After tasting victory for the first time two weeks ago against Keith, the Zion Chapel Rebels came into its game against Kinston ready to string back-to-back wins together.

However, the Bulldogs put those hopes to rest with a 30-7 rout of the Rebels, sinking ZCHS to a dismal 1-4 record.

The loss drops the team to 1-2 in 2A Region 3, which puts them behind Reeltown and St. Jude, who are both 3-0, and Goshen and Hatch, who are both 2-1, currently.

During this five game stretch, ZCHS has only scored 66 points, while its opponents have scored almost a 100 more, with 142 points.

“Definitely a step back,” head coach Mike Waters said at the Rebels practice on Wednesday afternoon.

Waters described the locker room after the loss as being filled with frustration, anger and embarrassment.

“[Kinston] gave us a good old country butt whooping. We couldn’t stop them and we couldn’t move the football,” he added.

On top of the loss, the Rebels also lost their starting quarterback, Lance Walden, who broke collarbone in the beginning of the second quarter.

“Lance was playing above and beyond anyone else [on the team],” Waters said. “It’s going to be hard to overcome an injury like this.”

The Rebels also lost starting fullback Garrett Stinson for the season during the Kinston game.

Senior Dillon Davis will now take the snaps under center for the ZCHS.

“We have a lot of confidence in Dillon – he has the tools to lead this offense,” Waters said.

Things will not get any easier for the Rebels though as the team hits the road to play Reeltown.

“They play super football,” Waters said about the upcoming opponent.

“They play as a team and with discipline and passion. It is going to be quite a challenge for us to even compete with them,” he added.

The coach said in order to get his team better prepared for the upcoming region match up, he has had each practice this week be very physical.

“Everything has been live this week – and I think it is helping us get better.”

Reeltown’s offense has been led by its running attack that averages over 300 yards a game thanks in large part to running back Willie McKenzie.

That offense also has found its way into the end zone quite frequently this season, averging close to 33 points per game.

Despite the tough task at hand, Waters said his crew has remained positive all through the week and more importantly the season.

“Morale is still good, the kids are working hard each and every single day,” the coach said.

“I told our kids, all we need to do is win three out of the next four games and that would probably be good enough to get us into the playoffs – we still have something to play for.”

ZCHS will hope to get back into the playoff picture at Reeltown this Friday when the game gets underway at 7 p.m.