By The Numbers

0 Weddington did not run a play from offense in the fourth quarter.

3 Catholic scored on its first three possessions for a 21-0 lead at the end of the second quarter.

6.4 Catholic averaged 6.4 yards a carry.

46 Catholic’s defense has given up 46 points in six games this season.

As Weddington head football coach Tim Carson was wrapping up his post-game talk on Thursday, Sept. 28, the Warriors coach told his players to look at the scoreboard.

The entire team and coaches took a long, hard look at the scoreboard. It wasn’t a pretty sight. And it was a rare sight, too.

Charlotte Catholic set the tone early with a punishing 80-yard touchdown drive to open the game and the Cougars scored on four of their first five possessions to give Weddington a rare lopsided home defeat with a 42-6 victory.

Catholic was dominating in all phases of the game while jumping to a 35-0 lead at halftime over the defending Class 3AA state champions.

Catholic rushed for 304 yards on 47 carries as the Cougars averaged 6.4 yards a tote. Senior running back Milan Howard rushed 11 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns while Michael Neel rushed six times for 57 yards.  Sophomore fullback Lamagea McDowell added 53 yards on 11 carries and two more touchdowns. In all, nine different Catholic players rushed the football.

Quarterback Chris Walton was 6-of-10 passing for 187 yards and two touchdowns. Walton tossed an 81-yard touchdown to Garrett McKernan and a 35-yard touchdown pass to Holden Schachte. Howard also had two catches for 52 yards, including a 49-yard catch and run that set up the Cougars’ fourth touchdown.

Catholic had six plays that went for 33 yards or more.

The Cougars defense was equally as impressive as the Warriors managed just 127 yards of offense, 57 of which came on a Whitner Litton touchdown pass to freshman Will Shipley that cut the Charlotte lead to 42-6.

“That was a good football team that we played,” Carson said. “They whipped our butts up front. They deserved to win and that is why they are as successful as they are.”

Carson said he takes the blame for Catholic’s big-play offense in the first half.

“That’s my fault because I didn’t have them lined up right,” Carson said. “We were in bad situations, and that is something we are going to have to fix.”

Catholic (6-0, 2-0 SCC) opened the game with an 80-yard scoring march but the drive appeared to be stalled when the Cougars had a 4th-and-9 at the Weddington 29. But Walton found Adam Robbe for a 21-yard gain down to the Warriors 8 and two plays late Howard scored for the early 7-0 lead.

Catholic would then score on its next two possessions for a 21-0 lead with 31.1 seconds left in the first quarter and the Cougars would never look back.

Weddington (4-2, 1-1 SCC) hits the road Oct. 6 when the Warriors travel to Piedmont. Piedmont, like Charlotte Catholic, is a run-first team.

“It’s coming at us again,” Carson said. “Same type stuff, so we have to fix it.”

Scoring Summary

Catholic 42, Weddington 6

Catholic 21 14 7 0 — 42

Weddington 0 0 6 0 — 6

First Quarter

CCHS — Howard 7 run (Griggs kick), 6:10

CCHS — Howard 33 run (Griggs kick), 3:33

CCHS — Schachte 35 pass from Walton (Griggs kick), 31.1

Second Quarter

CCHS — McDowell 3 run (Griggs kick), 5:20

CCHS — McKernan 81 pass from Walton (Griggs kick), 2:42

Third Quarter

CCHS — McDowell 1 run (Griggs kick), 3:49

WHS — W. Shipley 57 pass from Litton (Kick failed), 2:28