Southwestern Randolph’s Julian Mosley, right, makes a catch in front of Asheboro’s Aiden Robinson during Saturday night’s game. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph won a closely contested matchup with visiting Asheboro by 49-47 in Saturday night’s non-conference football game.
Southwestern Randolph (3-2) posted its largest point total in the series with Asheboro, winning for the fifth consecutive season in the rivalry, keyed by clutch plays from quarterback Noah Stills.
“What a battle,” Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said. “It’s a huge win for our guys.”
Asheboro (2-3) scored the final touchdown with an extra-point kick with 23 seconds remaining, but the Cougars secured the ensuing kickoff to clinch the outcome.
The Blue Comets have lost three close games, all to Randolph County opponents.
“Nothing good came of (this game),” Asheboro coach Calvin Brown said.
The score was 28-28 at halftime. It was a matter of coming up with defensive stops.
“We challenged them,” Baxter said. “We needed one stop. Give us one stop.”
Asheboro’s Logan Loughlin threw for four touchdowns, with two of those to Elijah Woodle and one each to Ben Luck and Jewel Barrett-Riggins. Loughlin had 265 passing yards. Quincey Lee ran for three touchdowns and Connor Brinton gained 82 rushing yards on 13 carries.
The frustrations brewed for Asheboro’s defense.
“We played as bad as we could in the first half,” Brown said. “We told them where to get. They weren’t lined up right. We got it fixed at halftime and they still didn’t do it right and that’s why we could stop them.”
Eastern Randolph 41, Parkwood 12: At Ramseur, James Combs scored four touchdowns as the host Wildcats made it through the non-conference portion of their schedule without a loss by rolling in Saturday night’s game.
Running back Lucas Smith gained 150 yards with a touchdown run. Combs scored the next two first-half touchdowns and added another second-half touchdown on the ground.
Eastern Randolph (5-0), which led 20-6 at halftime before scoring the next three touchdowns, will go into Piedmont Athletic Conference play unscathed with a result that matched its second-largest margin of victory this year.
The Wildcats received two touchdowns from their defense, including Combs’ return of an interception.
Parkwood is 1-4.
