Mount Airy is 9-1 against Starmount since August of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Mount Airy Granite Bears will square off against the Starmount Rams at 7:00 p.m. Both teams are still undefeated (Mount Airy has 21 wins dating back to last season, while Starmount has four).
Mount Airy's defense heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat North Stokes 55-0 at home. That looming 55-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Granite Bears yet this season.
It was another big night for Taeshon Martin, who rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries. His rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fifth straight game with at least 116 rushing yards dating back to last season. DJ Joyce was in the mix as well, providing Mount Airy with two touchdowns.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Mount Airy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 316 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 206 rushing yards in 21 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Mount Airy wouldn't let North Stokes keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force three fumbles. It was truly a group effort as Cashtyn Revels, Karson Strickland, and Strickland picked up one apiece.
Meanwhile, Starmount's rock-solid defense showed up for the team's fourth consecutive shutout on Friday. They breezed by Alleghany on the road to the tune of 49-0. Given the Rams' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina football rankings (they are ranked 125th, while the Trojans are ranked 294th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Luke Collins continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns while completing 84.6% of his passes, and also rushing for 35 yards and a touchdown. He also deserves a shoutout for his performance on D, making five total tackles and defending a pass in addition to snagging an interception which he returned for a touchdown. Kinston Crater was another key player, gaining 80 total yards and a touchdown.
Mount Airy's win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. As for Starmount, their record is now 4-0.
Everything came up roses for Mount Airy against Starmount in their previous matchup back in September of 2023, as the team secured a 47-15 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Mount Airy since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
