'New' Asheboro finds a way to win

ASHEBORO — Finding a way to win.

No matter how the first three quarters have gone, good high school football teams find a way to make those game-altering plays in the fourth quarter. 

That was something Asheboro High School has been searching for since 2017 as the program has gone through a drought that has seen it record just eight wins in the past six seasons. Finding a way to win. 

The Blue Comets found a way to win Friday night in its non-league game with a talented Providence Grove team, and coaches and players hope that 17-10 win will lift the team to heights it hasn’t seen since the 2016 season.

“That's the one thing we felt last year, we didn't know how to win,” said second-year AHS coach Calvin Brown. “We have to find ways to learn how to win. They (PG) had all the momentum. We ran three plays in the third quarter and they tied the game at 10-10 and I said, ‘Alright, we have to go make plays.’ 

“When we had to do it, we did it and that's what we haven’t done in the past. We found a way to win.”

After the Patriots went on a 19-play touchdown drive to tie the score at 10-10 with 9:39 to play, the Blue Comets responded with an 80-yard drive of their own in 11 plays with quarterback Logan Laughlin bullying his way in from 2 yards away. The extra point by Micah Garcia gave AHS a 17-10 lead with 5:25 to go, and when Luke Hughes stuffed Jacob Flinchum on a fourth-and-1 from the PG 39, AHS had its game-altering plays.

“(PG) had all the momentum and the Asheboro I saw last year and the Asheboro I saw on tape before we got here would have folded in that situation,” Brown said. “I was proud of our guys for finding a way to win late by making plays when we had to. We had to make some big plays.”

So the Blue Comets put their faith in an offensive line that includes Boon Hinesley, Nico Otero, Jonah Lester, Zac Blackwell and Chris Spivey. The line created holes that freshman running back Connor Brinton was more than happy to exploit as he carried the ball nine of the first 10 plays of the drive before Quincey Lee capped the drive with a 2-yard run.

“As the clock was winding down, I knew we had it,” said Spivey, a senior. “I knew the game was over. We’re more locked in. We understand more and we’re more physical. The energy was way up. 

“This shows that we are a better team than we have been in the past and our crowd is going to support us.”

A stout running game is something that AHS hasn’t had in quite a while.

“We’re very talented in the backfield,” Brown said. “Last year, we couldn’t run the football. Our senior Quincey Lee had two touchdowns tonight, our freshman (Brinton) rushed for 148 yards, and DJ Scott, a sophomore, is talented and he’s battling an ankle injury. We rushed for 213 yards and when you rush for 213 yards, you are going to win some football games.”

PG coach Mark Heilig was impressed with both teams.

“We have the utmost respect for Asheboro, they played a heck of a game,” Heilig said. “They ran it a little better than I thought they would.”

Heilig had plenty to be proud about with his team as well as the running game led by Jacob Flinchum, Andrew Thomas, Brady Collins and quarterback Jackson Lawver sparked that 19-play scoring drive that tied the game at 10-10 in the final quarter.

But it was Hughes, who made the key stop to end the Patriots’ hopes.

“It was amazing, we have been struggling, looking for that win,” the senior linebacker said. “I am so happy. We proved we could do it. We’re a different Asheboro. We have more seniors and so much more drive. We are passionate. It’s a new Asheboro.”

Coupled with a season-opening win over Albemarle, the Blue Comets have won twice in the same season for the first time since 2019. The program registered just three wins from 2020-23 and one more victory this season will mark the highest number of wins since 2016 when AHS finished 9-4 under Owen George.

But just increasing the number of wins by one or two isn’t the goal of this year’s team.

“Our goal from the start has been to make the playoffs,” Brown said. “That’s still our goal and I think we’re capable of that. That's a great goal for Asheboro High School and we'll build on that. Our goal every week is to be 1-0. We don’t look ahead.”

Ahead is a tough matchup with Randleman, the No.1 ranked team in the state 2-A West Region.

But for at least this game, the Blue Comets found the way to record a big win.