Shelby football uses team effort to outlast Kings Mountain. Here's how
Despite losses in its last two matchups with Kings Mountain, Shelby football coach Mike Wilbanks asked his team to focus on one thing — ending Week 1 with a 1-0 record.
Shelby's football team turned a two-game losing streak into a win, defeating rival Kings Mountain 28-21 on Friday, Aug. 21 at George Blanton Memorial Stadium. Coach Mike Wilbanks, a three-time NCHSAA state title winner, was pleased with the victory, saying, “It feels good to be 1-0.”
The Golden Lions took an early lead, opening up a 28-7 advantage midway through the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Cruz Scott and running back Jonas Woods played crucial roles in the win. Scott threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Williams, tying the game at 7-all in the second quarter, and Woods rushed for two touchdowns, carrying the team's offense.
Shelby's defense also contributed, not forcing a turnover but making the Mountaineers' offense difficult. Kings Mountain took the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Julius Brooks in the first quarter. Despite their struggles, the Mountaineers managed to cut the lead to seven in the game's final minutes, with a Devin Hopper kickoff return for a touchdown and a 69-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jordan Jenkins to freshman Tony Boyd.
However, Shelby's defense prevailed, forcing Kings Mountain to turn the ball over on downs and sacking Jenkins on the game's final play. Shelby's next match-up is against their rival Crest, a team that has won four consecutive games in their rivalry, which is considered one of North Carolina's best. Meanwhile, Kings Mountain will host Burns for their home opener.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
