Maiden running back Amarin Craig (3) turns the corner for yardage in the Blue Devils’ 48-24 victory over Fred T. Foard at Foard, where Maiden won for the 16th straight time on the Tigers’ field./PHOTO COURTESY OF GENE LEATHERMAN, OBSERVER NEWS ENTERPRISE.
Bandys, Maiden, W. Lincoln also win season-opening games
HobbsDailyReport.com
Newton-Conover High’s Brandon Johnson scored three times in the opening 6 ½ minutes – twice on defense – as the Red Devils opened their football season on Friday night by overwhelming visiting Bunker Hill 44-14 at Gurley Stadium.
Johnson took pass to the left sideline from quarterback Justice Craig for 50 yards for a touchdown on the second play after the opening kickoff.
With nine minutes, 58 seconds left in the first quarter, he returned a fumble 38 yards for a TD and then returned an interception 26 yards for a score with 5:44 left in the opening quarter.
Newton-Conover led 34-7 at the half in a game that had a 45-minute delay in the first half because of lightning.
Running back Allen Wilfong of the Red Devils scored twice and had 21 carries for 85 yards and Craig completed eight of 17 for 127 yards and two TDs.
Quarterback Cameron Elder threw for 119 yards for the Bears, hitting Hector Stamey four times for 94 yards and for a TD.
Maiden 48, Fred T. Foard 24
The visiting Blue Devils won for the 16th straight time in games played on the Tigers’ field behind sophomore quarterback Ethan Rhodes, who passed for two TDs and ran for two more in his first start on varsity.
Foard, debuting under head coach Ryan Gettys as he started his second tenure as Tigers head coach, has not beaten Maiden at Foard since 1983 and fell to 4-35 against the Blue Devils since 1980.
Bandys 36, St. Stephens 15
EANES
In head coach Tom Eanes’ 350th career game and 15th and fifth as the boss at Bandys, the Trojans ran for more than 450 yards and beat the host Indians for the fourth straight time and 12th time in 13 battles.
Bandys, 13-2 under Eanes, erased an 8-7 halftime deficit to pick up Eanes’ 160th career win.
Quarterback Jackson Spicer and Josh Williams each scored twice for Bandys.
Zac McLauchlin had a TD run and two-point conversion run in the first half to get St. Stephens its one-point halftime lead and quarterback Connor Williams had a TD throw to Zane McPherson in the final quarter for St. Stephens.
West Lincoln 52, Draughn 13
PONDER
Running back Cannon Bridges ran for four TDs, including two runs of 40 or more yards, as the Rebels won their debut at home under new head coach Darren Ponder.
Bridges also had a TD reception from Mason Huitt and Xander Pendergrass had a 46-yard scoring run for West Lincoln, which won for the 10th time in 13 games.
The Wildcats got a rushing TD by freshman Donnell Wilkins and a passing TD, quarterback Braxton Cox to Denver Treadaway.
West Lincoln had a big enough lead that the second half was played with a running clock per North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) rules.
Postponements
- The second season for Nick Bazzle as head coach at North Lincoln was delayed by rain until Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Parkwood. The Knights went 10-4 last season under Bazzle.
- Lake Norman Charter’s home game against Southlake Christian was postponed by rain and reset for Monday at 6 p.m., with Bob McKay returning as head coach of the Knights (second tenure).
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