Staff report

First-round roundup …

ASHEVILLE — Carson fought down to the end one last time on Friday.

The Cougars scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion in the final minutes but lost 41-27 at Erwin in the 3A West playoffs.

Michael Guiton threw two touchdown passes to CJ Guida, and Jordan Galarza had two rushing touchdowns for the 26th-seeded Cougars,who finished 5-6 in Jonathan Lowe’s first season as head coach.

Erwin quarterback Iggy Welch threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score as seventh-seeded Erwin took a 28-7 halftime lead. Demetrase Graves had an interception and two  TD catches for the Warriors (6-5).

Erwin went up 34-7 before Carson made a run to get as close as 34-19.

Erwin clinched victory with another touchdown in the fourth quarter before Galarza scored the last TD of the season for the Cougars and Guida caught a pass for a 2-point conversion.

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ASHEVILLE — A.C. Reynolds used a second-quarter snowball to bury A.L. Brown in a 4A West matchup.

The seventh-seeded Rockets pounded the Wonders, seeded 26th, 55-14.

A.C. Reynolds (10-1) scored first, but the Wonders (6-5) made it 7-all on a scoring run by Jamare Robinson.

It was 7-all heading to the second quarter, but a punt return for a touchdown triggered an explosion by the home team. A series of A.L. Brown turnovers led to short fields for the Rockets, and they capitalized. By halftime, it was 41-7, and it was all over.

The programs, perennial powers who have combined for 54 conference championships and five state titles, staged a great playoff game in 2018 — Reynolds won that one 35-28 — but the Wonders couldn’t keep pace this time.

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GREENSBORO — Davie shocked the world well into the second quarter, but Grimsley, the top seed in the 4A West, bracket eventually overwhelmed the War Eagles 69-37.

Davie, the No. 32 seed, the last team to make the bracket, actually led 21-17 in the second quarter before the Whirlies (11-0) turned it on.

Grimsley had 497 rushing yards and 686 yards of offense.

Ty Miller threw for 265 yards for the War Eagles (4-7). Brodie Smith had 11 catches for 143 yards.

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WALKERTOWN — Mount Pleasant, coached by former South Rowan player and Carson head coach Daniel Crosby, won on the road in the 2A West playoffs.

Seeded 21st, the Tigers won 28-13 at 12th-seeded Walkertown.

Keegan Moose scored three touchdowns for the Tigers.

Both teams are 8-3.

Mount Pleasant goes to Maiden in Round 2. Maiden roughed up Polk County 68-33 in the first round.

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CONCORD — Northwest Cabarrus, coached by former Catawba receiver Eric Morman, won 17-3 against Ashbrook in the first round of the 3A West playoffs.

The fifth-seeded South Piedmont Conference champs struggled offensively against the 28th-seeded Green Wave, but the defense created turnovers and gave the offense short fields in the second half.

Next for Northwest (10-1) is a home game against Ledford (10-1). Ledford annihilated Freedom 41-0 on Friday.

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MOORESVILLE — Southwest Guilford, seeded 31st in the 4A West bracket, led a couple of times in the first half, but second-seeded Mooresville eventually took charge for a 47-26 win.

Jawarn Howell had three rushing touchdowns and more than 200 rushing yards to lead the Blue Devils (10-1) past the Cowboys (5-6).

Mooresville is coached by former Catawba player Joe Nixon, who was a head coach at North Rowan and West Rowan before being hired at Mooresville.

Next for the Blue Devils is a visit from Butler (9-2). Butler beat Hickory Ridge 28-21 in Round 1.