it up a few times at the goal line, but we still have a long ways to go.&uot;

Carroll was referring to a goalline stand the Dukes made in the fourth quarter when the Saints had the ball first-and-goal at the 5 and did not score.

&uot;I am happy for the kids they got a win. Beyond that, we have to go back to work on Monday,&uot; Carroll said.

Windsor plays at Northampton on Friday and NSA plays at Trinity Episcopal.