Mullet Bucket for West, East Enjoys 50-Year History: Part 3 West Wins Five Straight from 1999-2003, Including One Postponed by Hurricane Floyd
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THE NEWS-TIMES Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014 9A Mullet Bucket for West, East enjoys 50-year history: Part 3 West wins five straight from 1999-2003, including one postponed by Hurricane Floyd BY J.J. SMITH NEWS-TIMES MOREHEAD CITY — The battle for that austere, painted wooden trophy reaches its gold anniversary this year. The Mullet Bucket will take place for the 50th time Friday, Aug. 29, when East Carteret travels to West Carteret. And to celebrate the mile- stone, the News-Times is pro- viding a year-by-year historical retrospective running each issue until the day of the game. Each issue will look back at five years of the series. This is the third in a 10-part series. 2003 West Carteret celebrates during after-game festivities at McDonald’s following its fifth straight Mullet Bucket win over East Carteret in the 39th annual edi- West won its fifth straight in tion of the rivalry game. (File photo) the rivalry, despite going score- less in the second half, and held its first playoff win in school rivalry, edging East 14-12 in a He propelled West down the the Mariners blocked a 28-yard run and threw a 13-yard pass to on for a 23-13 win. history, while East capped the game that saw a lightning delay field on a 10-play, 70-yard drive field goal attempt by Chalk, and Justin Bourbeau. The Patriots jumped ahead worst five-year run in its history, in the fourth quarter. in the third quarter. The drive Henry nearly returned the ball The Patriots answered right 23-0 in the first half, and the going a combined 6-47. The Mariners seemed to have ended when quarterback Chase for a touchdown before getting back beginning with a 37-yard the upper hand at the outset, Martin tossed a scoring lob to Mariners never recovered. The 2002 tackled at midfield. kickoff return from Nate Jones. win wasn’t a cakewalk, howev- especially on defense where junior tight end Brandon Bryant With no time showing on the Three plays and 43 yards later, er, with East taking a 6-0 advan- The Patriots overcame two linebacker Terrell Henry got in the left corner of the end zone. clock, East went into the locker running back Hiram Hankins tage in the last two quarters. early fumbles to capture their things started with an 80-yard Bryant made a leaping catch just room amid raucous celebration scooted around left end on a The Mariners’ rally was too fourth straight Mullet Bucket in interception return for a touch- inside the out-of-bounds marker and a feeling it could beat the reverse for a 35-yard score. little, too late for a struggling a 35-12 triumph. down with 4:42 left in the first for the go-ahead score. Patriots and bring the Mullet Josh Luther, who went a per- squad that temporarily lost a Jude Jones gave the Mariners quarter. Henry also led East’s Martin led the way for West Bucket back to Beaufort where fect 6-for-6 on PAT kicks, nailed couple of key players in the first an early 6-0 lead with 8:42 offense with 46 yards on 17 with 66 yards on 13 carries and it had resided for four straight the extra-point to give his team half due to injuries, including left in the first quarter when carries. threw for 75 yards on 5-for-16 years before a loss the previous a 7-6 advantage. He also had running back Sterling Walls. he scooped up a fumbled punt Buddy Lewis’ PAT attempt passing. year. two punts for a 37-yard average West drew first blood with return and scooted 26 yards to But those hopes were dashed and placed one punt inside the Matt Dodge’s 15-yard field goal the end zone. when Patriots running back East 5-yard line. in the first quarter. East had a Joe Watford, son of West Ricky Jones punched the ball in The teams traded touchdowns quick series, lasting just over coach Gregory Watford, then the end zone, capping a 65-yard before West finally found some a minute, and Patriot quarter- fumbled on the next Patriots dive on eight plays with 6:04 breathing room. Holding a 14- back David Chambers increased drive but more than made up for left in the third period. 12 lead and time running out in the lead after finding Brandon it thereafter. Following the score, Chalk the first half, Jones found tight Bryant for a 4-yard touchdown Watford led all rushers in the attempted a PAT kick, but it was end Ed Ofalt over the middle pass. contest with 131 yards on 23 wide right amid a big Mariners for a 6-yard TD pass. Luther’s West running back Jacob carries and three touchdowns. rush. West got a second chance, kick gave his team a 21-12 edge Anfinson was able to pick up his After a West touchdown, however, when East was called at the half. first touchdown of the night on East sophomore quarterback for roughing the kicker, and this Jones was the standout on the first play from scrimmage T.J. Courman gave his team its time the Patriots converted on the night, rushing for 133 yards after the Mariners fumbled the second and last lead of the night a pass from quarterback Nate on 16 carries and a touchdown ball on their own 15-yard line. at 12-7 with an 80-yard touch- Jones to tight end Luis Herron. and going 4-for-8 passing with The Mariners were stopped down run at the 5:14 mark of the And that was all the points 74 yards and two touchdowns, on the following series and opening quarter. West needed in a game that including a 39-yarder to wide called for a facemask penalty Courman led the Mariners was closer than many thought it receiver Ralph Berry in the first on the punt, putting West in with 108 yards on nine carries. would be. quarter. excellent field position at East’s After his score, it was all Jones led the Patriots with 85 Not to be outdone, Vann 32-yard line. West as the Patriots rattled off yards on 11 carries, followed came back from a second-quar- Chambers hooked up with 20 unanswered points. was blocked, giving the Patriots Chalk’s PAT kick was again by Ellison with 65 yards on 12 ter ankle sprain to throw a pair Anfinson on a 17-yard pass In addition to Watford’s three the opening it needed. perfect for the final margin. carries. West held a 298-103 of second-half touchdowns to to set him up for his second scores, including a 3-yard run West was thrown off track Following a 30-minute light- advantage in total yards and 12- split end Daniel Johnson and straight touchdown. Anfinson at the 1:29 mark of the first offensively coming into the ning delay at the 7:48 mark of the 7 edge in first downs. also rushed for 122 yards on 17 then scored West’s final points quarter, a 7-yard run at the 5:11 game with the loss of Jejuan fourth quarter, play resumed. carries and a touchdown. of the game with another 15- mark of the second quarter and a Tripp, who suffered a broken East launched a drive from 1999 Bourbeau filled in for Vann yard touchdown with 2:06 left 14-yard run at the 5:35 mark of collarbone the previous week. midfield in the final minutes and The Patriots snapped a four- and connected with Johnson on in the first half. the fourth quarter, Jejuan Tripp Joe Watford was also gone due got as close as the Patriots’ 35- game losing streak in the series a 28-yard scoring toss in the East’s Ralph Williams finally barreled into the end zone from to a sprain to an already injured yard line where it faced fourth- in a 42-26 shootout and got to second quarter. put his team on the board on the four yards out with 5:13 left in ankle on the Patriots’ first play and-7 with 2:06 to go. do it at home on a Monday night After a scoreless third quar- ensuing kickoff. After finding the third quarter. from scrimmage. Mariners coach Cliff Conway after Hurricane Floyd forced the ter, both teams went to work a seam down the sideline, he Tripp rushed for 63 yards on The Morehead City squad elected to give Lewis a chance game to West. again, combining for 35 fourth- opened up and outran every- 10 carries. did manage to take a 7-6 lead to win a game with a field goal With the Mariners’ field too quarter points. one for an impressive 86-yard David Chambers went for 56 at the close of the first quarter for the second straight week. soggy to play on and one goal West extended its lead to 35- touchdown. yards on seven carries. when junior return ace Anthony The week prior, in a 16-14 loss post broken from the strong 12 on scoring runs by Jones The Mariners dominated the West pounded East for 352 Beamon fielded a punt and to James Kenan, his kick from storm, West athletic direc- (35 yards) and Terence Parmley ball for most of the third quar- yards on 53 carries while limit- broke several tackles down the 37 yards out was just wide right.