Orange County is just a couple of plays away from being 2-2 during this brutal stretch of opponents to open the season. Instead, the Hornets’ came up a touch short again Friday night against Courtland, falling 27-21 to the Cougars.
This time the Hornets’ heartbreak came in overtime, when Courtland quarterback Raul Gill scored from two yards out to give Courtland the win after Orange came up empty on the opening possession of overtime.
The two teams played a fast and furious opening half and were tied 21-21 at the break. But things bogged down in the second half as neither team managed to score, which sent the game to overtime. Three turnovers by the Hornets including two in the second half proved costly, preventing what may have been a difference-making score.
Orange’s Jaylen Alexander finished with 103 yards on 14 touches including a 55-yard scoring spring in the first quarter while power back Noah Carey provided a counterweight to Alexander’s efforts with 46 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Walker Johnson went 6-for-10 for 54 yards and a touchdown to Doug Newsome from 25 yards out late in the second quarter. Newsome had three catches for 46 yards.
Carey had a big defensive impact too with eight solo stops and 10 total tackles while Ricardo Flores had a sack and Truth Wilson finished with eight total tackles.
Courtland countered with fullback Thor Hanlon’s 140 yards and two touchdowns on the ground while Reese Howard had 107 yards on 11 touches. Gill had a touchdown pass on his single completion in the first quarter, a 22-yard score from Sean Wray.
Orange will try and shake off its 0-4 start when it hosts Albemarle Friday in the Hornets’ Jefferson District opener.
