ER completes another unbeaten league run

RAMSEUR — There are impressive streaks throughout high school sports. One of the most impressive is the streak the Eastern Randolph High School varsity football team extended this season.

The Wildcats closed out their 28th straight league win and sixth straight unbeaten conference season last Friday night and they did it with an exclamation point, topping Jordan-Matthews 59-6 at Burton Cates Stadium.

The Wildcats, who have battled a plethora of injuries this season, closes the regular-season campaign at 7-3, having won its past five games, including all four within the Four Rivers Conference.

The streak began at the start of the 2021 season.

“It’s a goal every year, you want to try and win your conference and play good football going into the playoffs,” said veteran coach Burton Cates, whose Wildcats play in a home stadium that bears Cates’ name. “We talked about starting fast. We have always said once the playoffs start, it’s who has the momentum, who can keep the momentum, and when you lose it, how quick you can get it back.”

ER earned a No. 6 seed and first-round bye in the upcoming state 3-A East playoffs and will wait to see the outcome of the No. 11 Providence Grove and No. 23 South Lenoir first-round matchup to see which team they will play in the second round.

ER’s only three losses this year were to 6-A powers Asheboro (9-1), Union Pines (9-1) and Southern Alamance (8-2). The Wildcats finished the league season 4-0 and outscored their opponents 170-13.

The Wildcats, who continue to battle the injury bug, a bug that doesn’t exclude coaches, have been forced to switch numerous players to different positions this season. Those injuries included a season-ending one to James Combs, a number of players on the offensive and defensive lines and two coaches, who were injured this week.

“It was Senior Night tonight and we’re there with braces, casts and crutches,” Cates said. “I’m thinking good gosh.”

The Wildcats did exactly what the coaching staff was hoping for against J-M, jumping to a 31-0 lead after the first quarter and instituting a running clock in the second half after a 41-0 lead at intermission.

“It’s a 48-minute game and if you are not focused on what’s at hand, you don’t know what can happen,” Cates said.

Some of the highlights included 154 yards of passing offense as Cade McCallum was 9-for-13 with a pair of touchdowns, Kobe Walker rushed for 68 yards on just five carries with a TD, Jaydon

Spruill had a 67-yard punt return for a score and Cainan Glover had a receiving touchdown and an interception on defense.

Before the players dispersed, Cates had one final message.

“We all went through this thing in August and September feeling sorry for ourselves,” Cates said. “I was a little down wondering who was going to be the next player to get hurt. It sure feels good to get things back where they should be.”