HobbsDailyReport.com
STATESVILLE — A touchdown with about 10 minutes to play on Friday night and a stout defensive effort the rest of the way carried Patton High to a 23-15 football victory over West Iredell.
The Panthers (7-2, 4-0) matched their best record through nine games in school history by winning via a 12-yard TD run by Jamir Epps.
PATTON 23
WEST IREDELL 15
Patton is in first place in the Northwestern Foothills 2A by a half-game over Hibriten.
The Warriors (4-4, 2-1), now alone in third place.
Patton gained an early lead with a 9-yard TD run by Traveon Lytle and a PAT by James Scott before West Iredell scored and got a two-point conversion to go up 8-7 through the first quarter.
Lytle rushed for another score and Scott kicked a 33-yard field goal, his first of the season, to put the Panthers up 16-8 at halftime.
West Iredell scored with about two minutes to go in the third quarter to get within 16-15.
Epps’ fourth TD of the season put Patton ahead for good.
The Panthers can reach eight wins in back-to-back seasons with another victory. They have an open date on Friday and then play Bunker Hill at Patton on Oct. 27 before finishing the regular season on Nov. 3 with a road game against Hibriten.
West Iredell plays at Bunker Hill next Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then has league games left against Hibriten and Fred T. Foard.