ER romps past Cherokee

RAMSEUR — A pretty good sign that your team is going to play a good football game is when you’re leading and your offense hasn’t even stepped onto the field.

Eastern Randolph’s Mason Carson picked off a pass and rambled 35 yards for a score on the second play from scrimmage, which ignited the Wildcats to a 42-0 blanking of Cherokee on Friday night in the second round of the state 1-A playoffs.

Carson’s score gave the Wildcats a quick 7-0 lead, and when the offense had a chance, it scored on five of six possessions in the first half for a 42-0 lead, meaning a running clock the entire second half.

“We had a good week of practice, preparation and the kids locked in on what we needed to do,” ER coach Burton Cates said. 

“The first half was as complete a game as you can play on offense, defense and in the kicking game.”

Drives of 79 and 76 yards were capped off by a 40-yard touchdown pass from Cade McCallum to DeSean Shamberger and a 4-yard run by Lucas Smith. That gave ER a 21-0 lead after the first quarter.

The ER offense was just as potent in the second quarter as Kobe Walker scored on a 46-yard run, Aiden Goodman hauled in a 26-yard scoring pass from McCallum and James Combs scored on a 1-yard run with 33 seconds left in the half.

Joel Salinas connected on all seven PATs.

With the clock continually running in the second half, the ER starters played one series before taking a seat.

“Once that clock is running, there’s really not any reason to have them out there,” Cates said of his starters. 

“You just hope to get the game over and not have any injuries.”

Smith had 11 carries for 145 yards and Walker six carries for 87 yards. Shamberger was the leading receiver with three catches for 80 yards.

Now, looking at the numbers, a big challenge awaits Friday night as the fourth-seeded Wildcast will battle fifth-seeded Corvian Community School out of Charlotte. That program is just three years old but has taken players from Mallard Creek, Butler and Hough. The Cardinals are a perfect 12-0 and have outscored their opponents 552-88. 

Corvian competes in a conference with Community School of Davidson, Mountain Island Charter, Christ the King and Bishop McGuiness. The Cardinals have defeated Elkin 49-0 and Mitchell 42-6 in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

“They are a spread team with two great quarterbacks,” Cates said. 

Cam Johnson is the main threat on the ground as he has rushed for 1,223 yards and 23 touchdowns..