Asheboro receiver Elijah Woodle makes a move against Albemarle on Friday night. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Logan Laughlin threw three touchdown passes to Elijah Woodle as Asheboro defeated visiting Albemarle 24-22 in a successful debut for new coach Calvin Brown.
The outcome wasn’t secure until Kai Matthews’ interception. Matthews earlier scored a touchdown on a rushing play.
Laughlin threw for 225 yards on 16-for-24 passing.
TJ Mark also intercepted a pass for Asheboro’s defense.
Brown is in his first season with the Blue Comets after coming from Providence Grove.
Providence Grove 24, East Davidson 7: At Thomasville, the Patriots picked up the road victory in David Hayes’ coaching debut.
Providence Grove scored in a variety of ways. James Ellis threw a touchdown pass to Jackson Lawver. Running back Logan Fox tacked on a conversion run and later had a rushing touchdown.
Defensive back Malachi Combo returned an interception for a touchdown. Tucker Batten added a field goal to go with an earlier extra-point tick.
Randleman 20, Thomasville 7: At Randleman, Thomas Dobias returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown before the host Tigers finally got going on offense in the second half to win their opener.
Daylan Atkins scored on a 2-yard run in the third quarter to break a tie and Tyshaun Goldston’s 39-yard catch from John Kirkpatrick extended the lead later in the quarter.
Dobias scored in the second quarter. Thomasville didn’t complete a pass. Goldston, Chase Farlow and Micah Thurston also picked off passes.
Kirkpatrick threw for 161 yards on 14-for-24 passing. Goldston had 105 receiving yards.
Southwestern Randolph 29, Western Guilford 18: At Greensboro, Nathan Ellis scored three touchdowns and the visiting Cougars didn’t allow a second-half point in the opener.
Ellis scored on two runs and a reception. Teammate Jentezen Cox gained 199 yards on 18 carries and also scored a touchdown.
The Cougars responded from an 18-14 halftime deficit.
Wheatmore 33, West Davidson 7: At Lexington, Johnathan Kelly ran for three touchdowns as the visiting Warriors won by avenging a loss from last year’s opener.
Sa’Cory Maryland scored on a kickoff return.
Kelly picked up 91 yards on 16 carries and Riley Strickland threw for 188 yards. Trey Swaney, who gained 58 yards on the ground, made nine catches for 127 yards.
Starmount 43, Trinity 30: At Boonville, the visiting Bulldogs came up short in Bear Bradley’s coaching debut with Trinity in the road game after falling behind 15-0.
Trinity’s Noah Bradley, the coach’s son, threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. He also had a conversion run and conversion pass. He accounted for 287 yards in the air on 13-for-25 passing.
Dominic Payne made an 83-yard touchdown catch, Cam Nelson notched a 68-yard touchdown reception and Brandon Campbell’s 80 receiving yards on three catches including a 28-yard touchdown play.
Eastern Alamance 35, Eastern Randolph 13: At Ramseur, the visiting Eagles won for the second year in a row in their opener against Eastern Randolph, which sputtered on offense and suffered only their fourth loss in three seasons.
The Wildcats tied the game with 3:29 left in the first half, but trailed 14-7 at halftime.
Eastern Alamance scored the first three touchdowns of the second half before the Wildcats posted the final points.
Carter Revelle threw for a touchdown to Donnell Watson and ran for a touchdown in his Eastern Randolph debut. He was intercepted twice. Nicah Taylor made 11 receptions for 167 yards.
Running backs Josh Murray and Tyrek Samuel both ran for two touchdowns for the Eagles. Eastern Alamance’s first touchdown came on Jason Ball’s pass to Dalton Helton in the second quarter.
Murray’s 31-yard run late in the first half put the Eagles ahead to stay. Samuels’ 57-yard run provided the Eagles’ final touchdown before Eastern Randolph scored last.
