Quarterback Kason Canupp threw for four touchdowns, and Nation Ford survived a furious second-half rally by Catawba Ridge to defeat the Copperheads 41-34 in a high-octane high school football matchup Friday night.
Nation Ford jumped out to a dominant 14-0 lead in the first quarter, with Canupp connecting on scoring passes of 40 yards to Ja’Mari Gore and 10 yards to Malachi Drayton.
However, Catawba Ridge roared back in the second quarter. Mark Blakeney scored two rushing touchdowns, the second followed by a successful two-point conversion to tie the game 14-14 going into halftime.
The Falcons regained the lead in the third quarter when Canupp hit Drayton for a 30-yard touchdown, though the missed extra point left the score at 20-14.
The fourth quarter was a shootout, featuring five touchdowns between the two rivals. A fumble recovery by Nation Ford’s Camren Huor set up a 51-yard scoring strike from Canupp to Patience Andrews, giving the Falcons a 27-14 cushion early in the final quarter.
The Copperheads responded quickly with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Bradey Compton.
Canupp, however, had an answer for every Catawba Ridge score, tossing his final touchdown pass of the night, a 40-yard completion to Jayden Scott, extending the lead to 34-20.
Catawba Ridge continued to fight, scoring two more touchdowns, a 45-yard pass from Compton and a subsequent passing touchdown, cutting the deficit to a single score, 41-34, with three minutes remaining.
After a final score by Drayton, his second of the night, on a 1-yard run for Nation Ford, the Copperheads had a chance for a final drive. However, Anderson Corbett sealed the victory for Nation Ford with an interception in the final minutes.
