Hough dominates Cardinal Gibbons at Keep Pounding High School Classic Saturday
Here’s the thing about Hough’s defense, and the thing that other N.C. football teams are really going to have to figure out if anyone is going to have a shot at beating the Huskies this season.
Ranked as high as No. 17 in America, Hough has so many athletes, and so much size, at every position, that you notice quickly notice something in nearly every Huskies game:
Plays that look like they might gain 5 or 6 yards go for 1 or 2. After a few series of that, especially with how hard the Huskies hit, it has to get frustrating.
And after using that formula to hold Northwestern’s powerhouse S.C. offense to 10 points to start the season, Hough shut down an N.C. power Saturday, running away from Raleigh’s Cardinal Gibbons 35-10 in the Keep Pounding Classic at Bank of America Stadium.
“I feel a lot better about this one,” Hough coach DeShawn Baker said. “We scored on the first drive and if we score on the first drive, it’s going to be a long night.”
Gibbons also played a Hough defense much closer to full strength.
Last week, in that 15-10 win in Rock Hill, Hough 4-star defensive lineman Corey Cunningham didn’t play. He made his season debut Saturday.
And the Crusaders, expected to be a 7A state championship contender, just couldn’t deal with that defense.
In the first half, Gibbons ran 23 plays. Those netted 35 yards.
Hough, meanwhile, looked much better on offense than in the Huskies’ debut last week.
QB Ethan Royal threw several pretty deep balls in the first half, accounting for two passing touchdowns in the first half. He also had a rushing score.
By halftime, Hough led 21-3. By the end of the third quarter, Royal had four touchdown passes and one rushing. Hough led 35-3.
“They’re good,” Gibbons coach Steven Wright said. “At the end of the day, they outplayed us and hats off to them.”
Three who mattered
Ethan Royal, Hough: The senior QB, committed to Marshall, completed 15 of 19 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown, winning the Whataburger player of the game award, which gets him access to meals from the fast-food restaurant for a year. He also won the award last year when Hough beat South Pointe, 14-10.
Ryan Peterson and Charles Puckett, Hough: Peterson had 12 tackles, a team high. Puckett was next with eight. Among those were a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss.
Bennett Morris, Gibbons: Morris had a team-high nine tackles, one ahead of teammate Skylar Alson.
Notes/Observations
• Next week, Hough will host Providence Day in a battle of the state’s two top teams. Hough is ranked as high as No. 17 nationally; Providence Day 42nd. That game could feature more than 20 Division I recruits.
• Gibbons kicker Tucker Toland made a 48-yard field goal in the second quarter.
• Royal looked comfortable all game, making several next-level throws, including a long pass in the first half that traveled about 50 yards in the air and landed right in the hands of senior Christian Coleman.
• In the fourth quarter, Gibbons junior defensive back Danny Rahe had a 53-yard interception return off Hough backup quarterback, junior Miles Clark.
• Gibbons ran 46 plays for the game, netting 96 yards, that included 34 rushes for 61 yards.
They said it
“Super-talented team. I don’t think there’s any question about that. Twenty of their 22 starters have a Division I offer. We really had trouble finding any weaknesses, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They’re deep. They play well and they’re coached well.” — Gibbons coach Steven Wright
Game summary
Cardinal Gibbons 0 3 0 7 — 10
Hough 14 7 14 0 — 35
FIRST QUARTER
H: Mason Pearsall-Brown 8 pass from Ethan Royal (Cole Johnson kick)
H: Ethan Royal 4 run (Cole Johnson kick)
SECOND QUARTER
CG: FG Tucker Toland 48
H: Pearsall-Brown 16 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
THIRD QUARTER
H: Jahmere Anderson 35 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
H: Anderson 8 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
FOURTH QUARTER
CG: Danny Rahe 53 interception return (Toland kick)
This story was originally published August 29, 2026 at 10:27 PM with the headline "Hough dominates Cardinal Gibbons at Keep Pounding High School Classic Saturday."
