Cetnar, Rams Defense Outduel Ex-Ram Edwards in 22-18 Win Over Kinston
Written by Jayden Willis & Photo by Gracyn Murphy
SNOW HILL— In a rivalry as storied as it is fierce, the Greene Central Rams and the Kinston Vikings met under the Saturday night lights for a showdown that didn’t disappoint. With the game on the line, Greene Central fended off a late fourth-quarter surge from Kinston to secure a hard-fought 22-18 victory.
“Of course, you would love to come out here and blow them out, but that’s not what Kinston and Greene Central do,” said Head Coach Jason Wilson. “We were built to come out on top.”
This wasn’t just another game; it was personal. Kinston’s senior receiver, Okie Edwards, who had spent three years under Coach Wilson’s wing at Greene Central, returned to face his old team with something to prove.
The Rams struck first, with Kameron Vandiford electrifying the crowd on the opening kickoff, racing down the field to give Greene Central an early 8-0 lead. The Rams’ defense then set the tone, with Rayshon Mason snatching an interception on Kinston’s first drive, and Tyler Williams recording 9 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks helping keep the Vikings scoreless until the explosive fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was a rollercoaster. Ahzavion Strong’s pick-six seemed to put the game out of reach, pushing the Rams’ lead to 16 points. But when Kinston’s starting quarterback Tyler Jones went down, Alex Moore stepped up behind center and would scored on a QB run but would go down soon with an injury as well. Then things got interesting with former Ram Okie Edwards instilling life into the Vikings, stepping in to launch a 57-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Copper bringing the Vikings within four points.
With starting QB Nick Avent sidelined, it was sophomore Josh Cetnar’s time to shine. Having tasted defeat just days earlier against the Kinston JV team, Cetnar displayed poise beyond his years, sealing the victory with a 44-yard touchdown run that extinguished Kinston’s hopes. Cetnar‘s dual-threat performance—nearly 200 yards (125 yards passing, 55 yards rushing) combined through the air and on the ground—proved crucial.
“It feels great. He got hurt, and I was a little nervous, but it all wore off,” said backup quarterback Joshua Cetnar. “My o-line did a great job, my receivers did a great job; props to everyone else.”
For Kinston, Okie Edwards stepped up with over 200 total yards through the air, receiving, and rushing (5-7, 81 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches for 75 yards, 1 TD; 3 rushes for 47 yards). Edwards threw for a touchdown and caught a touchdown as well. Vikings receiver Copper finished with 6 catches for 76 yards and a TD.
“Everything is a springboard now,” said Coach Wilson. “The boys have 24 hours to enjoy this one before we shift our focus to Beddingfield.”
With this win, the Rams improve to 2-0 and have momentum on their side as they prepare to extend their winning streak. Meanwhile, the Vikings, now 0-2, will regroup and aim for their first victory against the Ayden-Grifton Chargers.
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