Staff report

CONCORD — Northwest Cabarrus scored  on its first offensive snap, kept the pressure on and went on to pound East Rowan 44-0 on Friday

The Mustangs (0-5, 0-2) played hard again, but unlike last week’s 11-10 loss to Concord, they had no chance in this one.

Northwest’s domination was total on both sides of the ball in the South Piedmont Conference football game.

East QB Tijon Everhart managed 65 passing yards with short tosses, but East was stuffed for negative rushing yards. The energized Trojans (5-0, 2-0) piled up sacks and tackles for loss.

Everhart is mobile, but most of the time he had no opportunity to find a receiver before orange jerseys engulfed him from all sides.

Northwest quarterback Alex Walker had ideal protection and threw for 214 yards and two TDs. An underrated runner, he also got two scores with his legs.

Ray Jay Waters carried 12 times for 88 yards and one TD.

East could only return the opening kickoff to the 15-yard line and went three-and-out. After a short punt, NWC had great field position right away.

Walker flipped a pass in the flat to Porter Branham on the Trojans’ first play from the East 34.  The elusive Branham put on a burst of speed and took it the distance.

East kept the ball a while on its second possession and made multiple first downs, but the Mustangs were stopped on a fourth-and-3 play at the Northwest 43.

East was still down only 7-0 after a quarter and fighting hard in the trenches, but that’s when Walker broke several tackles, got down the sideline and scored on a long run for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Trojans added a field goal with 7:05 left in the second quarter to make it 17-0.  The Trojans got in the end zone again before halftime for a 23-0 lead at the break.

NWC smashed any hope of an East comeback on the opening possession of the second half, breezing to the end zone on a 64-yard drive for a 30-0 edge.

East went three-and-out, punted from its 19-yard-line and saw Northwest return the punt to the East 21. The Trojans scored with no problem from there.

East had a mishap on a punt snap following another three-and-out. Northwest took possession at the East 29 and scored once again. That TD with 3:35 remaining in the third quarter made it 44-0 and triggered a running clock.

Just trying to get on the scoreboard, East missed on a 43-yard field goal with about four minutes left.

East entertains unbeaten Robinson next week, while Northwest goes to Mount Ulla to take on West Rowan.