Eastern Randolph maintains dominance with another unbeaten conference record

Eastern Randolph team members flash five fingers after last Thursday night’s game to signal the football program’s five consecutive conference championships. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record)

SILER CITY — Eastern Randolph’s football team ended up in a familiar position when the regular season ended last Thursday night.

Undefeated in conference play and league champion again.

“I feel like we’re still up there and we’re going to leave it better than we found it, like we always say,” running back / linebacker James Combs said.

The Wildcats manhandled host Jordan-Matthews for a 49-0 victory in the Four Rivers Conference finale, with Combs scoring four touchdowns.

Afterward, the team members posed for group photos and held up five fingers to represent five consecutive conference championships. While it’s a new league make-up this year, Eastern Randolph has rattled off 24 consecutive victories in conference competition since a loss during the pandemic-revised spring 2021 season.

It’s still a big deal to claim conference championships to veteran coach Burton Cates.

“That’s five in a row,” Cates said. “We talk about it. It’s something good and not everybody gets to do.”

The Wildcats (8-2 overall, 4-0 Four Rivers Conference) did it in dominating fashion, outscoring their conference opponents by a combined 181-10.

“It’s great to come out here and show what we’re made of,” senior defensive lineman Preston Dobbins said.

Eastern Randolph showed that right away against fourth-place Jordan-Matthews (5-5, 1-3).

On the Wildcats’ first possession, Combs covered all 43 yards on three carries, scoring on a 6-yard run. After Eastern Randolph’s Kobe Walker blocked a punt, Combs was in the end zone on the next play from 4 yards out.

Combs carried 17 yards for a touchdown in the waning seconds of the first quarter. Then there was more success on special teams for the Wildcats when a partially deflected punt went downfield but into Combs’ hands. He powered his way into the end zone to complete a 41-yard return.

“It came straight to me,” the junior said of his first points on a punt return.

The Jets weren’t able to operate smoothly on offense with defenders Dobbins and Kageon Brown among those causing havoc. Jordan-Matthews had negative yardage on four of its first five possessions.

Eastern Randolph quarterback Cade McCallum completed six of nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats added touchdowns on McCallum’s 19-yard pass play to Mason Carson, Zeb Meadows’ 20-yard run and Hayden Payne’s 9-yard rush.

After a 3-2 record midway through the season, Eastern Randolph has been in control.

“That’s how we kind of expected it to go,” Cates said.

Some painful lessons earlier in the season might have been beneficial.

“It’s important how we come together as a family. It’s a good time for us,” Combs said. “I think those losses helped us get better and win more. I feel like we’re going to have a great run in the playoffs.”

The Wildcats are looking forward to that.

“We’re ecstatic,” Dobbins said. “We’re ready.”

Southwestern Randolph 32, North Moore 13: At Asheboro, Brody Sheppard scored three touchdowns as the host Cougars clinched outright possession of second place in the Four Rivers Conference.

Levi Dalke threw for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown. His 13-yard pass to Devonte Dukes with four seconds left in the first half put Southwestern Randolph (7-3, 3-1) up 12-7.

Brady Atkinson scored both touchdowns for last-place North Moore (3-7, 0-4).