By Bill Kiser
sports@salisburypost.com
MOUNT ULLA ó West Rowan’s players could have let their loss to 4A power Davie County two weeks ago get them down.
Instead, the Falcons went back to workó and responded with another dominating win.
West Rowan, behind another big running night from K.P. Parks and a crushing defense, beat North Iredell 42-0 on Friday night in both teams’ North Piedmont Conference opener.
Parks led an offense that piled up more than 400 total yards against the winless Raiders, running for 237 yards and five touchdowns before coming out of the game early in the fourth quarter.
And West’s defense was even more impressive, holding North Iredell (0-3, 0-1) to just four first downs and just eight yards total offense, including minus-23 yards rushing.
West (2-1, 1-0) also forced four Raiders turnovers ó two fumbles and two interceptions ó and sacked North quarterback Weston Pharr eight times.
“We had to come out here and make a statement,” said West defensive end Chris Smith, who had four of the sacks as well as a late fumble recovery. “We hadn’t been reaching our goals, but now we’re starting to show the real West Rowan team. We’re not talented, but we go out there and do it.”
However, it took the 35-21 loss to the War Eagles on Aug. 29 to wake West Rowan’s players up to that fact.
That loss came just a week after the Falcons had steamrolled county rival North Rowan 60-0 in their season opener, and brought West’s players back to reality, according to Parks.
“It was a humbling loss,” Parks said. “Coming after that big win, we probably had a big head, but it brought us back down to earth.”
Parks scored on runs of 25, 12 and 10 yards in the first half as West Rowan jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead, then tacked on TD runs of 20 and 33 yards in the third quarter.
However, he didn’t do all the work. West quarterbacks B.J. Sherrill and Jon Crucitti combined for 107 passing yards, with Sherrill’s 44-yard TD pass to Brantley Horton accounting for West’s first score.
“We can throw the football this year,” West head coach Scott Young said.
“That’s something we dedicated to doing during the off-season and the summer. We can throw the football, and we’ve got receivers that can go get it. It’s still a work in progress, but we’ve got that capability.”
However, West Rowan’s real strength may lie in its defense, which recorded its second shutout of the season and allowed the Raiders to cross midfield only twice.
“We lost to a really good team two weeks ago,” Young said. “But we made some adjustments … and once we get everybody healthy and on the same page, I think our whole defense is going to be more sound.
“You can’t take a lot out of this game ó North Iredell is running a new offensive and defensive system from last year, so they’re behind the learning curve a bit.
“But I’m pleased with the way our kids responded coming off the loss.”
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NOTES: Horton caught five passes for 96 yards to lead the Falcons. … West kicker Matt Turchin went 6-for-6 in extra-point kicks, but he missed a 25-yard field goal attempt near the end of the first half. … Sherrill went 5-for-10 passing for 88 yards for West Rowan, while Crucitti completed 1-of-6 for 19 yards. The Mooresville transfer also rushed for 37 yards.