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By Eric Montgomery, for the SNAP

The lights at Albemarle Stadium went out before 10 p.m. Friday in an effort to quell heated-emotions after some North Stanly players were chased off the Bulldogs’ logo at midfield where they had been stomping on the big “A.”
The annual six-mile battle between the Comets and the Bulldogs has always been one of top rivalries in the area.
North was celebrating a 24-0 win that gave them possession of the coveted Stanly Cup Friday night, finishing the regular season 6-4, 3-1 for a second place finish in the Yadkin Valley Conference.
The Comets outscored its county foes 91-49 this season and finished second behind Mount Pleasant.
Aden Allsbrook, a 6-foot, 235-pound senior, led the defense to pitch its second shutout of 2024.
Allsbrook, who averages 55 yards rushing per game, scored the first touchdown of the game.
“It feels great,” Allsbrook said. “We got a chance to come to (Albemarle) and do what they did to us last year. “Man, we’ve been practicing hard all week, hard. The offensive line blocked great tonight when I got that touchdown. I could just cruise in.”
Allsbrook’s score came after Albemarle had two bad snaps in a row with the second one coming on a punt play to put North on Albemarle’s 26 yard line.
He passed the 500-yard mark for total rushing yards and averages over 13 tackles per game.
Albemarle, on Senior Night, responded with a field goal attempt that was blocked. Both defenses held tough and the half ended with a 7-0 Comet lead.
North put more points on the board in its second drive with a field goal by Noah Carter for a 10-0 lead.
Albemarle was not helped by the officials, who issued them over 80 yards in penalties, including a 3:1 offsetting penalty with less than five minutes left.
Sophomore Jaden Little scored from two yards out to give the Comets a 17-0 lead. Little led the ground game with 51 yards. Junior Juice Lilly fired the last shot of the night on a 15-yard touchdown run.
North quarterback Charlie Shaver was 6 of 8 for 54 yards passing, hitting four different targets.
His longest went to Nathan Helms for 25 yards. Shaver went over the 1,300-yard mark for passing on Friday.
“It feels great to rule Stanly County,” Shaver said. “It’s a long-time rivalry. We lost to them last year. It was great to come in here and get our game back. The defense locked it down tonight. There were zero points on the scoreboard. That’s lock-down defense.”
Albemarle (3-7, 1-4) was led by Dre Davis’ 129 yards of total offense. Davis had 63 on ground and 66 through the air. Shoddy Pregee was his top receiver with three catches for 58 yards.
Now the two neighboring teams wait for the NCHSAA to announce first-round match-ups for the state playoffs.
South Stanly ( 5-4, 2-3) won 20-14 to Union Academy and West Stanly lost to powerhouse Monroe 55-7.

Eric Montgomery is a freelance writer for The Stanly News & Press.