What Observer jinx? No. 1 Kings Mountain rolls past Ashbrook at home Friday
The Charlotte area’s top-ranked high school football team set the tone early Friday night.
Kings Mountain’s Caleb Holland ran back the opening kickoff 65 yards deep into Ashbrook territory, and Teddy Jeffries dashed 28 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.
By the time the night was over, top-ranked Kings Mountain had trounced visiting Ashbrook 48-14 and moved one victory away from an unbeaten regular season.
Of course, that remaining game is next Friday’s contest at local rival Crest. A victory will give Kings Mountain outright possession of the Big South 3A title and likely the top seed in the 3A West playoff bracket.
“That is always a big game — on of those Cleveland County rivalries,” Mountaineers’ coach Greg Lloyd said. “We’ll have to play really well to win that one.”
The Mountaineers (9-0, 6-0), marking their first week atop The Observer’s Sweet 16, played well enough Friday night.
Their explosive offense and stifling defense built a 21-0 lead with just eight minutes elapsed.
After the opening touchdown, the Mountaineers forced the Green Wave to punt and took over at the Ashbrook 46. On the fifth play of the drive, Lamont Littlejohn lofted a 28-yard touchdown pass to Zay Smith.
Then on Ashbrook’s next series, the Mountaineers blocked a punt, and Sincere Lenair returned it 12 yards for a touchdown. That gave Kings Mountain a 21-0 lead, and the Mountaineers never looked back.
Ashbrook running back Carmelo Bess, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season, broke loose on two 60-yard-plus runs and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Steve Lyttle on Twitter: @slyttle
PHOTOS: Ashbrook at Kings Mountain
This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 10:36 PM.
