Kinston quarterback Caleb Gooding looks downfield for a receiver in the first half of Friday’s 14-7 loss to Jacksonville at Viking Field. Photo by Linda Whittington / Neuse News

By Bryan Hanks

For a coach whose team had lost back-to-back games for the first time in two years, Kinston head football coach Ryan “Diesel” Gieselman was awfully proud of his team’s effort in a 14-7 loss to Jacksonville at Viking Field Friday night.

And why shouldn’t he be proud? Without the services of his star quarterback and starting running back, Gieselman’s 2A Vikings went toe-to-toe with one of the top 3A teams in the state and more than held their own.

“Hats off to our guys,” Gieselman said. “After our loss last week, we said we needed to be more physical and we answered that call.”

The Vikings (2-2) lost their second game in a row for the first time since dropping back-to-back decisions to Ayden-Grifton and West Craven in October 2017. It also marked the first time Kinston had lost two in a row to non-conference opponents since 2014, when the Vikings lost four straight non-league games to Wilson Fike, Havelock, Greenville Rose and Washington.

Defense certainly ruled Friday’s contest as the first points didn’t go on the scoreboard until 28 seconds remained in the second quarter. Jacksonville junior quarterback Tymir Brown connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Isaiah Brown to complete an eight-play, 95-yard drive that only consumed 1:58 of the clock.

Before the second-quarter scoring drive, Kinston had held the Cardinals to only 46 yards on 24 plays. For the game, Kinston forced seven Jacksonville fumbles, recovering three of them.

Jacksonville’s defense wasn’t too shabby, either. The Cardinals, who improved to 3-0 with Friday’s victory, held Kinston to only 47 yards of offense in the first half.

The Vikings’ only offensive highlight came on their first drive of the second half. After forcing a Jacksonville fumble on the Cardinals’ 43-yard line, junior Caleb Gooding — pressed into service because of an injury to starting quarterback Demetri Holmes in the Fike loss on Sept. 4 — connected with senior receiver Khari Pitts for a 39-yard scoring pass that tied the game at 7-7 with 10:20 remaining in the third quarter.

The tie lasted all of 48 seconds. On the second play of Jacksonville’s subsequent possession, senior running back Jacob Johnson found a rare open seam in the Kinston defense and streaked 72 yards for a 14-7 lead with 9:32 remaining in the third quarter.

The teams exchanged punts and turnovers the rest of the way, but the Vikings brought Holmes — who was dressed for the game before coaches decided he should not play in pregame warmups — back for their final drive of the game. However, all three passes he attempted fell incomplete.

Without their star signal-caller, the Vikings could only muster 112 yards of total offense, led by 45 yards rushing on 15 attempts by running back Nicky Walters Jr., who was starting in place of fellow junior Iverson Ward, who played sparingly Friday because of injury. Gooding finished with four completions on 13 attempts for 46 yards and two interceptions.

Jacksonville was led by Tymir Brown’s legs — 19 carries for 139 yards — and arm (four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown).

Kinston will attempt to avoid a three-game losing streak when the Vikings travel to Southern Wayne next week.

“Their coach is going to have them ready, I’m sure of that,” Gieselman said of the Saints. “They’ve got a great defense, from what I understand. … We’ll get the film and break it down and be ready to go on Friday night.”

Jacksonville 14, Kinston 7

J           0          7          7          0          —        14

K          0          0          7          0          —        7

Second Quarter

J—Isaiah Brown 18 pass from Tymir Brown (Thomas Fitzsimmons kick), 0:28

Third Quarter

K—Khari Pitts 39 pass from Caleb Gooding (Diego Patino kick), 10:20

J—Jacob Johnson 72 run (Fitzsimmons kick), 9:32

                        J                       K

First downs     10                    4

Rushes            42-233             33-66

Passing            4-11-0             4-16-2

Passing yards  38                    46

Total yards      271                  112

Punts               6-33.8              5-33.4

Fumbles/Lost  7-3                   2-2

Penalties         10-65               5-38

Individual statistics

Rushing — Jacksonville: Tymir Brown 19-139, Jacob Johnson 4-63, Tavon Fonville 7-38, Razel Rainey 1-1, Adam Varner 2-0, Elijah Ford 5-(minus-4), Isaiah Brown 4-(minus-4). Kinston: Nicky Walters Jr. 15-45, Josh Holloway 2-11, Caleb Gooding 9-8, Calvin Holloway 3-4, Iverson Ward 2-3, Will London 2-(minus -5).

Passing — J: T. Brown 4-11-0, 38. K: Gooding 4-13-2, 46; Demetri Holmes 0-3-0, 0.

Receiving — J: Ozier Mitchell 2-20, I. Brown 1-18, Devin Major 1-0. K: Khari Pitts 2-41, London 1-4, C. Holloway 1-1.