Friday night, Watkins did almost everything conceivable to put his team in the winners circle.

He ran for a touchdown. He threw a pass for a touchdown. He ran back a kickoff for a touchdown. Hey, he even returned an interception for a touchdown.

It was still not enough. North Stanly (1-4) lost its fourth straight game despite Watkins’ one-man show, falling in stunning fashion to Mount Pleasant in a 49-38 nonconference shootout.

The Comets were supposed to win this game against a Tiger team that had been beaten by 28 or more points in each of its first four contests. But Mount, coached by former East Rowan assistant Michael Johns, put everything together to stun coach Robert Harris’ reeling team.

Mount bolted to a 21-0 lead behind a strong running game and Josh Griffin’s interception return for a touchdown.

But the Comets appeared to get back in sync before the half, scoring on Watkins’ 52-yard run and his surprise TD pass to Junior McRae that reduced their deficit to 21-12 at intermission.

It was 21-18 after O.J. Owens scored early in the second half, and the Comets appeared to be on their way, but the Tigers wouldn’t fold. They retaliated with two more scores before the end of the third quarter for a 35-18 advantage.

Watkins scored on a 40-yard punt return to make it 35-24, but Mark Tracy and Kyle Lockhart tacked on more Mount touchdowns to put matters out of reach at 49-24.

North got the game’s last two scores — on Watkins’ 75-yard kickoff return and McRae’s 54-yard pass to Owens.

But it was too little, too late.

The victory by lightly-regarded Mount, which was humiliated by the Comets last season, was no fluke.

The Tigers doubled the rushing yardage of the Comets, who have three Division I prospects in their backfield. And most important, the Tigers played turnover-free football as they quieted the crowd at Jeffrey Stadium.

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