Triangle high school football roundup: South Garner wins tuneup for rivalry matchup

South Garner’s 44-12 win over Enloe, in one way, completed what the Titans needed to accomplish in Week 4 of this season. In another way, it did much more, with rival Garner having an open date Friday.

South Garner improved its record to 2-1, like Garner, the latter of which will visit South Garner next Friday in arguably the biggest intra-town showdown ever. South Garner opened in the fall of 2018 on Hebron Church Road. Garner spent the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years on the South Garner campus while Garner’s Spring Drive campus was rejuvenated.

Last Sept. 16, South Garner went to Garner and won 20-14. This outcome resonated in a community filled with many families and stories of multiple generations of young men who played for Garner, which once served the entire town. Some of those families, inevitably, now have split allegiances.

First and last names are familiar, from one side to the other. In Friday’s South Garner win, Titans quarterback James Johnson’s bevy of big plays included touchdown passes to Zyier Hines (70 yards) and Nanak Hines (30 yards).

James? Thirty years ago (1993), James Payne — a dynamic two-way player like Johnson — was making big plays for the state semifinalist Trojans.

Hines? There was Nyheim Hines, who graduated from Garner with a collection of Trojans gridiron records before starring at NC State, and now is a member of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

And more star power? South Garner nose guard Nnamdi Ogboko is a Georgia commit, and among the town’s most heralded high school prospects since Garner’s Anthony Barbour helped the Trojans to the 1987 N.C. 4A state championship.

Rolesville takes steps

Rolesville won this season’s major head-to-head meeting of 4A Eastern Regional contenders by upending visiting Cardinal Gibbons, 52-32.

The Rams displayed a familiar formula of underclassmen skill position players like those who fueled the program’s run to the spring 2021 N.C. 4AA state final.

A trio of Rolesville juniors supplied five touchdowns that cemented the game’s outcome. Quarterback Braden Atkinson threw two touchdown passes (56, 17 yards) to Jaedon Alford. Running back Devon Thomas had scoring runs covering 21 and 62 yards before adding a fourth quarter, one-yard touchdown for good measure.

Goldston efficient, again

Leesville Road quarterback Diondre Goldston continues to earn an “efficiency” moniker. His 688 passing yards might not be eye-catching. Still, he has at least 11 completions and one touchdown in each game — and zero interceptions — for the 4-0 Pride, a 49-7 winner over Heritage on Friday. Goldston has completed more than 70 percent of his passes.

Leesville Road will welcome defensive stalwart Wake Forest to Marshall Hamilton Stadium next Friday. The Cougars won last season’s meeting, 49-7.

Watching Huntersville Thursday

North Carolina, South Carolina, and the country will be aware of what is happening at North Mecklenburg on Thursday. The Vikings (located in Huntersville) will welcome nearby Hough for its conference opener.

Hough kicker Nolan Houser, a Clemson commit, needs one field goal to set a new national record for career field goals.

This watch is akin to one that captivated many NC State fans near the turn of the 21st century. Then, T.A. McLendon of Albemarle pursued and achieved the national rushing touchdown record en route to helping his high school to a state championship. McLendon competed for the Wolfpack in college.