Staff report

CONCORD — Good efforts don’t count in the South Piedmont Conference standings, but Carson had one on Friday in a 26-6 loss at Robinson.

The Cougars were prepared and aggressive on defense, stuffing numerous running plays by the undefeated Bulldogs and getting pressure on the quarterback.

That pressure helped Carson’s Trevor Vaughn and Londyn Johnson make interceptions.

If the Cougars, who were 35-point underdogs, could have punched in their red zone chances, who knows?

“We were in the red zone four times, but we couldn’t convert,” Carson head coach Jonathan Lowe said. “Our defense played incredible.”

SPC newcomer Robinson (5-0, 3-0) rolls on. Robinson senior quarterback Isaac Lee was good enough and tough enough to shake off the hits and deliver three touchdown passes.

Robinson back Na’ledge Wright came in averaging about 200 yards per game and came close to his average, with more than half of his yards against the Cougars coming on one electrifying 93-yard dash in the third quarter that gave the Bulldogs a 26-0 lead.

Carson QB Michael Guiton threw for 160 yards, with the majority of those yards coming on two successful deep balls to Foday Dyer.

Robinson picked off Guiton three times and got one of those interceptions on Carson’s opening possession.

But Carson got the ball right back when Johnson came up with an interception on Robinson’s first play from scrimmage.

With the game still scoreless, Carson had Robinson’s second possession stopped, but the Cougars went after the punt hard, creamed the punter and handed Robinson a fresh set of downs. The Bulldogs cashed in on that opportunity, finishing a drive with the first of Lee’s touchdown passes.

Robinson scored on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter to lead 19-0. One of those scores came off a short field after the Bulldogs blocked a Carson punt at the Cougars’ 31.

Robinson led 19-0 at the half, and Carson’s last chance at a miracle came when the Cougars were stopped in the red zone with 5:30 left in the third quarter.

Then Wright broke his long run to make it 26-0.

Carson’s touchdown came with under five minutes left in the game. Guiton had a 26-yard completion to set it up, and Jay McGruder got the touchdown from the 6-yard line.

Carson (1-4, 0-2) is in about the same position it was in last year at this time — playing competitively, but without many wins to show for it.

Carson certainly looks capable of a big finish, as was the case in 2022.