Monroe rallies, wins 2nd state title, beats Northeastern: Live score updates recap, North Carolina 2A championship

In battle of the unbeatens, Redhawks get big rushing games from Zion Lindsey, Nymir Kendall to win first state title since 2015

Yoel Deleon and Monroe High School play for a first North Carolina state championship since 2015. / Photo courtesy of Monroe athletics

On a chilly Chapel Hill (N.C.) night when temperatures dipped into the 30s, Monroe High School football coach Johnny Sowell didn't flinch a celebratory Gatorade bath.

"Didn't feel a thing," he said after his team's 35-25 comeback win over Northeastern at Kenan Memorial Stadium to take the North Carolina NCHSAA Class 2A championship. "I'm just proud of the team. It's hard to describe."

Sowell knew just what to say at halftime as the Redhawks scored 14 points in the first four minutes of the third quarter to key the victory and the program's second state title and first since 2015.

Nymir Kendall scored on touchdown runs of 23 and 3 yards to start the third to quickly wipe out an 18-14 deficit. Later, the game-clinching touchdown came on an 18-yard run by the game's MVP Zion Lindsey with 3:41 to play.

That made it a two-score game the Monroe defense did the rest to finish the season 15-0.

Northeastern, led by game team MVPs Khamani Bennett (defense) and Tyell Saunders (offense), finished 15-1. The Eagles were after their first state title while sustaining their fourth finals defeat.

Other Monroe MVP honors (as voted by the media) for Monroe were Michigan-bound receiver Jordan Young, who scored his team's first touchdown on a nifty 70-yard catch and run, and defensive lineman Jesus Jarquin-Ambrosio.

(Check all the scoring plays and highlights at bottom of page).

PREGAME: Is this Michigan Wolverines signee Jordan Young and Monroe High School's weekend to finish off what it started?

The Redhawks and Northeastern - both undefeated - will clash Saturday night in a matchup of potent offenses, even if their modes are different.

Quarterback Kaegan Chambers is a 1,000-yard passer and rusher for Monroe, while his counterpart - Northeastern's Trevaris Jones - has thrown for 3,745 yards and 42 touchdowns (while rushing for nearly 500 yards as well).

The two programs meet at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time in an NCHSAA Class 2A championship game at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill. A live feed is available on NFHS Network (subscription only).

• LIVE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL SCORES

SBLive is tracking scores across the state of North Carolina through championship weekend. Stay with us for the latest score and game updates from pregame to teardown. Refresh this post and scroll down for the latest.

FOURTH QUARTER

FINAL SCORE: Monroe 35, Northeastern 25

SACK, Monroe - Yoel Deleon. It's just a matter of time. 39 seconds left. No timeouts for Northeastern. 3rd-and-14 from midfield.

TOUCHDOWN, Monroe. Zion Lindsey powers up middle, stumbles at the 3, right into the end zone from 18-yards out. Monroe 35, Northeastern 25. 2:18. 7 play, 59-yards, takes up 3:41.

FIRST DOWN, Monroe. Lindsay goes for 8 on 3rd-and-5. Down to Northeastern 17. 2:21.

CLOCK MANAGEMENT TROUBLES, Monroe. Last two plays with clock running, the Redhawks snap ball with more than 10 seconds on the play clock. Now incompletions. Stop clock, 3:48. Monroe still leads, 28-25.

FIRST DOWN, Monroe. On 3rd-and-2, Lindsay barrels for 6. New set of downs for the Redhawks. Down to 4:34.

HUGE PENALTY, Northeastern. On 4th-and-5 from own 45 and 6:30 left, Jones takes pitch for 10 yards, but Eagles called for holding. On ensuing play, Jones throws incompletion, Monroe takes over at the Northeastern 40.

DEFENSE HOLDS, Northeastern. On 4th-and-4, Chambers scrambles and could easily run for first down or throw short pass to wide open receiver. Instad he short-hops a throw in the end zone. Ball over to Monroe, 8:04.

STAT UPDATE: Northeaster has 359 total yards to 266 for Monroe heading to 4Q.

THIRD QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN, Northeastern - On 3rd-and-goal, Trevaris Jones rolls right and finds Zion Demps all alone for TD.. Monroe 28, Northeastern 25. LAST PLAY OF THIRD QUARTER

BIG PULL, Northeastern, an Eagle receiver was battling for a first down on third down, when OL Christian Powell pulled him EIGHT yards. Gives Eagles huge boost. Northeastern all fired up.

BIG HOLD, Northeastern, Monroe drives down to the Northeastern 15. But on 4th down, an incomplete pass turns the ball back to the Eagles.

TOUCHDOWN, Monroe - Nymir Kendall 3-yard run: What did Monroe coach Johnny Sowell say to the Redhawks at halftime? Fourteen quick points in four minutes. Monroe 28, Northeastern 18, 8:00)

INTERCEPTION, Monroe's Joey Shearin gives Monroe more momentum. Returns to Northwestern 35.

TOUCHDOWN, Monroe - Nymir Kendall 23-yard touchdown. (Monroe 21, Northeastern 18, 11:25)

HALF: NORTHEASTERN 18, MONROE 14

SECOND QUARTER

BIG PLAY, Northeastern - Chambers goes for it all, and Bennett again with pick near the goal-line. (Northeastern, 18-14, 5:50)

BIG PLAY, Monroe - Blocked punt gives Riverhawks great field position. (Northeastern, 18-14, 7:10)

BIG PLAY, Northeastern - Bennett picks off Chambers' floater and returns it 30 yards. (Northeastern, 18-14, 8:46)

TOUCHDOWN, Northeastern - Armstrong 27-.yard score right up the gut. Not much defense being played on either side. (Northeastern, 18-14, 9:13)

TOUCHDOWN, Monroe - Great individual effort by Chambers, who takes off down left sideline, does spin move and keeps balance after being hit inside 10-yard line on a 32-yard score. Drive extended on facemask penalty by Northeastern on fourth down. (Monroe, 14-12, 10:44)

FIRST QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN, Northeastern - Jones to Blount, 22 yards over shoulder catch. Conversion run failed. (Northeastern, 12-7, 1:09)

BIG PLAY, Northeastern - Eagles get stop in end zone on fourth and 8 as they knock away pass to Young. (Monroe, 7-6, 1:40)

BIG PLAY, Monroe - Lindsey recovers fumble by Jones on third down. (Monroe, 7-6)

TOUCHDOWN, Monroe - WOW! Young, the Michigan signee, grabs pass along right sideline from defender, gets loose and evades two more tacklers for 70-yard score from Chambers. (Monroe, 7-6, 6:43)

TOUCHDOWN, Northeastern - Opening series, hot start. Jones leads them 70 yards, including his 28-yard score to White on fourth down. (Northeastern, 6-0)

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About Northeastern

Key players— LB Maurice Bowser, LB/DL Zion Demps, QB Trevaris Jones, WR Tyell Saunders, WR/DB Ty'jae Simpson.

About Monroe

Key players— QB Kaegan Chambers, LB Jeremiah Lindsey, RB Zion Lindsey, DL Joey Shearin, WR/DB Jordan Young.

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