Here are some other notes on the Berrios brothers that didn’t appear in the paper:

Braxton Berrios said he was excited that his older brother was going to return the opening kickoff for Senior Night – and not him. But Braxton also knew WF-R noticed the switch.

On the kickoff, the Cougars kicked the ball directly to Austin. Though Braxton said the Cougars were not intending on hurting Austin, he felt their move was smart and calculated.

“We expected a much closer game and you can’t hold anything back on a team like that,” Braxton said of Austin retuning the kick. “I understand what Wake Forest-Rolesville did trying to kick the ball to him.”

And as expected on its next kickoff, WF-R kicked the ball to Braxton.

“Once they kicked it to him, and that happen, I saw the ball come to me next,” Braxton said. “I said, ‘Let’s get down and ready for the next play.’ ”

The move was critical for Leesville Road as Braxton ran out of bounds after getting a couple yards. Braxton finished the game with 245 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

A mother’s request

Lee Berrios, the mother Austin and Braxton, has told her sons to help each other during their situation.

When Braxton is on the field leading the offense, Lee Berrios wants Austin to help his brother with what he sees on the sidelines. She hopes Austin gives Braxton advice on offensive line protection and the opponent’s coverage schemes.

When Austin comes off the field, she wants Braxton to listen to his older brother and make him feel part of the team.

WAKE FOREST -- After a stunning loss to East Wake last week, Wake-Forest Rolesville coach Reggie Lucas felt his team needed more big plays.

His players came through for him Friday night in a big way, using a mixture of big plays and smash-mouth running to a 37-19 win over Northern Durham.

“We put ourselves in great situations,” Lucas said. “A couple of times we didn’t finish, but for the most part we did and I think that was key for us.”

Wake Forest-Rolesville broke the game open by scoring 24 unanswered points in the first half, including three second-quarter touchdowns. Running back Chris Love was responsible for two scores, including a 71-yard sprint.

Wake Forest-Rolesville has named Mickey Bissette its new boys basketball coach. Deran Coe, the athletic director at WF-R, confirmed the school’s decision Monday morning.

Bissette, who led Green Hope as its athletic director for four years, resigned from the position Tuesday after having several interviews with Coe for the WF-R coaching job. Bissette will now have the responsibility of coaching the Cougars, a young team that is expected to improve with most of its players returning.

“I know he has some strong ideas on what he wants to do with this program,” Coe said. “We’re excited to have him and I know he’ll do a great job.”

Known for being a successful basketball coach, Bissette did not coach the Falcons last season to have more time to commit to his athletic director duties. He was Green Hope’s first boys basketball coach and led the program for 11 seasons. Bissette took the Falcons to seven consecutive playoff appearances from 2003-2009. He became the athletic director in 2006.

“When the [last] season started, I didn't really think it was that bad," Bissette said of not coaching when reached for comment Tuesday. "Then when the games started, it got really tough and it was one of those things where you're like 'I really am missing this.’ ”

During their talks, Bissette expressed to Coe his desire to coach again.

“I think he just missed it,” Coe said. “I think when you’re a coach at heart you want to be with the kids and have that direct impact on them.”

Scott Campbell retired from his position as coach of Apex's girls basketball team Sunday. Campbell has coached the Cougars for the past 20 years.

Campbell has won more 450 wins and led the Cougars to a 10-13 overall record and a 7-9 mark in the Tri-Nine conference last season.

RALEIGH – After 26 games this season, Millbrook coach Chris East is well acquainted with the impact centers Bria Day and Briana Day can have on defense.
But after the Wildcats’ 48-26 victory over Wake Forest-Rolesville in the semifinals of the

Cap-Eight Tournament on Wednesday night, even East was surprised by the postgame stats.

In 32 minutes, Millbrook allowed just three made field goals to WF-R.

That’s right. Three.

“They erase a lot of defensive mistakes on the perimeter,” East said of the two sisters. “They’re so big and wide and they get their hands on balls that not a lot of people can.”

RALEIGH - Wake Forest-Rolesville had climbed the mountain. The Cougars had reached the summit, a chance that allowed lowly recruited players such as Marcus Jones, Chinedu Onuoha and Hunter Williams to play at N.C. State’s Carter-Finley Stadium.

They had won by playing smart and disciplined. Jones even said the Cougars showed more heart than their previous opponents. Now, in the biggest game of the season – and in the history of the football program – the Cougars hung their heads, ending their season in the 4-AA championship game Saturday afternoon with the scoreboard showing something next to their name that they hadn’t seen before:

Matthews Butler 44, Wake Forest-Rolesville 0.

WAKE FOREST -- John Conyers knew he had done his job. With the entire fourth quarter still to be played, he stood at the sideline and tried to control his excitement. Conyers, the quarterback for Wake Forest-Rolesville, knew he wasn’t going to throw the ball again.

That’s because he didn’t need to. The Cougars’ celebrating had begun after Conyers’ 31-yard touchdown throw. And after a 28-7 victory over Panther Creek on Friday in the 4-AA east regional, Conyers and the rest of the Cougars had made school history: they advanced to their first state championship game in football.

WAKE FOREST -- John Conyers knew he had done his job. With the entire fourth quarter still to be played, he stood at the sideline and tried to control his excitement. Conyers, the quarterback for Wake Forest-Rolesville, knew he wasn’t going to throw the ball again.

That’s because he didn’t need to. The Cougars’ celebrating had begun after Conyers’ 31-yard touchdown throw. And after a 28-7 victory over Panther Creek on Friday in the 4-AA east regional, Conyers and the rest of the Cougars had made school history: they advanced to their first state championship game in football.

I’ve really enjoyed watching the high school football in the area, and the Wake Forest-Rolesville Cougars are the most discipline team in the Triangle. I’ve talked a lot with J. Mike Blake this week about Panther Creek for tonight’s Panther Creek/Wake Forest-Rolesville game (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) that will decide who represents the East in the 4-AA state championship game. Last week D.Clay Best saw how balanced the Cougars are both side of the balls. Earlier this week, J. Mike and I had a good discussion on our most recent Outer Loop Sports Show about the game. If you would like to read J. Mike’s prediction, you can do it here.

WAKE FOREST - Marcus Jones did a lot for Wake Forest-Rolesville on Friday night. That was the easy observation in the Cougars’ 40-21 win in the third round of the 3-AA playoffs.

Jones, the Cougars’ most versatile player, led WF-R with four touchdowns runs. Yet Jones did much more to leave his imprint on the game.

He made shoestring tackles on A.J. Clanton, Garner’s best player. He deflected passes. He returned a punt 41 yards before scoring his second touchdown – a 5-yard run in which he stopped near the sideline before jogging into the end zone. He even recovered Garner’s onside kick attempt late in the fourth quarter