From staff reports

Week 3 summaries …

CHINA GROVE — Carson used a relentless defense and an opportunistic offense to win for the first time on Friday.

It was an emotional first home game for the Cougars (1-2), with Dalton Gay’s family members serving as honorary captains.

“The biggest factor was being at home for the first time,” Carson head coach Jonathan Lowe said. “The crowd support was fantastic. Our defense played inspired, just played incredible all night, and our offense made plays. We ran the ball well, we threw the ball well and guys did a great job blocking.”

Carson had 360 yards of offense, split almost evenly between running and passing.

After two average games to start the season, QB Michael Guiton came though with a big one. He was 14-for-26 passing for 189 yards.

“By far his best game,” Lowe said. “We know he can play like that.”

Guiton threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Carson Aman and kept the ball on an option play for a rushing TD to propel Carson to a 14-3 halftime lead.

Jay McGruder broke a 70-yard scoring run on a third-down trap play for the only TD of the second half to give Carson a 20-3 lead, and Julio Moctezuma kicked his third PAT.

Trevor Vaughn had five catches for 92 yards, while Foday Dyer had five for 55.

McGruder ran 12 times for 96 yards.

Defensively, Carson did just about everything right, including a fumble recovery by Vaughn.

“We did a great job of stopping the run tonight,” Lowe said. “Piedmont has a really good quarterback, but we contained him.”

After an open week, the  Cougars will be at home to start South Piedmont Conference play against West Rowan, a program the Cougars have beaten only once in their history.

•••

MOUNT ULLA —   Mooresville’s football team beat West Rowan for the sixth time in a row and for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings.

West had not lost its first three games on the field since 2001, and one of those 2001 losses eventually went into the win column as a forfeit victory when South Iredell was penalized for use of an ineligible player.

Mooresville was supposed to prevail in Friday’s renewal of an old rivalry, but the Blue Devils won more easily — 48-7  – than anyone could have anticipated.

It was the biggest romp in the series for the Blue Devils since they flattened West 58-7 on opening night of the 1990 season.

It was 31-0 in the middle of the second quarter and 41-0 at halftime as 4A Blue Devils (3-0) dominated the 3A Falcons (0-3) in every aspect of a running-clock game.

West avoided a shutout when Jaylen Neely put the ball in the end zone on a 2-yard run on the final play of the night. Carter Durant kicked the PAT.

Mooresville sophomore QB Brody Norman had touchdown passes on three of his seven tosses.

Mooresville, guided by former Catawba player Joe Nixon, a head coach at North Rowan and West Rowan before taking the Mooresville job, also ran the ball effectively with a committee of back and finished with more than 400 yards of offense.

West couldn’t get anything done against Mooresville’s tough defense and didn’t make a first down in the first half.

Neely netted 13 rushing yards on 22 carries. Brant Graham was limited to two pass completions for 18 yards. Kaden Feaster had both catches.

The Falcons had a good chance to win in Week 1 at A.L. Brown, but they have been blown out at home the last two weeks.

The open week comes at a good time for the Falcons. West will have an extra week to regroup and prepare for the first South Piedmont Conference game at Carson.

•••

WADESBORO —   North Rowan built a big lead and held on to beat Anson 38-28 on the road.

“It’s a huge win for us on the road,” North’s first-year head coach Josh Sophia said. “Anson has great football tradition, and they’ve still got great athletes. They may be 0-3 right now, but that’s not a typical 0-3 team.”

Daniel Montes Medrano kicked the 35-yard field goal that gave the Cavaliers (2-1) a two-score lead late and sealed the victory. He also kicked five PATs.

Jeremiah Alford accounted for four touchdowns and picked off a pass on defense.

Tsion Kelly, another two-way man, had himself a night with an interception, a fumble recovery and a touchdown catch.

Jaemias Morrow was the workhorse back for North with 20 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Alford only threw 10 times, but he was efficient. He had three TD passes and 124 passing yards. Alford ran for another score. He threw one interception.

“We want to run the ball,” Sophia said. “But at the same time we’ve got some great athletes at receiver, and we have to take our shots and try to get the ball in their hands.”

Amir Alexander had three catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He’s had at least one TD catch in every game so far.

Morrow got the first touchdown of the night late in the first quarter.

Alford’s touchdown pass to Kelly gave North a 14-0 lead at halftime.

“Our defense played tremendously in the first half,” Sophia said. “But we missed some great opportunities to score more points, and Anson was able to stay in the game.”

Down 28-6, Anson started gathering momentum on offense. North plays a lot of people both ways, and they were tiring in the fourth quarter.

Anson fought back as close as 28-22, but Alford and Alexander connected for the second time for a 35-22 advantage.

Anson made it 35-28 with about five minutes left, but North was able to finish. Medrano’s clutch field goal sailed through the uprights, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

North will face another athletic crew next week — the TW Andrews Red Raiders from High Point — but the Cavaliers will get to play that one at home.

•••

FARMINGTON — Davie drubbed North Davidson 32-3.

Ty Miller threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns to lead the War Eagles (2-1).

Markel Summers rushed for 107 yards and a score. Evan York had five catches for 107 yards,

Davie has an open week before traveling to R.J. Reynolds to start Central Piedmont Conference play.

•••

South Rowan and A.L. Brown were off.

They’ll play each other at South this week, as that old rivalry is renewed. The programs haven’t played since 2016.