HALIFAX – Not a bad birthday present.

Hertford County High football coach Scott Privott celebrated a birthday this week and Friday night his Bears players gave him his present.

A 33-13 win over Southeast Halifax in a game shortened to just over two quarters because of lightning and weather.

Tyus Leary did the gift-wrapping for the coach by leading the Bears offense.

The home team Trojans actually led in the contest off their opening possession. Jaquez McDaniel with a kickoff return to set them up inside Hertford County territory at the 42 yard line. McDaniel then took it in from 4 yards out and the extra-point kick made it 7-0, Southeast Halifax.

The Bears struck back on their opening drive. First the kickoff return set Hertford County up at the 50 yard line and four plays later quarterback Ryan Weaver scored from 6 yards out to get the visitors on the board. The extra-point attempt failed, and Hertford County trailed by one, 7-6.

It didn’t remain that way for long as David Bishop intercepted Trojan quarterback David Watford and after three plays, Leary scored the first of his three touchdowns on the night. Again, the point-after missed to make it 12-7, Hertford County.

The Bears would then score the next three times they touched the ball to take complete control of the game in the second quarter.

Leary got another touchdown on the first HCHS possession. Then defensive end O’Shane Ximines took the ball away from Deontre Howard and Weaver engineered another drive that culminated with a 39-yard scoring strike to Jqwan Ruffin. Kicker Ackerman Grace then booted consecutive field goals and it was 33-7 Hertford County with 1:19 to go on the second half.

With that much time before the horn sounded, Southeast went to work. Watford directed a 71 yard-7 play drive for the Trojans’ second score; but the extra-point attempt failed and it was 33-13 going into halftime.

Neither team could muster any offense at the start of the third quarter and the weather in the night sky was becoming threatening.

With lightning on the horizon and a light rain beginning to fall the game had a 40 minute delay before the officials called both coaches over and both Privott and the Trojans’ Larry Edwards mutually agreed for safety reasons to end the game with 5:53 left in the third quarter.

Hertford County opens the season at 1-0 and next week they’re back on the road with a Thursday night date at Wilson Hunt. That game has a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.  The Bears’ home opener is set for Sept. 6 at Bear Stadium against Rocky Mount.