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The all-time football series between the North Stanly Comets and West Stanly Colts have resulted in more games decided by seven points or less in all of the series between the four county teams.

In 60 previous meetings, 21 of the games had a margin of victory of seven points or less.

The 61st meeting Friday night at North needed three overtimes to decide the winner as the Comets rallied from 14 points down to win 38-37.

Jaylon McCoy’s pass deflection on a two-point conversion attempt by the Colts (0-4) in triple OT lifted North (3-1) to the win.

The Colts struck first late in the first quarter. A 10-play, 82-yard drive put points on the board when quarterback Maverick Scott found Gavin Efird in one-on-one coverage deep in the secondary. Efird hauled it in and scored, with the extra point putting the visitors up 7-0.

West went up 14-0 early in the second quarter after forcing a turnover, ripping the football out of a North receiver’s hands. On the next play, Scott found Pedro Mincitar for an 18-yard TD pass.

Aden Allsbrook cut the Colts’ lead in half in the second quarter with a 91-yard touchdown run up the middle with 3:07 left on the clock.

But West had one more scoring drive left in the first half. Scott found Efird in the right corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass, giving the Colts a 21-7 lead at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Comets’ offense found its stride. QB Charlie Shaver connected with McCoy for a seven-yard touchdown pass with 8:38 left in regulation.

The Comets’ defense got another stop, then the offense tied the game at the 4:49 mark. Shaver connected again with McCoy in the left corner of the end zone to tie the game, 21-21.

But West Stanly was not done yet. Scott found a wide-open Efird behind the Comets’ defense for a 49-yard strike, setting up a one-yard plunge a few plays later by Scott. West led 28-21 with 2:41 left.

North again answered the Colts. A long Solomon Hudson kickoff return put the Comets at the North 46. A 10-play drive, kept alive by two big catches by Justice Gramling, tied the game with 24.4 seconds left when Shaver again found McCoy for a 28-yard TD pass.

The Comets had a chance to win the game in regulation after West’s Scott was picked off by Helms at the West 30. North kicker Noah Carter attempted a 45-yard field goal but it was short, sending the game to overtime.

Carter and West’s kicker, Jonathan Moran Sanchez, both delivered field goals in the first OT period, keeping the game tied 31-31.

West missed a field goal to start the second OT, then after two penalties, North’s Shaver was picked off, forcing the third overtime.

Juice Lilly scored on a 10-yard touchdown run for North to open the third OT, and Carter’s extra point proved to be vital to the Comets’ win.

Scott found Dominic Danzy for a 10-yard touchdown pass, which left West head coach Ralph Jackson with a decision to make about winning the game with a successful two-point conversion.

“We had gone toe-to-toe with them all night long,” Jackson said. “It’s already late, and I’m looking at my guys like, we have to win this game or lose this game right here.”

“My rationale was, we were on the road. It’s all or nothing. We called the play. It didn’t work. That’s life. That’s adversity, but I’m proud of my guys.”

North head coach Chad Little said his team “has been practicing like crazy, and teaching toughness. That’s one good thing about it.”

Little said the Comets did not play well in the first half, and added West Stanly “had their guys ready to play.”

“Our guys slept on West a little bit and we had to get on them at halftime,” Little said. “Next thing you know, they came out swinging and we got it back.”

Regarding McCoy’s night, Little said it was awesome.

“He did a great job. It was a team effort, no doubt, but we had some big plays down the stretch and the guys never quit. We fought to the end and I think that’s a sign of a good team blooming.”

North has a bye this week and will be at Forest Hills Sept. 27.

West Stanly is back on the road Friday at Mount Pleasant (3-1). The Tigers lost at home Thursday night to Northwest Cabarrus, 16-12.