No turnovers: Anthony Quinn Jr., Seventy-First football get redemption on J.H. Rose

Rodd Baxley, The Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read

Anthony Quinn Jr. and Seventy-First football got redemption Thursday night.

Almost a year after fumbling the ball twice in a season-ending playoff loss to J.H. Rose, Quinn rushed for almost 200 yards and added two touchdowns with no turnovers in a 28-20 win over the Rampants in the second round of this year's postseason.

“I put the ball on the ground twice and I worked on ball security a lot in the offseason,” Quinn said. “It’s just crazy, the journey that we’ve been going on. No turnovers tonight. It’s on my mind for the rest of the ride out. I don’t plan on putting the ball on the ground no time soon. … I don’t ever want to put the ball on the ground.”

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Seventy-First coach Duran McLaurin remembers seeing Quinn's pain after the 2021 loss and every week that followed as J.H. Rose advanced to the 3A state championship.

As the Falcons watched the Rampants make their run, McLaurin described it as “a turn of the knife for us.” But Quinn and the rest of the returners got their revenge against the reigning 3A East champions.

“He’s a terrific kid. It’s been a pleasure to coach him and watch him grow. To take that pain and disappointment he had – I remember him falling down on the sideline last year after those fumbles, knowing that was a key part of what was the outcome of the game,” McLaurin said.

“To see him bounce back and finish drives, and get first downs and run as hard as he did tonight, that lets me know what kind of kid he is.”

Seventy-First's Anthony Quinn Jr. gets lifted into the air and pushed into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter against J.H. Rose in second round of high school football playoffs on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, at Seventy-First High School.
Seventy-First's Anthony Quinn Jr. gets lifted into the air and pushed into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter against J.H. Rose in second round of high school football playoffs on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, at Seventy-First High School.

Quinn, who rushed for 195 yards on 25 carries, had a touchdown in each half. His 5-yard score late in the third quarter gave Seventy-First a 28-6 lead before the Rampants responded with the next 14 points to make it a one-possession game.

Quinn sealed the victory with a pair of first-down runs in the final three minutes. Sophomore quarterback DeAndre Nance, who also had two rushing touchdowns, took a knee on the final play of the game.

No. 3 Seventy-First (12-0) will host No. 6 North Brunswick (10-1) or No. 22 Lee County (8-3) in a third-round matchup on Friday, Nov. 18.

“It feels good. I’m just excited and at a loss for words,” Quinn said. “I’m glad we came out victorious and I’m ready for Round 3.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NCHSAA football playoffs: Seventy-First beats J.H. Rose in Round 2