AHOSKIE – Was it the offense or was it the defense?

That question is hard to answer following Hertford County High School’s 68-0 thrashing of Currituck County High School last night (Friday). The Bears kept first-year Head Football Coach Scott Privott undefeated at the helm of the HCHS program with their eighth consecutive win.

The Hertford County offense racked up nearly 400 yards of total offense, scored their highest offensive output of the season and saw senior quarterback Antonio Vaughan rush for more than 100 yards and pass the century mark in passing.

Meanwhile, the HCHS defense held the visiting Knights to minus 83 yards rushing, had 15 tackles for a loss and surrendered just 29 passing yards.

“Defensively, I was pleased with our overall aggressiveness,” said Privott. “Our defense kept us in the game early when we weren’t clicking on offense.

“As far as the offense, I was happy with the way we played once the light came on so to speak,” he added. “We looked pretty bad in the first quarter, but then they got going.”

Hertford County indeed started slowly on offense, scoring just one time over the opening 15 minutes. Once they had things working, however, the Bears came to life, scoring four times in the second quarter and four more in the third quarter, even with a running clock.

The Bears’ first score came with nine minutes left in the first quarter when Michael Stephenson capped a 59-yard drive with a two-yard plunge into the endzone. The big play came when Vaughan scampered 53 yards to the 15 of the Knights. The kick failed, leaving the score 6-0.

Hertford County drove deep into Currituck territory two additional times in the first and second quarters, but came away empty as they turned the ball over on downs, once at the 25 and again at the 35.

Then the HCHS offense got on track.

Following a Currituck punt, Vaughan went 50 yards to paydirt on the next play to add to the Bears’ lead. The senior QB then found Dontez Tyler in the endzone for the two-point conversion as Hertford County grabbed a 14-0 lead with 8:26 to play in the second quarter.

The Bears’ defense then forced another three-and-out from Currituck and gave the offense the football at the 22-yardline. The bad field position didn’t bother Hertford County, however, as they drove 78 yards on just four plays capped by Vaughan’s 60-yard scoring jaunt. Brandon Warren added the PAT and the Bears led 21-0 with 4:52 to play in the first half.

Another Knights’ punt gave the Bears the football at their own 17-yardline. An incomplete pass from Vaughan was followed by a 13-yard hookup with Stephenson to get the ball to the 30-yardline. On the next play, Vaughan connected with Monterio Hunter on a 70-yard scoring strike. Warren again added the PAT and the Bears led 28-0.

The Bears scored one more time before the intermission when Tyler fell on the loose pigskin in the endzone on a blocked punt. Warren added the extra point and the Bears took a 35-0 lead into the locker room.

Hertford County then made short work of the Knights in the third quarter, scoring four times to seal the rout.

The first touchdown came with 10:30 to play when D’Isaac Jordan recovered a Currituck fumble in the endzone. Warren’s kick made it 42-0.

On the next Currituck series, Cedric Bland recovered a Knight fumble and rumbled 23 yards to paydirt. Ansley Lassiter added the PAT and the Bears led 49-0.

Another Currituck fumble two minutes later was recovered by Tyler who returned it 15 yards for a score which, coupled with Lassiter’s kick, made it 56-0 with 5:01 to play in the third quarter.

Jordan recovered another fumble on the next drive which set up an eight-yard scoring run by Aaron Thomas that made it 63-0 as time expired in the third quarter.

The final score came on the last play of the game when Petey Boone broke a 75-yard scoring run to establish the 68-0 final.

Hertford County is 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the Northeastern Coastal Conference. The win also sealed a playoff bid for the Bears as the top 3-A seed out of the league. Next week Hertford County will be back on the road as they travel to Pasquotank County High School.