TRINITY — Eastern Randolph used a three-touchdown effort in the third quarter to break open a slim 13-7 cushion at the break en route to a 41-21 triumph over Wheatmore on Friday night in 2A PAC 7 Conference football action in Trinity.
The wins sends the Wildcats into this Friday nights showdown in Randleman with a perfect 4-0 mark in the league and 8-1 record overall.
For Eastern Randolph, it was about taking care of business after a week off.
“The opening half we looked like we had been off for a week,” said ER coach Burton Cates. “I was pleased with the way we came out in the third quarter. We focused in and made some big plays.
Cade Snotherly had a big game after going 14-of-18 passing for 253 yards and four touchdowns.
“Cade continues to improve every week,” noted Cates of his senior signal caller. “He knows where to get the ball and how to manage the game.”
Two of Snotherly’s touchdown passes went to Kaeman Marley who caught a trio of aerials for 122 yards including a 78-yarder on the Cats initial pass of the contest to send ER up 7-0 in the opening quarter.
After an Eastern Randolph drive was halted at the five-yard line of Wheatmore on four plays and a penalty late in the first period, Wheatmore got onto the board with 4:15 left in the half when the Warriors Garrett Moser stepped in front of what was the first of Snotherly’s two interceptions and returned it to the 36 yards to the ER 35 to set up Nick Halo finding Ben Walker open two plays for a score.
The contest looked to be heading into the intermission knotted at 7-apiece but the Warriors fumbled a snap on its own 25 which was pounced on by the Wildcats with just over a minute left in the stanza. Tavis McAdoo would slice in front nine yards out with :27 seconds left in the half to send ER up 13-7 at the break.
Eastern Randolph had a touchdown called back on its opening possession of the third quarter by Snotherly found a wide open McAdoo who then outran the Wheatmore defenders for a 45 yard touchdown play. After a JB Farrish two-point conversion run the Wildcats pulled in front 21-7.
A fired-up Eastern Randolph defense then forced a Wheatmore punt from its own end zone and on the next play Snotheryly was at it again, this time hooking up with Farrish on a 46-yard scoring toss and with 4:28 left in the third the Cats led 28-7.
Another three-and-out for the Warriors gave the Wildcats the ball again which resulted in a 30yard touchdown pass to Marley from Snotherly. Snotherly extended the play with his legs before locating Marley along the visiting sidelines who then did the rest, breaking through several Wheatmore arm tackles before reaching the end zone to push the lead to 35-7 at the 1:48 mark of the third.
A pick six by Walker from 20 yards out cut the lead to 35-13 early in the fourth for Wheatmore but Demetrius Thomas would score from 17 yards out to extend the lead back to 41-13 midway through the fourth.
Wheatmore would tally a late score and two-point conversion in the waning seconds to make the final 41-21.
Now the date fans have had circled on the calendar for months has arrived and the Battle of the Felines is set to get underway this Friday night in Randleman.
“You have two great football teams and programs, it’s an important game and one of our goals is to win the conference, and this would go a long way to achieving that,” said Cates. “There will be a great deal of excitement but we can’t let that take over. We have to come focused and ready to play for four quarters. It’s what it’s all about and our kids will be excited for the opportunity at hand.”