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The all-time series between the football teams of Albemarle and West Stanly has the most parity of any of the county rivalries.

In the 45 games between the two schools, Albemarle had won 23 times, but not since 2013. West had 22 wins, including a forfeit win in 2014 and eight more wins in a row on the field from 2015 to last season, with the two teams not playing in the COVID spring season of 2020.

On Friday, the host Colts, in front of their new scoreboard complete with a video board, took an early lead and put the first points on it midway through the second quarter.

However, Albemarle responded immediately with two touchdowns before the first half was over and led the rest of the way, pulling away late for a 33-14 win.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Colts (0-3) went up initially on a 63-yard touchdown run by senior running back Darrell Bynum midway through the second period. The extra point put West up 7-0.

The Bulldogs struck back quickly in two plays, a 42-yard pitch to Kaine McLendon, which set up Dre’ Davis’ 28-yard touchdown pass to Zyion Geiger. The extra point was good, tying the game 7-7.

West, on its next drive, committed the first of four turnovers in the game when a backwards pass was ruled a fumble recovered by the Bulldogs. Vincent Gregory scored on a 32-yard run on the next play, putting the Bulldogs up 13-7 when the extra point was blocked.

“To score back that quickly, that keeps our team’s mentality in check. We don’t let our defense get down; offense can’t let them down, so we scored,” Davis said.

The Colts, in the final two minutes of the first half, drove into the red zone with a long pass which was caught simultaneously by a West receiver and a Bulldog defender. Two plays later, a pass into double coverage turned into an Albemarle interception. Gregory stepped in front of the receiver and returned the ball to the West 35-yard line.

“It was a close game. We needed that stop,” Gregory said. “In my mind, I was thinking I’m going to do whatever I can do to make sure we get this stop. All of the secondary did a good job getting in their zones and it opened up the play for me. I saw the tight end roll out, I saw the quarterback, I made a good read and I was able to react.”

Several plays later, Davis showed his speed. The senior QB scrambled out of the pocket and raced down the home sidelines for a 44-yard touchdown run with 37.2 seconds left in the first half.

Albemarle led 19-7 at the half, but the Colts answered on the team’s first drive of the second half. A nine-play, 65-yard drive was capped off by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Maverick Scott to Pedro Mincitar. The extra point pulled the Colts within five, 19-14, with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

The Colts had a chance to take the lead later in the third, driving down to the Bulldogs’ 24-yard line. On the final play of the quarter, Scott’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Davis.

In the fourth, a West punt pinned the Bulldogs back at the visitors’ 18-yard line, but it only took one play for Albemarle to score. Gregory took the handoff, running to his right and 82 yards down the Bulldogs’ sideline for a touchdown. The extra point put Albemarle up 26-14 with 6:25 left in the game.

McLendon added a 10-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes left in the game to seal the win for the Bulldogs.

“All summer, we’ve been preached on about finishing, finishing, finishing those last reps (in practice), finishing runs, finishing plays so we can be prepared for these fourth quarters,” Davis said.

Albemarle head coach Richard Davis said the win against West was long overdue “after we let them off the hook the last couple of years. Eventually, we were due.”

Davis said his team “is senior and freshman heavy…we asked the seniors to put the team on their back, go make some plays and win this game.”

“We told the boys all week, at some point, we’ve got to make a statement, and that’s what we came to do tonight, make a statement in the first half and come out and finish it in the second, and we got that first step on the way to the (Stanly) cup,” Davis said.

For the game, Davis finished with 74 rushing yards and a score, and was 6-of-12 through the air for 84 yards and a TD. McLendon finished with 64 rushing yards and a TD as well.

West quarterback Maverick Scott was 5-for-12 through the air for 83 yards and a TD with three interceptions. Bynum finished with 207 rushing yards and a touchdown.

South and West are tied in the Stanly Cup standings at 1-0, with North getting its chance to take on West this Friday in New London.

Albemarle will be on the road this Friday at Anson County (1-2). The Bearcats bounced back from two losses to start the season and won at North Rowan in Week 3, 44-22.

The Colts, after having the opening game of the season shifted to South Stanly, will be on the road the next two weeks, including Friday’s game at North (2-1). The Comets lost at home Friday night to Western Alamance, 24-7. West will not be at home again until Oct. 10, against Forest Hills in a Thursday night game.

A  0  19 0  14   33

WS  0 7  7  0   14