Orange County was on track to transition from last season’s productive rushing attack to whipping the ball around more this season with a deep wide receiving corps and talented junior quarterback Kenyon Carter a year stronger and more experienced.
But maybe they can do both.
The Hornets unleashed a balanced offensive approach Friday night in a 23-13 victory over Culpeper on the road, piling up 395 yards of total offense.
Carter led the attack, going 15-for-27 for 228 yards and two touchdowns while Jaylen Alexander had 164 yards on 23 touches on the ground in his first appearance for the Hornets. Carter found Tyrone Warren three times as Warren picked up 92 yards and scored once on those three catches. Chris Washington had 41 yards on four receptions.
The Hornets built a 23-6 halftime lead and held on in the second half despite struggling to score after the break. The defense, instead, did the heavy lifting, with Willem Lutterodt leading the defense with seven solo stops and 2.5 tackles for a loss while Jeremiah Lewis had a sack. The Hornets’ secondary picked off two passes, with Darius Minor snagging one while Jordan Shook hauled in the other.
Minor contributed in all three phases of the game, kicking a 39-yard field goal and catching four passes for 72 yards and a touchdown to go with his pick.
Orange County travels Friday to take on Eastern View at 7 p.m.
