HobbsDailyReport.com
HUNTERSVILLE – Bandys High fell just shy of 500 yards on offense on Friday night as it inched closer to a .500 record with a 42-16 victory on the road over Lake Norman Charter.
Facing the Knights for the first time in varsity football, the Trojans (4-6, 2-4) ran for 336 yards on 42 carries — with Ethan Howard and Ja’Tay Culliver providing 209 yards — to keep alive hopes of reaching the postseason for the 23rd time in school history.
BANDYS 42
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER 16
Bandys outgained the Knights 486-235.
Howard ran for 114 yards on 15 carries and a TD while Culliver had four carries for 95 yards and a TD, two catches for 92 yards and a TD and a kickoff return TD. Quarterback Lake Hojnacki threw for 151 yards and two scores for the Trojans.
Bandys fell behind 7-0 in the opening quarter but scored four times in the second quarter to lead 28-10 at the half.
Howard broke a run for 41 yards for the Trojans’ first score. Hojnacki threw 21 yards for a TD and Ben Joseph’s two-point run put Bandys up 14-7.
After Lake Norman Charter (3-7, 0-6) kicked a field goal, Culliver returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score and then added an 80-yard rushing TD for Bandys.
Culliver caught a 63-yard scoring pass from Hojnacki in the third quarter and Elijah Clarke had a 20-yard TD run for the Trojans in the fourth quarter.
Bandys overcame three lost fumbles and 14 penalties for 116 yards to pick up head coach Trent Lowman’s 22nd career victory.
The Trojans close the regular season at home on Friday night at 7:30 p.m., facing North Lincoln.
Lake Norman Charter closes its season Friday, also at 7:30 p.m., by going to West Lincoln.