Staff report

West Rowan was 1-3 for the first time in two decades and had lost five straight to Concord.

But that just meant it was circle-the-wagons time for the Falcons. They came back from a 9-0 halftime deficit and beat the Spiders, 12-9, on Friday at Bailey Stadium.

Both teams are an uncharacteristic 2-3, but it’s a potential season-turning win for West. The toughest part of the schedule is in the rearview mirror, and it won’t be a shock if the Falcons can go 7-4 or even 8-3 in the regular season.

Payne Stolsworth’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Houston got the Falcons on the board early in the second half.

After West’s defense got a three-and-out, West’s offense scored again on a Stolsworth to Ty’Kese Warren pass of 16 yards to take the lead.

After that, West’s defense held on. Devin Turner had a key sack, and Concord missed on a long field goal that would’ve tied the game.

L.J. Currie rushed 20 times for 122 yards for the Spiders.

Concord was whistled for 17 penalties in its first home loss of the season.

West takes on South Rowan next week and hasn’t lost to the Raiders since 2000.

Falcons 12, Spiders 9

West Rowan     0       0       12     0  — 12

Concord            0        9        0      0  —   9

Second Quarter

C— Currie 10 run (kick failed)

C—Trott FG 34

Third Quarter

WR — Houston 42 pass from Stolsworth (kick failed)

WR— Warren 16 pass from Stolsworth (run failed)

East loses at NWC

East Rowan’s struggles continued on Friday with a 48-6 loss at Northwest Cabarrus.

That also was the halftime score. The second half was played with a running clock, and neither team changed the scoreboard.

East junior Sam Wall had a 99-yard kickoff return that briefly got the Mustangs (2-4) even at 6-all in the first quarter.

Wall accounted for almost all of East’s offense. He ran for 89 yards. East’s offense managed 104 yards, with zero passing yards.

After years of futility, Northwest (3-2) is one of the state’s most improved teams and drove at will against East’s defense in the first half.  NWC back Tyrese Blake ran for a 69-yard score on the first play from scrimmage.

NWC QB Nick Wilds-Lawing threw for 177 yards and four touchdowns. I.J. Sturdivant caught three touchdown passes.

Ben Coates III, son of the former Livingstone College and NFL great, caught a TD pass for the Trojans.

East is off next week, while the Trojans are home against North Iredell.

Trojans 48, Mustangs 6

East Rowan            6       0       0       0   —   6

NW Cabarrus       27     21      0        0    —  48

First Quarter

NWC —  Blake 69 run (Alvarado kick)

ER – Wall 99 kickoff return (kick failed)

NWC  — Coates 27 pass from Wilds-Lawing (Alvarado kick)

NWC — Sturdivant 7 pass from Wilds-Lawing (kick failed)

NWC — Sturdivant 30 pass from Wilds-Lawing (Alvarado kick)

Second Quarter

NWC —  Sturdivant 6 pass from Wilds-Lawing (Alvarado kick)

NWC – Blake 25 run (Alvarado kick)

NWC –  Miller-Duncan 5 run (Willix kick)