Asheboro regroups after loss in league opener

ASHEBORO — A get-well game. 

With the majority of the Triad Area Athletic Conference still in front of the Asheboro High School varsity football team, last Friday night’s Homecoming battle with Southeast Guilford took on added meaning. 

AHS was coming off a loss to Northern Guilford in the TAAC opener a week before and, despite dealing with injuries and players in new positions, AHS could ill afford starting the league season 0-2.

So they got well the way the football coaching staff loves to see: A hard-nosed running attack that featured great blocking by the offensive line and the receivers, and a stout defense that allowed SEG very little.

The result was a 38-10 whipping as the Blue Comets will enter Friday night’s game at Eastern Guilford with a 1-1 conference record.

AHS, which is 6-1 overall, sent a large Homecoming crowd home happy.

The AHS offense rushed for 355 yards and five touchdowns, including four from senior quarterback Dallas Brinton and one from his brother Connor.

The Blue Comets opened up a fairly tight game by extending a 14-3 halftime lead to 35-3 in the third quarter.

“We needed a good game to bounce back,” AHS coach Calvin Brown said after the 51-8 loss to NG. “We did a lot of good things tonight. We still had some mistakes and it wasn’t a perfect game, but we came out and were able to execute.”

Playing against NG with players injured and in new positions, AHS was overmatched. There was a complete turnaround this past week.

“We were more ready to play,” Brown said. “There was something about last week. They weren’t ready to play. This week we had a much better week being focused on the game plan. That loss got us back to focusing together.”

The offensive line and running game were certainly focused. Led by Zac Blackwell, Cadrien Thompson, Jonah Lester, Brody Berryhill, Jackson Baylor and Owen Chidester, the two Brintons found plenty of running room, especially in the second half.

“That was kind of the big question going into the year,” Brown said. “What we’re trying to do is establish the run. If you’re going to win, you have to run the ball and you have to stop the run.”

The Blue Comets did both on Friday. With Dallas Brinton scoring on a 4-yard run in the first quarter and Connor Brinton adding a 51-yard scoring jaunt in the second quarter, the Blue Comets led 14-3 at the end of the first half.

“We should have opened (the lead) in the first half,” Brown said. “They didn’t stop us. We were the only ones who stopped ourselves. We shot ourselves in the foot.”

It was a different story in the second half as Dallas Brinton scored three rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, culminating drives on scoring runs of 11, 12 and 66 yards.

“Really, getting everyone back healthy and getting our identity back,” Dallas Brinton said of the 355 rushing yards. “Coming off a loss, things can be a little rough. Rebuilding our identity and it starts up front. Our line did a great job. Zac must have had at least a half-dozen pancakes. Even with our receivers blocking on the end, that’s what breaks the big runs. Getting DJ (Scott) and Connor to seal the edge.” 

The Blue Comets also received a 31-yard field goal from Jefferson Aguilar, who kicked five PATs.

Homecoming adds another distraction to the mix and Brown said he was impressed with the way his team responded.

“That’s always been my concern on Homecoming games,” Brown said of all the distractions during the week. “Our kids handled it. I told them I want them to enjoy it. Homecoming games, you will remember them for the rest of your life. Our kids handled that well.”

The defense was sparked by Aiden Letterlough, Scott and Micah McLaughlin with the help of many.

Dallas Brinton and the passing game also saw success as he completed 13 of 19 passes for 153 yards. Nirey White caught seven passes for 78 yards.

“We have to be able to do that,” Brown said of throwing the football. “We had a good balance.”

A balance the Blue Comets will need once again Friday night.