How Hough’s big defensive stands helped Huskies top Myers Park, win league title
Give the first Greater Charlotte 7A/8A conference championship to the Hough Huskies.
Hough, No. 2 in The Observer’s Sweet 16, knocked off No. 4 Myers Park, 28-6, Friday on the road, by getting its running game going after getting three big defensive stops.
Texas recruit Samari Matthews ended one drive with an interception and forced a short field goal by deflecting a third-and-goal play from the Huskies’ 5. Earlier, Hough stopped Myers Park after a botched punt gave the Mustangs possession at Hough 10.
Hough, meanwhile, got a pair of scoring connections from QB Ethan Royal to receiver Jahmere Anderson, and Jamarion Morrison rushed for 124 yards, highlighted by a 25-yard, fourth-quarter TD run.
The second Royal-to-Anderson scoring strike, a 37-yarder in the fourth quarter, came on a third-and-23 that capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 6:03 and saw the Huskies overcome two holding penalties and on false start penalty.
Hough (9-0, 4-0) will finish regular-season play next Thursday at home with Hopewell. Myers Park (7-2, 3-1), which had a four-game win streak snapped, will play rival South Mecklenburg (7-2, 3-1) at Memorial Stadium on Thursday. Those teams are tied for second place in the conference heading to the season-finale.
“We found a way to get our run game going, and we leaned on that,” Hough coach DeShawn Baker said. “Kudos to the offensive line coach Darius Jones. He works with our guys endlessly. All the work showed tonight.
“And that’s a tremendous defensive line that we were up against. They’ve got two D1 guys.”
Three who made a difference
Ethan Royal, Hough: The junior quarterback completed 14 of 20 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns and ran nine times for 16 yards to account for 207 of the Huskies’ 353 yards total offense
Jamarion Morrison, Hough: Sophomore running back ran 16 times for 124 yards and one touchdown.
Josh Falzarano, Myers Park: Senior running back had 18 carries for 62 yards to lead Myers Park’s 168-yard offense.
Notable
— Hough’s conference title was its seventh in school history — and sixth straight; Previous Huskies’ titles came in the MECKA 4A Conference (2015), IMECK 4A (2021 spring) and Queen City 3A/4A (2021-24).
— Myers Park honored 26 seniors before Friday’s game, including four NCAA Division I commits, wide receiver Brody Keefe (Duke), defensive back-wide receiver Josh Hines (Charlotte), defensive back Camdin Portis (Miami, Fla.) and defensive lineman Rodney Durham (Notre Dame). Fellow defensive lineman Damaad Lewis has received interest from California, Cincinnati, Florida State, Nebraska and N.C. State according to 247sports.com
— Hough head coach DeShawn Baker said his offensive line of left tackle Amaree Lawrence-Broome, left guard Mason Owens (converted from defensive line two weeks ago), center Tauatevalu Tuionetoa, right guard 75 Jarvis Potts (Appalachian State commitment) and right tackle Shawn Kennedy had their best effort of the year.
They said it
“I’ve told everybody all year that this team may be young, but they’re gritty,” — Hough coach DeShawn Baker.
Game summary
Hough 0 7 0 21 — 28
Myers Park 0 3 3 0 — 6
SECOND QUARTER
MP: FG James Remsen 33
H: Jahmere Anderson 24 pass from Ethan Royal (Cole Johnson kick)
THIRD QUARTER
MP: FG Remsen 21
FOURTH QUARTER
H: Anderson 37 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
H: Jamarion Morrison 25 run (Johnson kick)
H: Jayden White 47 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 9:33 PM.