WENDELL - Undefeated Harnett Central opened the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference football schedule on Friday with a 27-12 victory over an East Wake team that plays a lot harder and better than its 1-4 record would suggest.

After playing a challenging non-conference schedule of Fayetteville Jack Britt, Wake Forest-Rolesville, Millbrook and Leesville Road, coach Jimmy Williams' Warriors were missing seven starters because of injuries, including four offensive linemen. Still, despite giving up more than 400 yards to the Trojans, East Wake's defense made enough stops to give the team a chance to win in the fourth quarter.

"We're playing well on defense, they're just out there too much," Williams said. "We've just got to control the line more when we're on offense, and that's tough to do missing the players we are. But we've got a proud program, and we're going to keep working. We can still compete in the conference and make the playoffs."

East Wake trailed 21-6 in the fourth quarter, but sophomore Chris Pernell took his team on a 76-yard drive that ended with his 12-yard touchdown pass to Travian Banks. That pulled the Warriors to 21-12, but the run for two failed with 4:54 left.

Harnett Central then clinched the victory with a 65-yard drive. With 2:35 left, Jarrod Spears, who rushed for 203 yards, scored from the 5-yard line.

"Our defensive front [Anthony Johnson, Eric Upchurch, Travis Jones and Brandon McLean] did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage," Trojans coach Marc Morris said. "But credit East Wake. As much as we had the ball, they did a good job keeping us out of the end zone."

Harnett Central quarterback Brian Taylor ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and Brian Baker ran for one touchdown.

East Wake's first touchdown came on a 44-yard pass from Pernell to Banks.

Taylor led Central's victory, hitting seven of 15 targets for 85 yards and rushing 19 times for 138 yards. Jarrod Spears rushed 21 times for 203 yards.

As for the Warriors, Pernell finished the game 10-23 for 132 yards and the two TDs. His main targets were Banks, who caught three passes for 67 yards, and Kasunn Williams, who snagged five tosses for 56 yard. Christian Cosme led the Warriors' ground attack with 28 yards on four carries.

The Warriors take to the road tomorrow (Thursday) to take on Smithfield-Selma at 7:30 p.m. in the second conference game of the season.

Editor's note: Aaron Moody of the Eastern Wake News contributed to this article.