KANNAPOLIS — Last year, Kannapolis had one of the best running backs in the nation in Nick Maddox, but at least you knew exactly where the Wonders were going to hit you.

This year’s Wonders have more weapons on display than your average NRA convention, and there’s simply no way of knowing who’s coming at you next — or from what direction.

Kannapolis (4-0), ranked No. 2 in 3A, overwhelmed North Rowan 42-6 on Friday night getting effective efforts from no less than 10 backs and receivers. The Wonders piled up 22 first downs, while rolling up 379 yards on the ground and 94 more through the air.

North (1-3) countered with an outstanding night from superstar quarterback Mario Sturdivant, who won his individual battle with Kannapolis counterpart Justin Hardin (254 total yards to 161), but lost the war.

“Mario is the real deal,” said Kannapolis coach Bruce Hardin. “He’s something. He’s a top-notch quarterback.”

“Mario had just a great night.” agreed North coach Roger Secreast, “but this Kannapolis bunch is a very good football team. There’s no Maddox, but other than him it’s probably a better team than they had last year.”

Despite the lopsided final — the most one-sided Kannapolis-North game since the Wonders won 40-0 in 1989 — the Cavs were in their slugging most of the way.

“We had some occasions in the first half when we should have scored,” said Secreast, who saw two Cavalier drives stall inside the Wonder 20.

North’s defense stopped Kannapolis on its first possession — forcing a punt with tough hits by Thomas Mashore and Lemuel Brown.

But Kannapolis got rolling on its second try, as Blair Hardin’s 28-yard punt return set up a scoring scamper by Marcello Stanback. Stanback was actually in the grasp of North’s Brian Alford, but Alford’s attempt to throw the back to the turf by an arm only served to propel the rumbling, stumbling senior down the sidelines and into the end zone.

Minutes later, the Wonders smashed 80 yards in 13 plays to make it 14-0. Hardin kept that drive going with a sensational scrambling throw to Stanback. He found Ryan Craft wide open in the end zone for the TD from 4 yards out.

North knew it had to respond on its next possession — and nearly did.

Sturdivant nailed Andre Byrd with 15 and 23-yard pass plays as the Cavs quickly pushed from their 18 to the Wonder 11. The Cavs had a second-and-1 from there, but Sturdivant, ducking a heavy rush, threw toward Graham Hosch, only to have the Wonders’ DeAngelo Collins step in and pick off the aerial in the end zone.

“If there was one play in the game that turned momentum, that was it,” said Wonder coach Bruce Hardin. “It could’ve been right back to 14-7, and anyone’s game. That stop gave us confidence and frustrated them a little bit.”

Collins, who was one of the five defensive backs that the Wonders annually employ to annoy Sturdivant, made the mistake of trying to return the ball out of the end zone, and was tackled little more than an inch from a safety.

No matter. This Wonder offense can generate points no matter how miserable the field position. It proceeded to blister the Cavs on a drive of 99 yards, 2 feet and 11 inches that consumed nearly five minutes.

Justin Hardin made the key play, slashing down the sideline for 37 yards on an option. Eric Caldwell, who had his third straight 100-yard game, finished off the march from the 5 with just 32 seconds left in the half to give the Wonders a 21-0 lead.

“They went 99 yards on us,” said Secreast. “We’ve gotta do a better job. Obviously, we’ve got some problems to iron out on defense.”

It was 28-0 after Caldwell added another TD on the Wonders’ first second-half possession.

Late in the third quarter, the Cavs finally got on the board with an amazing “drive.”

First, Sturdivant converted a fourth down play from his own 19 with a pass to Hosch. Then the Cavs converted again on fourth down from the North 32 when Sturdivant flipped a pass to Byrd.

That set the stage for the Wonders’ only breakdown of the night in the secondary. Alfonzo Miller took advantage, slipping behind Collins. Sturdivant found him for a 67-yard TD strike to make it 28-6.

“We went for it on those fourth downs, because we really needed something positive to happen,” said Secreast. “It was good for the kids that we scored.”

But the Cavs couldn’t build on that big play.

And on their next possession, the Wonders ended any thoughts of a miraculous comeback when Justin Hardin escaped three onrushing Cavs and hit Blair Hardin for a 28-yard TD with 10:34 left to play. That made it 35-6. Then, with 5:35 left, Caldwell broke loose for another TD run to produce the final margin.

“None of us expected a game like this,” said Stanback, who finished with 156 ground yards. “Not going against someone who might be the No. 1 quarterback in the state. But we knew exactly what we needed to do and we went out there and did it.”

Secreast didn’t debate that fact.

“We simply got overmatched by a better team,”he said, “but nonconference is always a learning experience. Now, we have to get back together and get ready for league play next week.”