Northwood was the 17-0 winner over West Carteret when they last played one another back in April of 2021, but their luck changed this time around. The Chargers took a 29-21 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Patriots on Thursday. While the Chargers had to settle for second, they closed the game well in the third quarter, where they outscored the Patriots 14-8.

Grayson Cox
| 10/17/25 @ North Moore | 167.8 |
| 10/10/25 vs Jordan-Matthews | 115.5 |
| 10/30/25 vs West Carteret | 112.2 |
| 08/28/25 vs Asheboro | 105.9 |
| 09/19/25 @ North Surry | 77.1 |
| + 4 more games |
When it comes to explaining why Northwood lost, don't look at Grayson Cox. Despite the final result, he rushed for 133 yards and a pair of TDs while picking up 7.4 yards per carry, and also threw for 97 yards and one touchdown. Cox's passing game has become a key predictor of the Chargers' success: the team is 2-1 when his passer rating is 110 or higher, but only 1-6 otherwise. Robert Tripp was another key player, rushing for 119 yards on only 15 carries.
West Carteret's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Joshua Bauman, who rushed for 167 yards and a pair of scores. Another player making a difference was D'Jabrien Murray, who picked up 150 receiving yards and one TD.
This is the second loss in a row for Northwood and nudges their season record down to 3-7. As for West Carteret, their record now sits at 6-4.
The two teams are set to take part in some playoff action in their next matches. Northwood will square off against Hertford County at 7:00 p.m. on the 7th. As for West Carteret, they will take on C.B. Aycock at 7:00 p.m. on the 7th. The Golden Falcons will aim to continue their five-game streak of scoring more points each game than the last.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps