South Point football smothers Erwin in NCHSAA 5A West playoffs.
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BELMONT — Erwin football had already left Gaston County with one playoff victory, last week making light work of Hunter Huss in a NCHSAA 5A West playoff win.
South Point let it be known early Friday such wasn’t happening on its watch.
The Red Raiders forced three first-half turnovers while scoring on their first six possessions en route to a 48-13 second round win over Erwin.
“It was great to get going like we did, we executed (our game plan) well, so I’m proud of our coaches and players for their effort,” said South Point football coach Adam Hodge. “But you know how it is, this win only guarantees you another opportunity to do it again (the following week).”
After a lengthy Erwin drive to start the game, South Point faced a third-and-9 from its own 31. Instead of relying on its vaunted rushing attack to move the sticks, quarterback Patrick Blee instead went to the air, hitting Walker Spargo for a 69-yard touchdown. Three plays later, the Red Raider offense was back on the field, the beneficiary of a Cayden Rumph interception. South Point quickly seized upon the miscue, Blee’s 1-yard TD run giving his team a 14-0 advantage.
The feeding frenzy continued a few plays later, linebacker Wade Jeffries stripping the football from Erwin quarterback Caden Ingle, with teammate Marcus Allen scooping it up and returning it to the Warrior 14-yard line. Blee’s second TD run of the night upped South Point’s lead to 21-0.
Erwin offered a subtle sign of life midway through the second quarter, going 64 yards in nine plays with Kobe Lunsford scoring on a 3-yard TD run. Such would offer little respite, though, South Point answering with a nine-play, 56-yard drive, highlighted by tight end Peyton McCarn’s pass on a fake punt to Spargo for 26 yards. A few plays later, Spargo capped the drive with a three-yard TD run.
Blee added two more TD runs, finishing with five total TDs. Rumph added a 33-yard TD run in the fourth. Senior defensive back Gavin Smith also intercepted a pass which was cashed in for a TD.
“You know, you want them to go out there and be the best football players that they can be every day at practice, and every Friday night so you hope the rest sorts itself out,” Hodge said. “You just be the best that you can be. And our kids did a great job.”
Top-ranked South Point (9-2) moves on to face No. 8 Monroe, a 49-14 winner over West Rowan in Round 2.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: South Point football dominates Erwin in NCHSAA 5A playoffs
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