Tarboro returns to state championship for 5th straight year, beats Pender
(1) Tarboro is back in the state championship game for the fifth straight season after a 22-12 win over (6) Pender on Friday night in the 1A eastern regional championship game.
Tarboro is the defending 1AA state champion and has won three of the last four 1AA state titles.
The Vikings were in a fight throughout Friday night's game though. In fact, Pender scored the first points of the game when Kelvin Robinson scored on a one-yard run. A two-point conversion attempt failed, but Pender led 6-0.
Tarboro tied the game at 6-6, then took a 12-6 lead into halftime on touchdowns from Tobias Joyner and Tremaine McDaniels.
Pender came back in the third quarter though. Christian Hayes scored on a run to tie the game at 12-12 after a two-point try failed. But Tarboro claimed the lead for good with a safety in the fourth quarter.
Then with less than a minute left, Joyner scored an 11-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a cushion.
Tarboro will face the winner of Mitchell and Robbinsville in the 1A state championship on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 12 p.m. at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.
