Cougars Return To Finals; Bulldogs’ Run Ends At 12-3

               Coming into this game, the Charlotte Catholic Cougars were heavily favored. The Robinson Bulldogs would not lie down however. The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and drove down the field on their first drive. Quarterback Chase Orrock capped off the opening drive with a five-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Luis Escorza was good.

                The Cougars stormed back with a touchdown drive of their own. Christopher Walton capped off the drive with a three-yard quarterback run into the end-zone. The extra point was no good so the Bulldogs retained a one-point lead. However, in the first quarter mistakes killed Robinson. Two turnovers (a fumble and an interception) turn into to two scores for the Cougars. Lamagea McDowell gave them the lead with a one-yard plunge into the end-zone.

                First play in the second quarter, Milan Howard ran it in from 13-yards out. George Griggs made both extra point kicks. Then the scoring went cold from there. While the Bulldogs were hurt with turnovers, the Cougars were hit with penalties. The score would remain 20-7 at half-time.

                On their second drive in the second half, the Cougars were in position to put the game away but a holding penalty backed them up and the field goal attempt by Griggs was missed. The third quarter would remain a stalemate. After being pinned at their own one-yard line early in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs made another deadly turnover. Chase Foley hit Orrock near the end zone causing a fumble. Ty Foley recovered in the end zone for a Catholic touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed however.

                Robinson would not go away however. Down but not out, the Bulldogs cut into Catholic’s lead with a one-yard plunge by Dawson Williams. The two-point conversion pass from Chase Orrock to Bryson Furr cut the lead to 26-15. But the onside kick was unsuccessful and two unsportsmanlike penalties and a five-yard touchdown run by Lamagea McDowell put the nail in the coffin. The Bulldogs tried to score an oh-by-the-way touchdown, but Orrock’s Hail Mary pass was intercepted in the end zone by Brian Jacobs. Jacobs also recovered a fumble earlier in the game. Jacobs, Riley Berger, Adam Robbe, and Billy Brewer all came up with interceptions.

                Milan Howard amassed 124 yards from scrimmage (76 rushing, 48 receiving) and a touchdown. McDowell rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns.

                “Our team works so hard. It’s a hard fought game. Both teams gave the fans what they came to see.” Said Catholic head coach Mike Brodowicz “We hurt ourselves with penalties. It’s something that we’re going to have to clean up in the state championship game. When you’re 1^st-and-20, it’s hard to get in anybody’s offense and Jay M. Robinson did a good job in dropping back in our passing lanes. So they’re giving us 5 or 6 yards a play and we still end up 4^th-and-4.”

                “Our defense has been phenomenal all year. We’re basically giving up three points a game from our starting group. We’ve leaned on our defense. It’s been the defense’s time to step up and help out when we were struggling a little bit and finding a rhythm on offense. It’s been like that all year. We have a well-rounded team in all three phases.”

                “We worked on something they haven’t seen which is flex-bone option.” said Robinson head coach Joe Glass “We run down the field and go and they made the adjustment like that and that’s a great coaching job by them. We thought we were going to attack some certain things and they were really good on the perimeter. We just didn’t get the job done tonight.”

                “We had a couple of things that I thought went our way with some turnovers. We didn’t get them. The biggest difference in the game was special teams and turnovers. If we don’t turn the ball over, we’re in the ball game.”

                Charlotte Catholic will play Havelock at Duke University next week. Havelock defeated Western Alamance 41-14.

Mountaineers Stumble In Overtime

               This time of year, it gets down to the nitty gritty. The winner of this game is one game closer to having the right to travel to Duke for the 3A state title. It would be Jay M. Robinson that would earn that right as they upended Kings Mountain 47-46 in overtime.

                Things started off rocky for the Mountaineers as they were stopped on their first drive at the Bulldog 31 yard line. Robinson got on the board first with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Chase Orrock to Que Reid. The extra point kick by Braden Tautkus was good. The Bulldogs initially stopped the Mountaineers on their next drive but a roughing the punter call gave the Mountaineers new life and they would capitalize.

                Being backed up to the Bulldog 35 yard line due to penalties did not seem to faze the Mountaineers. On 2^nd-and-29, Kaylon Wade connected with Kobe Paysour for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Michael Randall’s extra point tied the game up at 7-7. The Mountaineers struck again with another touchdown pass. This time, Wade would connect with Dontavious Hughes from 18 yards out. Randall’s kick made it 14-7.

                Robinson would storm back. The Bulldogs fumbled the ball on a pitch between Orrock and Reid. It looked like the Mountaineers recovered but it was ruled 2^nd-and-17 for the Bulldogs. The following play, Reid broke through the defense and turned it into an 83-yard touchdown scoring run. The extra point was missed so the Mountaineers maintained a 14-13 lead. Right before half-time, the Mountaineers would poor it on. Ricaylen Mack got in on the scoring fun with a one-yard touchdown run with just five seconds to go before half-time. Michael Randall was 3-for-3 on his extra point kicks in the first half so the score was 21-13.

                The Bulldogs got the second half kickoff and would cap it off with a touchdown pass from Orrock to Bryson Furr from six-yards out. The two-point conversion to tie it failed, however. Things would get worse before they got better for Robinson. Ricaylen Mack’s three-yard touchdown run widened the Mountaineers lead and Randall’s extra point kick made it a two possession game at 28-19.

                The remainder of the third quarter would be a turnover fest. As Kings Mountain was headed for the jugular, Wade was intercepted by Que Reid. The Bulldogs would give it right back as Orrock was intercepted by Kobe Paysour. Wade would throw another interception. It would turn into a Pick-6 by Jahari Young. Robinson would go for the two-point conversion again and this time, Que Reid’s run for the two-point conversion run cut the Mountaineers’ lead to 28-27.

                The Mountaineers offense would come back to life. A jet sweep by Christopher Britton turned into a 66-yard touchdown run for the Mountaineers. The extra point kick was missed however and that was big. The Bulldogs would tie the game up at 34-34 with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Orrock to Chris Caldwell and Luis Escorza’s extra point kick. On 4^th-and-goal from the nine, Robinson would take the lead with another Orrock touchdown pass. This time, he connected with Joel Kacan for the nine-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick would be no good.

                The Mountaineers would tie the game up with just over three minutes to go. Kaylon Wade connected with Hughes for a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie the game up at 40-40. Randall’s extra point sailed wide however. Neither team got anything going on offense after that so the game went into overtime. The Bulldogs got the first crack at it in overtime and on the first play, Orrock took it in himself for a ten-yard touchdown run. Kings Mountain would also score on their first down in overtime. Mack would take it in for the ten-yard touchdown run. The Mountaineers would go for the win on the two-point conversion try but Mack was stopped just short and the Bulldogs came away with the 47-46 win.

                Robinson will travel to take on Charlotte Catholic. They beat Weddington 42-7.

                “They are a heck of a football team and for us to walk away from here in this stadium as cold as it is and with their fans is a big thing for us.” said Robinson head coach Joe Glass “Our kids don’t give up. They may get their head bloodied but they won’t bow down. They’ll keep playing and that’s what they did tonight.”

                “We played hard. We made a lot of plays both sides. They ended up making one more than we did.” said Kings Mountain head coach Greg Lloyd “Give those guys credit. They played hard. Both were evenly matched tonight.”

                Chase Orrock led the Robinson offense with 205 yards and five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing). He was intercepted three times however. Que Reid amassed 209 yards from scrimmage (142 yards rushing and 67 yards receiving) and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving). On defense, Reid and Jahari Young intercepted Kaylon Wade and the Bulldogs also recovered a muffed punt in the third quarter.

Kaylon Wade led Kings Mountain’s offense with 233 yards passing and three touchdowns. Ricaylen Mack amassed 164 yards rushing for Kings Mountain and three touchdowns. Kobe Paysour and Dontavious Hughes combined for 256 receiving yards and three touchdowns (Paysour 143 yards, one touchdowns. Hughes 113 yards, two touchdowns). Christopher Britton amassed 149 all-purpose yards (85 rushing, 11 receiving and a 53 yard half-back pass to Paysour) and a rushing touchdown. On defense, Charles Osbourne, Paysour and Reese Reinhardt each intercepted Chase Orrock. A.J. Austin, Jerdon Pressley, JT Cash and Stefan Chisholm registered a sack.

               

Area High School Week 3 Picks

Jay M. Robinson 14 @ Kings Mountain 35

Shelby 41 @ Mount Pleasant 14

Bessemer City 14 @ Mount Airy 35

Thomas Jefferson 28 @ Cherrokee 31

Red Raiders’ Run Ends, Shelby’s Quest For Five Continues

                The Shelby Golden Lions traveled to the South Point Red Raiders for the second time in three weeks. South Point won the first game 35-15 in the regular season finale. But we have all heard the old saying “It’s hard to beat a good team twice.” Early on, the Red Raiders would seemingly refute that phrase as they stopped the Golden Lions on their first drive and scored on their first drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Jake Alexander. The Red Raiders were primed to extend their lead on the ensuing drive but would miss a 36-yard field-goal.

                Shelby would strike back in the second quarter with a four-yard run by Xavier Brooks. The extra point was missed however. They would snatch the lead late in the second quarter with a Malik Surratt 35-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Green. Chase Hendrick’s extra point was good. South Point would drive deep into Shelby territory but would be stopped at the six-yard line. They would have to settle for a 23-yard field-goal by Cade Ratliff. That would make the score 13-10 at half-time.

                The Red Raiders received the second half kickoff but would not punch it on their first drive. But they would pull ahead on their second drive. Backed deep in their own territory, Scottie Lee would hit Keaton Hale for a short pass that Hale would take 73 yards for a touchdown. Ratliff’s extra point kick made it 17-13.

                The fourth quarter was not kind to the Red Raiders as they were outscored 20-6. Shelby’s Xavier Brooks put the Golden Lions back on top with a 26-yard touchdown run. Jake Alexander would give the Red Raiders the 23-20 lead. Brooks’s one yard touchdown run gave Shelby the lead back at 26-23. On the ensuing kickoff, the Red Raiders fumbled the ball and the Golden Lions recovered. That gave Brooks a chance to ice it for Shelby with another one-yard touchdown run. Hendrick’s extra point made the final 33-23.

                Shelby’s drive for five is still alive. South Point’s quest for a repeat has come to a crashing halt. Shelby will travel to take on Mount Pleasant next week. The Tigers beat the Fred T. Foard Tigers 28-14.

                “I’m elated.” Said Shelby head coach Lance Ware “I told the other guys that I have been part of seven state champions as a head coach and as an assistant. But I don’t know if I ever had a more satisfying win than tonight. They were embarrassed last time we were down here in the regular season. They weren’t ready to play and that was my fault.”

                “There are a lot of champions on this team and a lot of champions on that team. It came down to guts and finding a way to make a play and we were able to do that tonight.” Ware said “We’re going to enjoy this tonight. Get in there and go to work and get ready for whoever we are playing. Thankful to be practicing on Thanksgiving. You never take that for granted.”

                “They got a good team. They got good field position and momentum at times.” Said South Point head coach Adam Hodge “We were in it till the fumble. Everything gets magnified in big games. It’s going to be tough to overcome. But we kept fighting. Our guys played their guts out.”

                Malik Surratt led the Golden Lions with 248 passing yards and a touchdown. Xavier Brooks amassed 97 yards rushing four touchdowns. Scottie Lee led South Point with 159 total yards (112 passing and 47 rushing) and a touchdown. Jake Alexander amassed 86 yards and two touchdowns.

               

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Round 2 Playoff Picks

Shelby 14 @ South Point 21

Weddington 28 @ Hunter Huss 21

Stuart Cramer 14 @ Charlotte Catholic 55

Crest 21 @ Jay M. Robinson 17

Rockingham County 14 @ Kings Mountain 28

Lincolnton 14 @ South Columbus 24

Swain County 27 @ Bessemer City 14

Robbinsville 14 @ Mountain Island Charter 21

Elkin 21 @ Thomas Jefferson 48

Same Game, Same Result, Different Score

                Sometimes you get another bite at the apple, but sometimes it’s the same flavor. That was the case as Forestview traveled to Kings Mountain for the first round playoff matchup. The Mountaineers crushed the Jaguars 63-7 two weeks ago. This time, it was the same result though the score was a little closer. This time Kings Mountain won 48-13.

                Ricaylen Mack led Kings Mountain with 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He scored on runs of 13, 9 and 10. But it was a 37-yard field-goal by Micah Randall that got the party started for the Mountaineers. A 58-yard pass from Kaylon Wade to Christopher Brittain for a touchdown gave the Mountaineers a 10-0 lead early. Wade threw another touchdown in the second quarter. That one was a 14-yarder to Dontavious Hughes.

                The score was 31-0 at half-time. The second half started out in similar fashion as the first half. Randall kicked a 39-yard field-goal to give the Mountaineers a 34-0 lead. Mack’s ten-yard touchdown run gave the Mountaineers a 41-0 lead late in the third quarter and that would be the end of his night as the subs would come in and finish the game off.

                The Jaguars did have a few bright spots and did avoid the shutout. Aaron Bennett’s 70-yard touchdown run put the Jaguars on the board. Josh Medlin’s extra point kick made it 41-7. After forcing Kings Mountain to punt, Forestview’s Jake Lee picked up what was thought to be a dead ball and took it 70 yards for a punt return for a touchdown. The extra point kick was missed however.

                The Mountaineers would put the exclamation point on it with a 30-yard touchdown run by Qua Brooks. Randall was 6-for-6 on his extra point attempts. Forestview ends their season 4-8. Kings Mountain (11-1) will face Rockingham County at home next week.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Round 1 Playoff Picks

3AA

Ashbrook 21 @ Mount Tabor 41

3A

Concord 30 @ Stuart Cramer 27

West Rowan 17 @ Hunter Huss 31

Forestview 12 @ Kings Mountain 28

Monroe 14 @ Crest 35

2AA

West Iredell 7 @ South Point 55

Newton-Conover 20 @ Shelby 24

West Lincoln 14 @ Reidsville 48

East Lincoln 21 @ Mount Pleasant 28

2A

Lincolnton 35 @ Graham 14

1AA

Cherryville 14 @ Swain County 35

Bessemer City, bye

1A

Thomas Jefferson, bye

Mountain Island Charter, bye

Forestview Shocks Stuart Cramer

This has been another year of firsts for Stuart Cramer. Just last week, they survived their first ever overtime game against Hunter Huss 21-14. It was also their first win against the Huskies. Tonight was another first, the Storm’s varsity team has never played at Forestview before and they have never beaten the Jaguars. Could they get a two-for-one tonight as they pay a visit? That answer would be no!

Forestview would get the ball first and they would get on the board. A 24-yard touchdown pass from Jake Lee to Cameron Carter would put them up 6-0. The extra point kick would fail, however. The Storm would answer that with a score of their own. Jaylen Rocquemore connected with tight-end Kendall Karr for a 59-yard touchdown pass. Devin Baldwin gave the Storm a one-point lead with the extra point kick.

Forestview would take the lead back with a one-yard run by Jake Lee. Lined up for the extra point kick, the Jaguars went for the fake and Jayson Young scored on the two-point conversion. The defenses took over from that point forward. Each team would turn it over once in the second half.

In the second half, Stuart Cramer received the kick off and they would capitalize. Tyreese Morris cut Forestview’s lead with a seven-yard touchdown run. The kick to tie it would be blocked however. Forestview would put themselves in position to answer that score. A 58-yard pass from Jake Lee to Cameron Carter would set them up at the four-yard line. But on fourth down, the Storm defense would stop them short at the one-yard line. Cramer would not be able to advance the ball past the six-yard line and were forced to punt.

Forestview would score on the ensuing drive. Lee’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Kyra Peterkin gave the Jaguars the 20-13 lead. The two-point conversion pass play was just short.

In the fourth quarter, the Storm put together a drive that took them all the way to the Forestview six-yard line. But on second down, a bad snap backed them up to the 15. The Storm ended up settling for a 25-yard field goal by Devin Baldwin. They would not get any closer.

After Forestview recovered a muffed punt by the Storm, Jake Lee would get his third passing touchdown of the day when he connected with Jalen Neely-Baldwin for a 14-yard scoring pass. The kick would fail however and the score remained 26-16. That would end up being the final.

Jake Lee led Forestview’s offense with 273 passing yards and four touchdowns (one rushing) and one interception. On defense, Aveon Reid got two interceptions for the Jaguars. Xavier Worthy, Turner Edwards, Cameron Bame and Christian Harwell all registered sacks for Forestview. Gabe Washington got the Storm's only interception and the Storm also recovered a fumble. Caleb Clemmer and Dylan Collins each got sacks for the Storm. Cramer's offense amassed 250 yards (170 rushing and 80 passing).

"I was happy for our team, our fans and our school." said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin "It was a big win over very good team. I'm just thrilled to death for our seniors and I hope we get to play again next week. I think we're in!"

"They were ready to play and we weren't.That was my fault. I should have done a better job of having them prepared. That's about it." said Cramer head coach Ben McMillan "We didn't execute well. We had some stupid penalties. We have to get better if we want to win next week in the playoffs."

Forestview (4-7) will travel to conference rival, Kings Mountain (10-1), for their first round playoff game. Stuart Cramer (7-4) will host Concord (5-6).

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 12 Picks

Shelby 14 @ South Point 28

Ashbrook 31 @ Hunter Huss 34

Kings Mountain 24 @ Crest 17

Stuart Cramer 42 @ Forestview 14

North Gaston 27 @ Burns 24

East Gaston 14 @ East Rutherford 48

Maiden 35 @ Lincolnton 21

East Lincoln 28 @ Newton-Conover 35

North Lincoln 21 @ Bandys 24

Lake Norman Charter 14 @ West Lincoln 48

Cherryville 14 @ Bessemer City 34

Highland Tech 12 @ Mountain Island Charter 54

Thomas Jefferson 28 @ Union Academy 21

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 12 Best to Last

1. South Point (10-0)(4-0) won 69-0 over Chase
2. Shelby (9-1)(4-0) won 28-7 over East Rutherford
3. Kings Mountain (9-1)(6-0) won 63-7 over Forestview
4. Crest (7-3)(5-1) won 56-8 over Burns
5. Thomas Jefferson (10-0)(6-0) won 34-16 over Mountain Island Charter
6. Stuart Cramer (7-3)(4-2) won 21-14 (OT) to Hunter Huss
7. Bessemer City (9-1)(5-1) won 60-15 over Community School of Davidson
8. Hunter Huss (6-4)(4-2) lost 21-14 (OT) to Stuart Cramer
9. Mountain Island Charter (7-3)(4-2) lost 34-16 to Thomas Jefferson
10. East Lincoln (6-4)(5-1) won 42-35 (OT) over West Lincoln
11. Lincolnton (5-5)(4-2) won 56-41 over North Lincoln
12. Ashbrook (4-6)(3-3) won 48-40 over North Gaston
13. Forestview (3-7)(2-4) lost 63-7 to Kings Mountain
14. West Lincoln (3-7)(1-5) lost 42-35 (OT) to East Lincoln
15. North Lincoln (2-8)(1-5) lost 56-41 to Lincolnton
16. East Gaston (2-8)(1-3) lost 28-20 to R-S Central
17. North Gaston (2-8)(0-6) lost 48-40 to Ashbrook
18. Burns (1-9)(0-6) lost 56-8 to Crest
19. Cherryville (4-6)(2-4) won 27-7 over Pine Lake Prep
20. Highland Tech (2-8)(0-6) lost 42-12 to Union Academy

This week's match-ups

　

Shelby @ South Point

Crest @ Kings Mountain

Ashbrook @ Hunter Huss

Stuart Cramer @ Forestview

North Gaston @ Burns

East Gaston @ East Rutherford

East Lincoln @ Newton-Conover

Maiden @ Lincolnton

North Lincoln @ Bandys

Lake Norman Charter @ West Lincoln

Cherryville @ Bessemer City

Highland Tech @ Mountain Island Charter

Thomas Jefferson @ Union Academy

Stuart Cramer Takes Down Hunter Huss In Overtime, Dashes Huskies Conference Title Hopes

                Coming into this game, both teams had a lot on the line. The Hunter Huss Huskies were trying to keep pace with conference front-runner, Kings Mountain. The Storm was trying to stay in the hunt for a good playoff spot. Neither team’s offense could muster any points in the first half. The Huskies looked like they were going to get the first points on the board, but a field goal attempt by Trevor Hargett was blocked.

                The first score of the game would be a defensive special teams play. Backed up near their own end zone, Hunter Huss was forced to punt. But the Storm’s John Griffin blocked the punt and it was recovered in the end zone by Landon Helton. Devin Baldwin’s extra point kick made it 7-0.

                The Huskies drove down the field to answer that score, but they would be stopped on 4^th-and-goal from the one-yard line. They would not let the Storm get out of the shadow of their end zone however. When the Huskies forced them to punt, Tony Davis took the punt return 32 yards for what would be a touchdown, but an illegal block brought it back. The score would remain 7-0 at half-time.

                On their first drive, the Huskies finally put together a successful drive. Dallas Danner’s explosive 77-yard run up the middle gave the Huskies their first points of the game. Trevor Hargett’s kick tied it up at 7-7. Jaylen Rocquemore’s seven-yard run for a touchdown put the Storm back on top 14-7 in the third quarter.

                The Huskies would tie it up in the fourth quarter with a two-yard run by quarterback Zo Wallace. That play was set up by a 34-yard pass from Wallace to Chase Nixon. The Storm had plenty of time to get a game-winning drive going. But on 3^rd-and-2 near the Huskies 30-yard line, a false start would back them up and they ended up turning it over on downs.

                It was the Huskies turn to try and go a game-winning drive. But Wallace was intercepted by Landon Helton on a deep pass and he took it into Huskies territory near the 45. On the ensuing drive, Jaylen Rocquemore was intercepted by Tony Davis on a deep pass inside the five-yard line. Hunter Huss would opt to play for overtime. Prior to those two turnovers, there was only one turnover and that was a fumble by Kaiser Kayton that was recovered by Hunter Huss’s Chase Nixon.

                The Storm got the ball first in overtime and on the first play, Rocquemore took the ball the whole ten yards for a touchdown. Devin Baldwin’s kick made it 21-14. Disaster struck on the Huskies second play in overtime, as the Huskies would fumble. Stuart Cramer’s Dylan Collins recovered the fumble to seal the deal for the Storm. Along with the fumble recovery, Collins registered 1.5 sacks and 2 TFL’s.

                Dallas Danner led all rushers with 163 yards and a touchdown. Zo Wallace Amassed 135 yards passing and a rushing touchdown. Jalen Rocquemore led the Storm offense with 103 yards (57 rushing and 46 passing) Kaiser Kayton and Tyreese Morris combined for 112 yards rushing.

                “I’m super proud of our guys. We fought through this whole game. They came through and finished the game in the end.” said Cramer head coach Ben McMillan “Our defense played exceptional all night except for two big plays. The goal line stand was huge, the blocked punt was huge. Our defense just did an outstanding job. Hats off to Hunter Huss. They played awesome tonight.”

                Not only was it the Storm’s first win over county rival, Hunter Huss. It was their first ever overtime game. The Huskies will not repeat as Big South conference champs.

                “We got to figure out which team is going to show up. Are we going to have the team that beat Crest show up or are we going to have that team that lost to Kings Mountain show up.” said Hunter Huss head coach Jamar McCoy “Bottom line, offense has to match what defense does. Defense played an excellent, excellent ball game tonight. The offense did not even match it. Offense has been so sporadic this year that it’s not even funny. We put so much pressure on the defense to bail us out. We have to do better offensively. It’s a must, a stone cold must. Come Monday, there’s going to be a reckoning.”

                Stuart Cramer travels to Forestview next week. The Jaguars (3-7)(2-4) lost 63-7 to Kings Mountain. Hunter Huss will host arch-rival, Ashbrook. The Green Wave (4-6)(3-3) won 48-40 over North Gaston.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 11 Picks

Stuart Cramer 20 @ Hunter Huss 34

Forestview 13 @ Kings Mountain 40

North Gaston 14 @ Ashbrook 24

Crest 41 @ Burns 14

South Point 63 @ Chase 0

East Rutherford 7 @ Shelby 48

East Gaston 21 @ R-S Central 31

Lincolnton 31 @ North Lincoln 24

West Lincoln 14 @ East Lincoln 28

Mountain Island Charter 30 @ Thomas Jefferson 27

Bessemer City 38 @ Community School of Davidson 14

Pine Lake Prep 35 @ Cherryville 13

Union Acadmey 48 @ Highland Tech 20

Bonus: Newton-Conover 35 @ Maiden 21

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 11 Best To Last

1. South Point (9-0)(3-0) won 62-0 over R-S Central
2. Shelby (8-1)(3-0) won 51-6 over East Gaston
3. Kings Mountain (8-1)(5-0) won 15-0 over Burns
4. Hunter Huss (6-3)(4-1) won 41-6 over Forestview
5. Crest (6-3)(4-1) won 49-13 over North Gaston
6. Thomas Jefferson (9-0)(5-0) won 26-14 over Bessemer City
7. Bessemer City (8-1)(4-1) lost 26-14 to Thomas Jefferson
8. Mountain Island Charter (7-2)(4-1) won 48-18 over Pine Lake Prep
9. Stuart Cramer (6-3)(3-2) won 43-15 over Ashbrook
10. East Lincoln (5-4)(4-1) lost 44-43 in 2OT to Maiden
11. Lincolnton (4-5)(3-2) won 53-14 over Lake Norman Charter
12. Ashbrook (3-6)(2-3) lost 43-15 to Stuart Cramer
13. Forestview (3-6)(2-3) lost 41-6 to Hunter Huss
14. West Lincoln (3-6)(1-4) lost 35-23 to Bandys
15. North Lincoln (2-7)(1-4) lost 49-6 to Newton-Conover
16. East Gaston (2-7)(1-2) lost 51-6 to Shelby
17. North Gaston (2-7)(0-5) lost 49-13 to Crest
18. Burns (1-8)(0-5) lost 15-0 to Kings Mountain
19. Cherryville (3-6)(1-4) won 33-25 over Highland Tech
20. Highland Tech (2-7)(0-5) lost 33-25 to Cherryville

This week's match-ups

　

Stuart Cramer @ Hunter Huss

Forestview @ Kings Mountain

Crest @ Burns

North Gaston @ Ashbrook

South Point @ Chase

East Gaston @ R-S Central

East Rutherford @ Shelby

Lincolnton @ North Lincoln

West Lincoln @ East Lincoln

Mountain Island Charter @ Thomas Jefferson

Pine Lake Prep @ Cherryville

Bessemer City @ Community School of Davidson

Bonus: Newton-Conover @ Maiden

Huskies Roll After Giving Up Early Kickoff

               Both teams were trying to stay alive for the playoff race. The Huskies came into the game with a 5-3 record while Forestview came in with a 3-5 record. Hunter Huss was the clear favorite but Forestview was looking for an upset.

                Things looked great early on for Forestview as Jalen Neely-Baldwin took the opening kickoff 85 yards for the first touchdown. The kick for the extra point failed, however. But that would be as good as it got for the Jaguars. On the ensuing drive, a 36 yard run by Dallas Danner and a 32-yard run by Crawford Chandler set up the Huskies first points of the game. Danner finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Trevor Hargett gave the Huskies the lead with the extra point kick.

                Danner would extend the lead with a 12-yard run. Hargett’s kick made the score 14-6. The second quarter was a stalemate as both teams would be plagued with turnovers. The Jaguars had a chance to cut the lead to five but missed field goal with around 16 seconds left in the half. The second half would be all Hunter Huss.

                Freshman Malik Corry would extend the Huskies lead with a 49-yard touchdown run. Forestview would try to answer that with a drive of their own but Jake Lee was intercepted by Tez Price at the Huskie 18-yard line. Price would return it 82 yards for the touchdown. A 13-yard touchdown run by Saveon Falls and a 47-yard run by Damarius Davis would lift the Huskies to a 41-6 lead. Hargett was 5-for-6 on extra point kicks.

                The Huskies improve to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in Big South play. Forestview falls to 3-6 and 2-3 in conference play. Hunter Huss will host Stuart Cramer, a 43-15 winner over Ashbrook. Forestview will travel to Kings Mountain, a 15-0 winner over Burns.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland County Week 10 Picks

Ashbrook 28 @ Stuart Cramer 21

Hunter Huss 31 @ Forestview 17

Crest 34 @ North Gaston 7

Burns 7 @ Kings Mountain 38

South Point 55 @ R-S Central 7

Shelby 45 @ East Gaston 7

East Lincoln 14 @ Maiden 28

North Lincoln 14 @ Newton-Conover 31

Lake Norman Charter 7 @ Lincolnton 42

West Lincoln 27 @ Bandys 21

Thomas Jefferson 21 @ Bessemer City 20

Highland Tech 20 @ Cherryville 35

Pine Lake Prep 14 @ Mountain Island Charter 48

Jaguars Stifle Burns Rally In Injury Plagued Game

               The Jaguars broke a five-game losing streak last week with a 35-34 win at North Gaston. Could they keep their winning streak going on their homecoming night? Early on, it looked like the answer would be yes as Forestview raced out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter with a 14-yard run by Javari Rice and a three-yard run by Aaron Bennett. The Bulldogs would drive deep into Forestview territory twice in the first half but would be turned away by turnovers. Forestview also would have a long drive stymied with a turnover. Jahari Mitchell would intercept a pass by Jake Lee toward the end of the first half. Anthony Nance would counter that with an interception of his own after picking off a pass by Spencer Devine. Xavier Worthy intercepted a Devine pass earlier in the game.

                The Bulldogs got back in it in the second half with an 81-yard run by Je’Vione Livingston. Zack Phillips’s extra point made it 13-7. A four-yard run by Jahari Mitchell tied the game up 13-13. It would remain that way as the kick was blocked.

                After Forestview quarterback, Jake Lee and running-back, Aaron Bennett left the game with injuries, it was time for their backups to contribute. Backup quarterback, Graham Wiggins got Forestview back on top with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jake Long. The two-point conversion would fail however. Burns would counter that with a Kujuan Pryor 13-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick would give the Bulldogs the lead, but it would be blocked once again.

                Holt Cloninger put the Jaguars on top for good with a 25-yard field goal. The Bulldogs would try to respond but an illegal forward pass on fourth down stopped their drive and the Jaguars were able to run the clock out with 14 second remaining.

                CJ Hopper and Je’Vione Livingston combined for 187 yards rushing. Jake Lee led the Forestview offense with 182 yards passing before leaving the game. Kyra Peterkin was the recipient of 111 of those yards and Jake Long amassed 131 yards receiving with 101 coming from Graham Wiggins.

                “Heck of a game by both teams. Proud of our guys. (We) found a way to do it because it was hard fought.” Said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “We got to go 1-0 next week. Got to take it one game at a time.”

                “I thought our kids played hoard. They continued to play throughout the game. We just couldn’t get ahead. We got our PAT’s blocked.” Said Burns head coach David Devine “Hats off to Forestview. They played hard. We just continue to make mistakes that you can’t make in this league. Part of it is youth. Part of it is lack of playing experience, but we just have to quit making mistakes.”

                Burns will travel to Kings Mountain next week. The Mountaineers defeated Ashbrook 27-26. Forestview will be home again against Hunter Huss. The Huskies defeated Crest 33-30 in overtime.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 9 Picks

Kings Mountain 31 @ Ashbrook 21

Hunter Huss 17 @ Crest 31

Burns 24 @ Forestview 27

North Gaston 14 @ Stuart Cramer 24

East Rutherford 7 @ South Point 38

R-S Central 7 @ Shelby 42

Chase 14 @ East Gaston 28

Lincolnton 35 @ West Lincoln 21

Bandys 14 @ East Lincoln 35

Maiden 34 @ North Lincoln 17

Bessemer City 35 @ Pine Lake Prep 14

Mountain Island Charter 42 @ Community School of Davidson 21

Cherryville 13 @ Union Academy 41

Thomas Jefferson 48 @ Highland Tech 20

Gaston Lincoln and Cleveland Best To Last Week 9

1. South Point (7-0)(1-0) won 56-0 over East Gaston
2. Shelby (6-1)(1-0) won 63-0 over Chase
3. Kings Mountain (6-1)(3-0) won 38-13 over Hunter Huss
4. Crest (5-2)(3-0) won 38-20 over Ashbrook
5. Bessemer City (7-0)(3-0) won 8-7 over Union Academy
6. Thomas Jefferson (7-0)(3-0) won 63-42 over Community School of Davidson
7. Mountain Island Charter (5-2)(2-1) won 48-6 over Cherryville
8. Hunter Huss (4-3)(2-1) lost 38-13 to Kings Mountain
9. Ashbrook (3-4)(2-1) lost 38-20 to Crest
10. East Lincoln (4-3)(3-0) won 35-31 over North Lincoln
11. Stuart Cramer (4-3)(1-2) won 28-21 over Burns
12. Forestview (2-5)(1-2) won 35-34 over North Gaston
13. North Gaston (2-5)(0-3) lost 35-34 to Forestview
14. West Lincoln (3-4)(1-2) lost 58-8 to Newton-Conover
15. North Lincoln (2-5)(1-2) lost 35-31 to East Lincoln
16. Lincolnton (2-5)(1-2) won 42-21 over Bandys
17. Burns (1-6)(0-3) lost 28-21 to Stuart Cramer
18. East Gaston (1-6)(0-1) lost 56-0 to South Point
19. Cherryville (2-5)(0-3) lost 48-6 to Mountain Island Charter
20. Highland Tech (2-5)(0-3) lost 30-0 to Pine Lake Prep

 
This week's match-ups
　

Kings Mountain @ Ashbrook

Hunter Huss @ Crest

Burns @ Forestview

North Gaston @ Stuart Cramer

East Rutherford @ South Point

Chase @ East Gaston

Lincolnton @ West Lincoln

Bandys @ East Lincoln

Maiden @ North Lincoln

Bessemer City @ Pine Lake Prep

Thomas Jefferson @ Highland Tech

Mountain Island Charter @ Community School of Davidson

Cherryville @ Union Academy

Early Mistakes Ruin Homecoming For Hunter Huss

               Both teams were 2-0 in conference play and looking to keep it going. Hunter Huss won the Big South 3A/2A conference last year with a 7-0 record. In order to keep that streak going, they would have to play great ball against a strong Kings Mountain team. That was not the case early on as the Mountaineers were successful on the opening on-side kick.

                Kings Mountain would capitalize with a two-yard touchdown run by Qua Brooks. Micah Randall’s extra point made it 7-0. The Huskies were unable to find the end zone so they relied on the foot of Trevor Hargett to get them on the board. He did just that with a 42-yard field goal to cut the Mountaineers’ lead to 7-3. Special teams mistakes continued to plague Hunter Huss as the Huskies muffed a punt. They were able to stop Kings Mountain on that drive. But a partially blocked punt in the second quarter set Kings Mountain up in great field position.

                The Mountaineers extended the lead with an 18-yard run by Ricaylen Mack. The extra point by Randall made it 14-3. Hargett kicked another field goal for the Huskies before half-time. This time it was from 32 yards out. That made it 14-6 at half-time.

                The second half would be all Kings Mountain. Micah Randall gave Kings Mountain the 17-6 lead with a 44-yard field-goal. Then on their next drive, they would be assisted by two 15-yard penalties on the Huskies. That gave quarterback Kaylon Wade a chance to hit Dontavious Hughes for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The extra point kick was missed however.

                The Huskies would continue to shoot themselves in the foot. A fumble in the end zone by Crawford Chandler put another two points on the board for the Mountaineers for the safety. Mack’s 20-yard touchdown run and Randall’s extra point kick made the score 32-6 before the third quarter was over and it would be an even taller mountain for the Huskies to climb.

                Que Brooks’s 83-yard touchdown run buried Huss even deeper. But the Huskies did finally put a touchdown on the board with a 48-yard pass from Zo Wallace to Crawford Chandler with less than a minute to go. Hargett’s extra point kick was good.

                “It was a big win and I was tickled with how well our team played. I thought everybody contributed in all three phases tonight and I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.” said Kings Mountain head coach Greg Lloyd “We’ve been a good second half team all year for whatever reason so that kind of continued on tonight. They (Huss) have a fantastic team. They got great athletes. They’re tough!”

                “Against a strong team such as this, you can’t turn the ball over. We had two costly turnovers to start this ball game.” said Hunter Huss head coach Jamar McCoy “We played behind the sticks and played behind on the scoreboard all night long. We just never recovered. We had some kids get disqualified because of some hits.”

                Ricaylen Mack led Kings Mountain with 117 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Zo Wallace led Hunter Huss with 146 yards passing and a touchdown. The Mountaineers make another trip to Gastonia next week as they take on Ashbrook. The Green Wave lost 38-20 to Crest. Hunter Huss travels to play the Crest Chargers next week.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 8 Picks

Kings Mountain 28 @ Hunter Huss 21

Crest 28 @ Ashbrook 14

Forestview 20 @ North Gaston 27

Stuart Cramer 27 @ Burns 14

East Gaston 13 @ South Point 52

Shelby 35 @ Chase 0

Bandys 13 @ Lincolnton 16

East Lincoln 14 @ North Lincoln 21

West Lincoln 14 @ Newton-Conover 38

Union Academy 24 @ Bessemer City 27

Mountain Island Charter 35 @ Cherryville 13

Community School of Davidson 17 @ Thomas Jefferson 34

Highland Tech 20 @ Pine Lake Prep 45

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 8 Best To Last

1. South Point (6-0) won 35-13 over Ashbrook
2. Shelby (5-1) bye
3. Kings Mountain (5-1)(2-0) won 56-20 over North Gaston
4. Crest (4-2)(2-0) won 40-13 over Stuart Cramer
5. Hunter Huss (4-2)(2-0) won 48-21 over Burns
6. Ashbrook (3-3)(2-0) lost 35-13 to South Point
7. Stuart Cramer (3-3)(0-2) lost 40-13 to Crest
8. Bessemer City (6-0)(2-0) won 49-13 over Highland Tech
9. Thomas Jefferson (6-0)(2-0) won 40-8 over Pine Lake Prep
10. Mountain Island Charter (4-2)(1-1) won 28-21 over Union Academy
11. North Gaston (2-4)(0-2) lost 56-20 to Kings Mountain
12. West Lincoln (3-3)(1-1) lost 27-13 to Maiden
13. Burns (1-5)(0-2) lost 48-21 to Hunter Huss
14. North Lincoln (2-4)(1-1) won 55-7 over Lake Norman Charter
15. East Lincoln (3-3)(2-0) won 12-7 over Lincolnton
16. Lincolnton (1-5)(0-2) lost 12-7 to East Lincoln
17. Forestview (1-5)(0-2) bye
18. East Gaston (1-5) lost 56-31 to Blacksburg
19. Cherryville (2-4)(0-2) lost 34-33 to Community School of Davidson
20. Highland Tech (2-4)(0-2) lost 49-13 to Bessemer City

This week's match-ups
　
Crest @ Ashbrook

Forestview @ North Gaston

Kings Mountain @ Hunter Huss

Stuart Cramer @ Burns

East Gaston @ South Point

Shelby @ Chase

Bandys @ Lincolnton

West Lincoln @ Newton-Conover

East Lincoln @ North Lincoln

Union Academy @ Bessemer City

Community School of Davidson @ Thomas Jefferson

Mountain Island Charter @ Cherryville

Highland Tech @ Pine Lake Prep

　

Red Raiders Pull Away From Ashbrook In Emotional Game

                This is one of those games that had a lot of twists to it. Ashbrook head coach Brian Andrews returns to play a team he has helped coach for many years. His son, Zane, still plays for South Point. On staff is John Devine, who was the head coach of two of the Red Raiders last three state titles (2003 and 2009). South Point head coach Adam Hodge faces two of his former head coach.

                All those emotions would have to be put to the side as the two teams kicked off. The Red Raiders won the toss and deferred. A holding penalty on the kickoff pushed Ashbrook deeper into their own territory. Forcing the Green Wave to punt, the Red Raiders were set up in great field position. Jake Alexander put South Point on the board with a two-yard touchdown run. Cade Ratliff’s extra point made it 7-0.

                Ashbrook would counter punch that with a touchdown drive of their own. British Brooks would put Ashbrook on the board with a four-yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good however so South Point maintained a 7-6 lead. Each team would be stopped on their ensuing drives.

                Midway through the second quarter, the Red Raiders broke that stalemate with a 14-yard touchdown run by Scottie Lee. The extra point kick by Ratliff made it 14-6. Ashbrook would manage to put a drive together before halftime. But with less than a minute to go, the Green Wave had to go to the air but South Point shut it down.

                South Point got the ball back in the second half and went right back to work. Lee extended the Red Raiders’ lead with a 29-yard touchdown run. Ashbrook was down but not out. A two-yard run by Antwon McClee and the extra point by Korbin Proctor cut the Red Raiders’s lead to 21-13. But that would be as close as the Green Wave would get. Jake Alexander added another touchdown for South Point late in the third quarter (37 yards out).

                The Green Wave appeared to have some hope in the fourth quarter when the Red Raiders muffed a punt and were flagged for defensive pass interference. But they were unable to capitalize. Alexander’s 25-yard touchdown run put the nail in the coffin. Cade Ratliff was 5-for-5 on extra point kicks.

                Jake Alexander led South Point’s rushing attack with 268 yards and three touchdowns. British Brooks led Ashbrook with 135 yards rushing and a touchdown.

                Ashbrook resumes conference play next week as they host Crest, a 40-13 winner over Stuart Cramer. South Point will begin conference play at home against East Gaston. The Warriors lost 56-31 to Blacksburg, SC.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 7 Picks

Ashbrook 7 @ South Point 35

Burns 21 @ Hunter Huss 42

North Gaston 14 @ Kings Mountain 31

Stuart Cramer 7 @ Crest 35

East Gaston 14 @ Blacksburg, SC 34

Lincolnton 14 @ East Lincoln 21

Maiden 42 @ West Lincoln 14

North Lincoln 28 @ Lake Norman Charter 14

Bessemer City 42 @ Highland Tech 14

Cherryville 14 @ Community School of Davidson 31

Union Academy 14 @ Mountain Island Charter 28

Pine Lake Prep 20 @ Thomas Jefferson 34

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 6 Best to Last

1. South Point (5-0) bye
2. Shelby (5-1) lost 25-0 to South Pointe, SC
3. Kings Mountain (4-1)(1-0) won 48-14 over Stuart Cramer
4. Crest (3-2)(1-0) won 35-6 over Forestview
5. Hunter Huss (3-2)(1-0) won 20-17 (OT) over North Gaston
6. Ashbrook (3-2)(2-0) won 55-35 over Burns
7. Stuart Cramer (3-2)(0-1) lost 48-14 to Kings Mountain
8. Bessemer City (5-0)(1-0) won 22-21 over Mountain Island Charter
9. Mountain Island Charter (3-2)(0-1) lost 22-21 to Bessemer City
10. Thomas Jefferson (5-0)(1-0) won 26-7 over Cherryville
11. North Gaston (2-3)(0-1) lost 20-17 (OT) to Hunter Huss
12. West Lincoln (3-2)(1-0) won 56-49 over North Lincoln
13. Burns (1-4)(0-1) lost 55-35 to Ashbrook
14. North Lincoln (1-4)(0-1) lost 56-49 to West Lincoln
15. East Lincoln (2-3)(1-0) won 28-7 over Lake Norman Charter
16. Lincolnton (1-4)(0-1) lost 35-14 to Newton-Conover
17. Forestview (1-5)(0-2) lost 35-6 to Crest
18. East Gaston (1-4) bye
19. Cherryville (2-3)(0-1) lost 26-7 to Thomas Jefferson
20. Highland Tech (2-3) lost 42-20 to Community School of Davidson

This week's match-ups

　
Ashbrook @ South Point

Burns @ Hunter Huss

North Gaston @ Kings Mountain

Stuart Cramer @ Crest

Lincolnton @ East Lincoln

Maiden @ West Lincoln

North Lincoln @ Lake Norman Charter

East Gaston @ Blacksburg, SC

Bessemer City @ Highland Tech

Cherryville @ Community School of Davidson

Union Academy @ Mountain Island Charter

Pine Lake Prep @ Thomas Jefferson

Byes: Forestview, Shelby

Chargers Open Conference Play With Crushing Defeat of Forestview

                It took the Chargers a quarter and a half to get going. But once they did, it was hard to stop them. Crest would take the ball deep into Forestview territory on their first drive of the game, but would fumble inside the Forestview five-yard line. The Jaguars would recover at the one-yard line, but would not be able to advance the ball.

                Crest tailback Davion Pryor got the Chargers on the board with a six-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Peyton Kemmerlin added to that with a five-yard run of his own. Evan Davis was 2-for-2 on extra point kicks in the first half.

                Forestview did stop Crest on their first drive and sustained a drive that took about five minutes off the clock, but a mishandled snap on fourth down near the Crest 30-yard line left the Jaguars coming away empty. That gave Kemmerlin enough time put another rushing touchdown on the board for Crest before the end of the third quarter. That one was from four yards out.

                It was more of the same in the fourth quarter. Jalin Graham got in on the action with a 14-yard touchdown run. Davis’s extra point made it 28-0. Elijah McCaskill got Forestview on the board with a 14-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed however.

                Crest’s Quenten Zanders scored the final touchdown with a 47-yard run. Davis was 5-for-5 on extra point kicks. That made the final score 35-6. The Chargers amassed 434 of total offense. The Charger defense held Forestview to 128 total yards offense and came up with two interceptions. Damean Spikes and Quenten Zanders each had interceptions.

                 “It’s always great to get the first win in conference play, 1-0. That’s our goal every week to go 1-0 and stay in first place.” said Crest head coach Nick Eddins.

                 In previous games, the Chargers have been unable to score more than 20 points. They scored 35 in their conference opener. Eddins said “I thought we left some points out there but the kids did a good job. We played some good teams the first four weeks. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot sometimes. Thought we could have scored more but we’ll take however many it takes to win. It's not about how many points we score, I'm just worried about the win.”

 

                Eddins said regarding his defense’s performance “That’s been every week with our defense. Crest has always been known for defense, always will be known for defense and our guys do a great job. Coach Radford prepares his kids and his staff.”

                “They’re a good team. We battled with them. I thought we competed.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “It was 14-0 late in the third quarter. We had it down at about the 30, had a turnover. That kind of took the air out of us. We gotta make plays. But I’m proud of my guys. They fought hard.”

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 6 Picks

Kings Mountain 20 @ Stuart Cramer 14

Crest 35 @ Forestview 14

Hunter Huss 41 @ North Gaston 21

Ashbrook 35 @ Burns 20

Lincolnton 14 @ Newton-Conover 41

Shelby 20 @ South Pointe (SC) 35

North Lincoln 27 @ West Lincoln 17

Lake Norman Charter 14 @ East Lincoln 27

Mountain Island Charter 21 @ Bessemer City 31

Thomas Jefferson 41 @ Cherryville 14

Highland Tech 14 @ Community School of Davidson 34