HobbsDailyReport.com
LINCOLNTON – Nathan Hull returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown — boosting West Lincoln High’s lead to 22 points in the third quarter on Thursday night — as the Rebels hammered visiting Cherryville 52-20 in varsity football.
WEST LINCOLN 52
CHERRYVILLE 20
West Lincoln (2-0) led 20-14 at the half, and Hull’s pick-6 came with less than two minutes to go in the third quarter.
The Rebels scored 22 unanswered points en route to handing their head coach, Tom Sain, his 39th career win and his seventh in eight battles with the Ironmen.
West Lincoln gained nearly 350 yards in the victory with Nakathon Phansook rushing 15 times for 97 yards and Brendan Ikard adding 13 carries for 119 yards.
Xander Pendergrass scored a defensive TD for West Lincoln on a 25-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter.
Cherryville dropped to 1-2 after a season-opening loss to Bessemer City and a victory over Chase.
With 39 wins at West Lincoln, Sain is second on the all-time victory list for varsity football there, trailing only the late Brennan Elliott (58 wins in nine seasons).
The Rebels’ next game is next Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Fred T. Foard.
The Gaston Gazette contributed to this story.