{
  "id": 16265807,
  "title": "How Crest football stifled Ashbrook, set up showdown with county rival",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/how-crest-football-stifled-ashbrook-set-up-showdown-with-county-rival",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-24T02:40:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/crest-football-stifled-ashbrook-set-024032817.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Boiling Springs — Crest football secured a dominant 38-0 win over Ashbrook on October 23, clinching the Big South 5A/6A title and a coveted 5A West No. 1 seed in the NCHSAA playoffs. Coach Mark Barnes emphasized the importance of the victory, stating that the program aimed to secure both a conference and state championship together, a feat last achieved in 2015. Crest's strong performance was fueled by contributions from its senior players, including Brock Melton, Malachi Gamble, and Maurice Redmond, who collectively had significant impacts on the game. The Chargers' defensive unit was instrumental in stifling Ashbrook's potent offense, which averaged over 378 yards and 34.6 points per game, holding them to just 102 total yards and no points. Crest's defense, led by quarterback A.J. McClain and tight end Braylon Smith, forced McClain to remain largely inactive, and forced Smith to go without a catch. Looking ahead, Crest now focuses on its regular season finale against Kings Mountain, aiming for its first outright league title since 2023 and a potential sweep against Cleveland County rivals. Ashbrook, currently at 4-5, will host Hunter Huss on October 30 for the Battle for the Victory Bell.",
  "summary": "With stakes high both in conference play and for postseason positioning, Crest football made sure not to \"horse around\" Oct. 23 against a dangerous Ashbrook team.",
  "key_points": [
    "Crest defeats Ashbrook 38-0, clinching Big South 5A/6A title",
    "Senior players Brock Melton, Malachi Gamble, Maurice Redmond key",
    "Crest's defense stifles Ashbrook's potent offense"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Crest's defensive dominance secures a top playoff seed and positions the program to pursue a rare double championship by completing a sweep of local Cleveland County rivals.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}