Garinger High ends 48-game losing streak, stops Winston-Salem Prep at home
It’s been a few years since Garinger’s varsity football team had a number other than “0” in the win column.
But the Wildcats finally put a “1” there, beating undermanned Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy 36-6 on Friday night in the teams’ season opener.
Garinger’s losing streak ended at a state-leading 48 games after the Wildcats (1-0) scored on three of their first four possessions to build a 21-6 halftime lead. Then, behind the play of Zykerion Pharr, Garinger tacked on a pair of second-half scores.
“It’s an awesome feeling, especially for the kids,” said first-year Wildcats head coach Jupiter Wilson. “Just to see them have things manifest. … I knew things were changing, and to come out here and get that win on Friday night and to really be able to say to people, ‘Things are changing out here.’ I’m just proud of the kids.”
Pharr, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound sophomore, ran for 184 yards on just eight carries — three of those going for touchdowns — while quarterback Tristan Murphy added 171 passing yards and one touchdown.
Queshawn Miller also ran for one score for Garinger, and Jason Cole went 4 for 4 on extra point kicks, and even caught a 2-point conversion pass from Miller to end the Wildcats’ scoring.
“All I know is that we’ve got to stay committed,” Pharr said. “We’ve got to stay committed, and more wins will come. Y’all stay tuned.
“We’ve got a good coach here now, and every day in practice the energy is just different. I can feel it. The coaches are teaching me more and more every day, and I’m learning from them. If I can keep this up, I can really go somewhere.”
Winston-Salem Prep (0-1) scored its lone touchdown thanks in part to a pair of bad snaps by Garinger in the second quarter. The first led to a 29-yard sack on Murphy and put the Wildcats deep in their own territory; the second on the punt attempt gave the Phoenix the ball at the 8-yard line.
Winston-Salem Prep would score three plays later when quarterback Tim Smith — nearly brought down by a pair of Garinger defenders — got off a shovel pass to Dawayne Pone Jr. that he took into the end zone with 9:53 left to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 14-6.
However, in the second half, Winston-Salem Prep had two scoring opportunities stopped by the Wildcats. The first, at the 9-yard line, set up Garinger’s next scoring drive; the second — set up by a Murphy fumble — was stopped on Tavaughn Floyd’s interception and return, which set up Pharr’s third TD run.
Three who made a difference
Zykerion Pharr, Garinger — Had a career-best night for the Wildcats, with two of his three touchdowns going for long yardage. He put Garinger on the board first with his 49-yard run early in the first quarter, capped a 91-yard drive in the third quarter with a 24-yard run, then hit the hat trick with a 50-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter.
Tristan Murphy, Garinger — The Wildcats’ junior quarterback handled Winston-Salem Prep’s rush to complete 10 of 16 passes, including a 55-yard TD pass to Laro Thompson midway through the first quarter.
Garinger’s defense — The Wildcats held Winston-Salem Prep to 138 total yards, picked off Smith twice and sacked him four times.
Observations
— Garinger’s last win came on Oct. 11, 2019, when the Wildcats pulled out an 18-14 road victory over East Mecklenburg.
— The biggest player in the stadium was on the sidelines for Garinger — tackle Spencer Guest-Burns, a 6-foot-4, 360-pound sophomore, who sat out Friday’s season opener.
— The longest active losing streak in the state now belongs to West Caldwell, which suffered its 42nd consecutive loss Friday at the hands of county rival South Caldwell, 62-26.
— One thing Wilson will be working on at practice this week with Garinger’s players are penalties — as in not committing any. The Wildcats were whistled for 20 flags covering 177 yards Friday, with six of those 15-yarders for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Up next
Garinger looks to post back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2010 season when it takes on Lake Norman Charter next Friday in Huntersville. That same evening, Winston-Salem Prep plays at in-city rival Carver.
SCORING SUMMARY
W-S PREP 0 6 0 0 – 6
GARINGER 14 7 7 8 – 36
First Quarter
G — Zykerion Pharr 49 run (Jason Cole kick), 9:01.
G —Tristan Murphy 55 pass to Laro Thompson (Cole kick), 5:30.
Second Quarter
WSP—Tim Smith 2 pass to Dawayne Pone Jr. (pass failed), 9:53.
G — Queshaun Miller 1 run (Cole kick), 5:55.
Third Quarter
G — Pharr 24 run (Cole good), 1:25.
Fourth Quarter
G — Pharr 50 run (Murphy pass to Cole), 3:06.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM.