What’s more, the host Cavaliers revived their playoff hopes by forcing six Lexington turnovers and winning a game they absolutely had to have. When they exited their Whitehead Avenue repair shop, they owned a 34-14 Central Carolina Conference victory and wore the spit shine of a postseason contender.

“We’re looking good again,” junior Andre Byrd said after North (4-4, 2-1 CCC) earned its third win in the past four weeks. “Right now we feel like we can win the rest of our games.”

That would be just fine with 10th-year coach Roger Secreast, who called the outcome “a pressure victory,’’ and added, “It’s the game we couldn’t afford to lose. We may not win next week (at unbeaten High Point Central), but if we didn’t win tonight, it wouldn’t have mattered.”

North made this one a priority from the opening whistle. On the third play from scrimmage, linebacker Brian Alford picked off a Lexington pass and returned it the visitors’ 21-yard line.

“We turned it up right from the first series,” explained the 245-pound senior, “because everyone knew what an important game this was.”

It was even more significant for North quarterback Mario Sturdivant. The 6-3 fan-favorite tossed three touchdown passes, ran for another and became Rowan County’s all-time passing yardage leader.

“We knew from the get-go we could beat any corner on any route,” Sturdivant said after completing 14 of 27 spirals for 208 yards — giving him 5,607 in four seasons. “It was just a matter of adjusting to the defense. We went right after them. That’s why I threw all those balls to Alfonzo (Miller). We were trying to get (the record) in the first quarter.”

What they got was a 7-0 lead when Sturdivant lobbed an 8-yard TD strike to Chris Phillips just 2:45 into the game. It stayed that way until the third period, when Super Mario connected with Graham Hosch on a 4-yard touchdown pass.

“Their game plan is to outscore you and they did a good job,” losing coach Avery Cutshaw said after Lexington (2-5-1 overall) dropped to 1-2 in the conference. “It’s hard to win against a good football team when you make a load of mistakes.”

Lexington made a crucial one after drawing within 20-14 early in the fourth period. On a fourth-down Cavaliers’ punt, the Yellow Jackets mistakenly downed the ball at the North 29-yard line. North junior Jarrett Wishon alertly pounced on the live ball for a fumble recovery and four plays later Sturdivant scored on 1-yard quarterback sneak over left guard.

“The big turnaround was the poor kid who tried to down the punt,” said Secreast. “That was the key to the ballgame. They had some momentum going but we got lucky. It was our turn to get lucky and we did.”

Sturdivant surpassed former North QB Mitch Ellis’ record with 6:38 remaining when he scrambled to his right and found Phillips open near the sideline for a 21-yard pickup.

He added a final TD pass — his county-best 13th of the season — on a 13-yard strike to Eric Davis with 2:10 to play. The rest was up to North’s impressive defense, which induced three interceptions and fumbles.

“The boys were hitting tonight,” said Alford. “And when you hit ‘em right, the ball’s gonna drop.”

On this night, it dropped right into North’s lap.

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