By ANN THARP
Special to The Leader
Compared to last week, it was a beautiful, warm night in Carlisle for the start of the game as Carlisle hosted the Mountain Pine Red Devils. However, this week’s game was also stopped by lightning with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter with the Bison winning 50-0 at Fred C. Hardke Field on Friday.
The Bison were stopped in the first quarter of last week’s season opener against McCrory, and although they managed to get further through Friday’s contest, they are still two weeks into the season without completing a full 48 minutes.
Bo Weddle returned the opening kick-off to the 37-yard line. Weddle ran the ball to the 43 on first down. On fourth and three, the Bison’s Deron Ricks picked up a first down to the Mountain Pine 41.
After a holding call, the offense was backed up and held until Ricks took the ball and ran with it to the 4-yard line. Chris Hart connected with Austin Reed for the touchdown. The extra point was no good.
The Bison’s Justice Bryant recovered a fumble on the kick off. Following a penalty, on the second play from scrimmage, Hart connected with Bryant for a touchdown. Again, the extra point was no good.
On the next possession by the Red Devils, the defense held again, forcing a punt. The Bison started on their own 47. They were without Bo Weddle, their all-state running back, who suffered a knee injury on the first series.
After an incompletion on fourth down, the Mountain Pine offense took over on their own 47. Again, the Bison defense held, forcing a punt. Hart returned the punt, but a penalty moved the ball back to the 22.
The Red Devils took possession on the Bison 44. After a completion by Austin Meeks, the Red Devil offense stalled again. In the second quarter, on a fourth down attempt, Josh Mathis intercepted the pass and took the ball to the 18. Hart on second down again connected with Reed for the touchdown.
The point-after attempt was unsuccessful to keep the score 18-0 with 10:58 remaining in the half.
The Red Devils began their next possession on their own 45-yard line. On second down, Clayton Fields picked up a fumble and ran it into the end zone. The two-point conversion was successful to make the score 26-0 Bison.
After another punt, the Bison offense started a midfield. Ricks took the ball to the Mountain Pine 5 on first down and punched it in for the score two plays later. Bryant converted the two-point try for a 34-0 Carlisle lead.
Hart connected with Bryant for the Bison’ next score with a 68-yard touchdown pass and followed with a conversion pass to Reed for a 42-0 halftime lead.
Mountain Pine got first possession to start the second half. The Red Devils moved the ball into Bison territory with three first downs before turning the ball over on a fumble. Carlisle took out most of its starting skill players and went with Chase Brazeal at quarterback. Clinton Hampton secured the final touchdown for the Bison with a 66-yard run, as Tyler Youngman set the final margin with a successful two-point run.
Lightning moved in to start the fourth quarter, and the game was finally called around the eight-minute mark.
Ricks led the Bison with eight carries for 109 yards. Hart was 5 for 11 passing for 125 yards and four touchdowns.
“That’s something the coaching staff will work on,” Carlisle coach Scott Waymire said of the frequent penalties. “I was pleased with the way Ricks, Bryant, Hart and the receivers stepped up (when Weddle went out). I was also pleased with the defense and the effort.”
