HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Hickory High might want to make a mental or written note about Myles Baker for next year’s varsity football game – he’s very dangerous on kick returns.
Baker, a junior, scored a momentum-changing touchdown on a 90-yard kickoff return on Monday night, helping visiting Newton-Conover topple the Red Tornadoes 45-26 in a game delayed until Monday by rainy weather.
N-C 45
HICKORY 26
Baker had the Red Devils’ only kick return TD last season in Newton-Conover’s 57-13 victory at Gurley Stadium, also taking that kick back 90 yards for a score.
On Monday night, Hickory (0-2) had closed within 15-13 on a 2-yard scoring run by quarterback Derrien Phillips when Baker fielded the ensuing kickoff for a TD and 22-13 lead.
When the Red Tornadoes punted on their first second-half possession, Newton-Conover (2-0) went up 30-13 on a 25-yard run by Tyler Stinson and two-point conversion run by Shamar Baker.
About three minutes later — after forcing another punt by Hickory — the Red Devils pushed their lead to 38-13 when Stinson broke a run 21 yards for a TD. James Woods caught a two-point conversion pass from Baker.
“We just knew we had to keep plugging,” Newton-Conover head coach Matt Beam said in a postgame interview with WNNC 101.3 FM, which broadcast the game from Barger Stadium. “The kickoff was the biggest thing… and we got a stop and scored, got another stop and scored.”
Stinson ran 13 times for 104 yards with 64 second-half yards.
“Coach got in my head and I went,” Stinson said in a radio interview. “I had to.”
The game featured big nights by both quarterbacks, with Phillips unofficially completing 15 of 31 passes for 294 yards and adding 14 carries for 64 yards (358 yards total offense) for Hickory.
Shamar Baker, unofficially, hit 22 of 29 passes for 245 yards and two scores – throwing to five receivers – and ran 13 times for 27 yards for the Red Devils.
Jaheim Mullen led Newton-Conover’s receiving with eight catches for 85 yards and a TD and Kyjuan McClain added seven catches for 60 yards.
Kevin Shuford gained 142 yards via six receptions for the Red Tornadoes.
Newton-Conover won its fourth straight in a series that began in 1923, and also for the eighth time in 10 games and fourth time in the last five games in Barger Stadium.
Next season, the Red Devils will have an opportunity to match their best win streak in the series (5 from 1998-2002).
Newton-Conover’s season continues on Friday night at East Burke (7:30 p.m.). On Sept. 15, in their final non-league games, the Red Devils play at Hibriten. Their South Fork 2A opener on Sept. 22 is at home against Lincolnton.
Hickory also plays Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Gastonia, visiting Hunter Huss. After playing at Bandys on Sept. 15, the Red Tornadoes open Northwestern 3A-4A play on Sept. 22, going to McDowell to play the Titans for the first time since 1992.