By Mike London

mike.london@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — Corvian Community School scored two touchdowns in a span of 27 seconds during Friday’s game at Eagle Stadium.

North Rowan’s football team was able to weather that temporary adversity. The explosive Cavaliers shook off the bad moments, outscored Corvian 49-34 and moved another round deeper in the 1A state playoffs.

“We were really clicking, at times, and just looked great, but then we’d kind of lose control of things for a little while,” North head coach Josh Sophia said. “But whenever they challenged us, we responded. We always responded very well.”

Senior Jaemias Morrow rushed for 251 yards and scored four more touchdowns, bumping his school record to 77 for his career. Junior Jeremiah Alford threw two more TD passes, his 57th and 58th, as he closes in on Mario Sturdivant’s long-standing school record of 65.

Fourth-seeded North (10-2) has special athletes, serious weapons, but Sophia knew it wouldn’t be a pushover second-round game.

“I watched film of Corvian, they got down 15-0 at Draughn in the first round and still came back and won on the road,” he said. “So we knew we were facing a resilient team that wasn’t going to quit if they got behind.”

It was the Morrow Show early. He put Corvian behind. Boom, he traveled 69 yards to open the scoring.

After the Cardinals (6-6) got even, Morrow dashed 61 yards to score early in the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.

After Jaiden Brown blocked a field goal to preserve that 14-7 advantage, Morrow scored his third TD from 16 yards out to push the lead to 21-7 with five minutes left in the half.

When Mike Alford, Jeremiah’s younger brother, intercepted a pass and returned it to the Corvian 17, North had a chance to throw a knockout punch, but the visitors ducked it.

“If we can punch it in there late in the half for a three-touchdown lead maybe the game gets away from them and gets out of control,” Sophia said. “But we didn’t put it in.”

Four minutes into the second half, Corvian got back in it with a big play on special teams, blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown. North had dominated, but now the home team’s lead was only 21-14.

North answered that blocked-punt disaster forcefully with Morrow’s fourth touchdown for 28-14.

“We ran the ball right down the field on them,” Sophia said. “We’ve gotten better up front, offensively as well as defensively.”

After getting a stop, North jumped ahead 35-14 on Jeremiah Alford’s 38-yard scoring pass to Jamarion “JoJo” Tarver with 1:44 left in the third quarter.

Tarver missed considerable time this season with an injury, but came back a few weeks ago. Sophia explained that North has been using him mostly on defense since his return, but he came through with his biggest offensive play of the season.

North was ready to start the celebration after Morrow intercepted a pass at the North 2, and Alford connected with Amir Alexander on a 97-yard scoring play for 42-14. It was a short pass, but Alexander broke a tackle and headed for his 10th receiving touchdown of the fall.

“Well, we didn’t want to try punting from our end zone, so we threw it,” Sophia said. “We put it in the hands of an athlete, and he made a play.”

North had a four-TD lead with 7:43 left to play. The game should have been over at that point, but no one told Corvian. The visitors hit a long pass to score, recovered an onside kick, and then scored again through the air. Suddenly, it was 42-28, and there was still 5:42 on the clock.

Corvian tried another onside kick, but this one went out of bounds. Then Khor’on Miller’s 25-yard rushing TD for the Cavaliers made it 49-28 with 4:05 left to play.

Corvian promptly scored again. North blocked the PAT, but it was 49-34, and then Corvian executed on another onside kick.

“They had a really good kicker,” Sophia said.

Finally, Alexander sealed the victory with North’s third pass interception. It came at midfield with 1:27 remaining. Finally, everyone could relax.

With the help of that 97-yard play, Alford was 5-for-11 passing for 196 yards.

Alexander’s two catches produced 107 yards. Morrow had a 39-yard catch in addition to his huge rushing game. Tsion Kelly had a 12-yard reception.

Miller banged out 49 yards on 10 carries.

“Our guys keep getting better,” Sophia said. “We’ve got 10 wins now, and we’re in the third round of the playoffs. Those are benchmarks for a very good season.”

North will try to keep it going next Friday. The Cavaliers will be at home for the 4 vs. 5 third-round matchup with Mountain Heritage.

Mountain Heritage is in Burnsville. That’s where Mount Mitchell is located.

Mountain Heritage (10-2) rolled 38-14 against Starmount on Friday.

“We haven’t traded film yet, but we know they are tough and physical,” Sophia said.