Exactly 100 years to the day of its first appearance in a high school football game, Albemarle celebrated its centennial with a 62-0 home rout of winless South Stanly on Friday.
Stuck in rebuilding mode for the past few seasons, the five-time NCHSAA state champion football program put on a show for its 100-year birthday — as well as its homecoming night — against its fellow Yadkin Valley Conference opponent.
Running back Kaine McClendon put the Bulldogs (2-5, 1-1) on the board early with a 7-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
It was all downhill from there for the struggling Rebel Bulls (0-7, 0-2) as Albemarle scored 55 points in the first three quarters before adding a score in the final quarter.
Bulldogs quarterback Dre Davis recorded 130 passing yards in the game, and his top target was wide receiver Ja’zyion Geiger, who had 77 yards and a touchdown.
Albemarle spread the offense around in its running game with six different ball carriers totaling 223 yards on 23 carries (9.7 yards per rush). Sophomore William Browne tallied a team-high 73 yards, while junior Malik Watkins racked up three rushing touchdowns from his eight carries.
The Bulldogs will now travel to Mount Pleasant on Friday to face the surging Tigers (5-2, 2-0) as South Stanly looks to snap its three-game shutout streak with a trip to North Stanly (4-3, 1-1).
Robinson 42, North Stanly 6
The North Stanly Comets’ (4-3, 1-1) attempt to knock off a YVC heavyweight from its throne landed flat on Friday as the Robinson Bulldogs (6-1, 2-0) cruised to a 42-6 home win.
Riding the momentum of three straight wins, the Comets couldn’t withstand a Bulldogs offense that engineered 28 points in the second quarter alone. North’s only points in the game came on a 68-yard touchdown run from running back Cam Smith in the fourth quarter.
Smith finished 188 yards on 16 carries, providing the bulk of the Comets’ 258 total offensive yards.
The Comets will look to rebound with an upcoming home game against winless South Stanly.
Parkwood 39, West Stanly 28
West Stanly’s Jekyll and Hyde season continued with a 39-28 loss to Parkwood on Friday.
In a contest between two Rocky River Conference programs, the Wolf Pack (4-4, 1-1) edged its way to a 20-12 halftime lead before adding on 19 more points in the second half of play.
Despite the loss, the Colts (3-4, 0-1) found offensive success in both the passing and running game.
West quarterback Jett Thomas completed 8 of 13 passes for 133 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Wide receiver J.T. Barbee had 53 receiving yards and two touchdowns while running backs Matthew Parker, Shane Mecimore and Rene Salazar combined for more than 200 rushing yards.
The season isn’t about to get any easier for the Colts as they are set to host the undefeated Forest Hills (7-0, 2-0) this week.