Kealin Goode (3) and Erwin host Mountain Heritage on Friday.
ASHEVILLE – Mountain Heritage coach Joey Robinson wants his football team to be at its absolute best Friday, but there are other considerations.
Any further damage to a star quarterback’s ankle could hamper the Cougars for the rest of the season.
Sound familiar? It should.
Erwin had the same dilemma in 2015 and held Damien Ferguson out of a 40-18 win in Burnsville.
Trey Robinson (117 passing yards, 89 rushing yards and two combined touchdowns) has been practicing all week and the junior is probable for Friday’s game at Kerr Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
“Offensively, Erwin is the best I’ve ever seen them,” Joey Robinson said.
“(Former quarterbacks Austin and Garrett Brown) were great, but the parts around Ferguson are so incredible. They have so many threats and they’re so well-coached. They know how to exploit every weakness you have got.”
Trey Robinson’s receiving corps includes Cole Burleson (three receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown) and Michael Austin (one reception for 39 yards). Justin Keener (55 yards, two touchdowns) scored twice a week ago. Leading tacklers were Adam Shuford (17), Corey Presnell (15), Seth Randolph (13) and Dathan Robinson (11).
These two teams have played continuously since 2005. Erwin’s only loss during that time came at home in 2008 by a 21-20 score.
Erwin was picked to lose last Friday to defending NCISAA Division I champion Davidson Day by as many as 32 points in statewide, computer-generated predictions.
But an algorithm has never gained a yard or made a tackle, has it?
Ferguson (270 yards and five touchdowns with one interception) placed touchdown passes in the hands of three different receivers – C.J. Thompson (six receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns), Trey Martin (five receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns) and Kealin Goode (five receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown). Isaiah Poore (four receptions for 53 yards) led the team in rushing as well with 39 yards in a 41-28 home win.
Ferguson is a third-year starter who now has 5,860 career passing yards, which is believed to be the second-most in Buncombe County history. The county and school record for Erwin are both held by 2014 graduate Austin Brown (7,779 yards).
Six different Warriors defenders made a half-dozen tackles against Davidson Day – Thompson, Simeon Thompson, Kendell Dover, Alex McGlothlin, Blaze Biddix and Chris McDonald. Eddy Gardner and Jackson Gouge both had five.
Ninth-year Erwin coach Mike Sexton has never had a losing season with the Warriors. He expects another tough game on Friday.
“Mountain Heritage is good, they look a lot like that team that went to a state-championship game (in 2009),” Sexton said.
“They are a solid, solid team with a quarterback who can run and throw. Their whole team runs it well.”
MOUNTAIN HERITAGE AT ERWIN
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Pick: Erwin by 10.
Following is a look at the last five football games between Erwin and Mountain Heritage.
2015: Erwin 40, Mountain Heritage 18.
2014: Erwin 42, Mountain Heritage 26.
2013: Erwin 55, Mountain Heritage 13.
2012: Erwin 41, Mountain Heritage 19.
2011: Erwin 17, Mountain Heritage 7.
MORE ONLINE: The Citizen-Times will provide a live blog of Friday’s football game between Erwin and Mountain Heritage at CITIZEN-TIMES.com/hshuddle. Score updates for all Western North Carolina games can be accessed at CITIZEN-TIMES.com.
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