In a game that featured 25 total penalties for 191 yards, the Imps downed the visiting Capitals 14-7 Friday night.

“We haven’t been sloppy so far in practices or scrimmages, but we made a lot of mental mistakes (tonight),” Cary coach Ben Kolstad said. “We had a lot of holding penalties and other stuff we’ve got to work on. But you can’t argue with a win.”

After a scoreless first quarter, where the best scoring chance for either team was a missed Cary 32-yard field goal attempt, Imps quarterback Connor Chase plowed into the middle of Broughton’s goal-line defense for a touchdown. His one-yard plunge gave Cary its first lead of the game with 6:57 left in the second quarter.

Cary snuffed out a Broughton red zone threat when a snap sailed over Caps quarterback Will Cooper’s head and bounced out to the 31-yard line where Imps linebacker Anthony Konieczka fell on it.

One play later it was 14-0 Cary.

Chase pounced on the unsuspecting Broughton defense by hitting senior wide receiver Chuboy Umeadi in stride for a 69-yard touchdown down the right sideline with 4:17 left in the half.

“That touchdown was big,” Broughton coach Chris Martin said. “We’ve to get better at understanding situations. A lot of times coaches will go for [a big play] after a turnover, and they did. And it cost us.”

Broughton pushed it into the red zone again, this time Cooper fumbled it away after being stripped. The Caps broke through on a fourth-and-goal with just a few minutes left, as Cooper hooked up with Trey Peace for a 5-yard touchdown.

But it was too little too late.

The Imps fell on the on-side kick and melted to the clock to seal the victory.