HobbsDailyReport.com
NEWTON – In a display of the depth of their depth, Newton-Conover High’s Red Devils kept moving forward on Friday night in a 49-6 home South Fork 2A football victory over North Lincoln.
N-CONOVER 49
N. LINCOLN 6
Playing without leading rusher Tylor Stinson — who sat out after violating a team rule — the Red Devils (8-1, 5-0) still posted nearly 450 yards on offense and built a 35-0 lead over the Knights (2-7, 1-4) on Homecoming Night in Gurley Stadium.
The victory set up a showdown next Friday at Maiden (7:30 p.m.) with the winner taking over sole possession of first place in the South Fork 2A.
Running back Allen Wilfong and quarterback Shamar Baker combined for more than 150 yards rushing as the Red Devils rolled in their first game against North Lincoln.
Wilfong approached 90 rushing yards on nine carries and scored Newton-Conover’s first two touchdowns, and Kyjuan McClain ran for a TD and caught a scoring pass to lead the Red Devils’ offense.
North Lincoln’s offense was limited to about 65 yards of rushing but quarterback Reed McRorie passed for more than 150 yards and the Knights’ only TD.
Wilfong’s two TD runs came in the opening quarter, when the Red Devils took a 15-0 lead. Baker threw a TD pass to Jaheim Mullen, McClain ran for a score and Baker hit McClain for another score to make it 35-0 at the half.
The only score of the third quarter was Baker’s third TD pass of the game to Mullen.
Newton-Conover has reached eight wins for the 22nd time since 1974, the year former head coach Don Patrick arrived to guide the program.
Whether the Red Devils will have Stinson back for the Maiden game is uncertain. School officials have declined to indicate anything more than he has violated a team rule and was not in uniform against North Lincoln.
Newton-Conover has two regular season games left, also facing East Lincoln on Nov. 3 in Gurley Stadium.
North Lincoln, tied with Bandys and West Lincoln for fifth place, is at home next Friday at 7:30 p.m. to battle Lincolnton. The Knights’ regular-season finale on Nov. 3 is against Bandys on the road.