SHELBY, N.C. — Kings Mountain started the season off right with a road victory over defending state champion Shelby on Friday night.
The Mountaineers struck first, and withstood a late charge from the Golden Lions to hold on for the 28-26 victory.
"Shelby's a great football team," Greg Lloyd, the Kings Mountain coach said "I thought our kids played their heart out. That was a great high school football game."
Kings Mountain scored first when quarterback Lamont Littlejohn found Ja"Qualyn Sanders, who bounced off several defenders before racing to the end zone.
Shelby had a chance to tie when Tristan Tate ran in for a short touchdown, but the Golden Lions missed the extra point, making it 7-6.
The Mountaineers closed the half with a deep ball from Littlejohn to Bryson Brown to make it 14-6 at the break.
Kings Mountain extended its lead in the second half when Littlejohn fired a well-timed outside pass to Robert Kendrick who got into the end zone.
But Shelby came back, with QB Daylin Lee throwing a touchdown pass to make it 28-26.
But the Golden Lions could not come up with the two-point conversion, and Kings Mountain left with a victory.
"I hope this gives us a shot in the arm," Lloyd said. "We beat a very good football team in a great game. We had to tough it out."
PROVIDENCE DAY 42, LEGION COLLEGIATE ACADEMY 7
Coming off of their Division 1 private school championship, Providence Day is loaded for a repeat.
Five-star QB Jadyn Davis is on the team, and fired a few touchdown passes in the first half.
One was a throwback pass to wide receiver Jordan Shipp, another highly-touted prospect.
The other was on a screen pass to four-star cornerback Chris Peal, who also plays offense.
Davis is the No. 2 ranked junior quarterback in the country according to 247Sports and has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, LSU and many others.
With a 7-0 lead, safety Brody Barnhardt, who has multiple Division 1 college offers, fielded a punt and took it to the end zone.
Providence Day hosts Weddington next week.