The Union Spartans continued their winning ways Friday night, shutting out cross-county rival Hobbton by a score of 43-0.

Union’s Darius Highsmith took the opening kick 70 yards for the first Spartan score. They never looked back. The point after was good on a run by Chris Nash with just 7 seconds off the clock.

Union scored again with 8:09 left in the first quarter when Donovan Hayes scored from 40 yards out on a run. The point after was good on a run by Montrel Williams. The score was 14-0, Spartans. Union took advantage of a Hobbton pass attempt that was ruled a fumble and scored on a 55-yard run by Chris Imes. Emari Carter scored the PAT for a 24-0 Union lead with 4:07 left in the first.

After Imes score, both teams traded fumbles finishing the 1st quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Spartans took advantage of another Wildcat mistake. Nash picked up a Wildcat fumble and returned it about 30 yards for another score. The PAT was blocked. The score was 30-0.

Union scored again with 27 seconds left in the second quarter on a 6-yard run by Hayes. The PAT kick was blocked. The score at the half was 36-0, Union.

Union scored one more time in the third quarter on a 6-yard run by Andruw Brunson with 3:16 left. The PAT was good giving the Spartans a 43-0 lead.

At that point, the mercy rule kicked in and the clock didn’t stop again except for injuries for the balance of the game.

The Wildcat defense did stop the Spartans late in the game at the 1-yard line. They were able to get out of the end zone and wound up punting. Union then killed the clock.

“It was a good win,” Union coach Doug Burley said after the game. “The offense played well and the defense played well. Any time you shut out a team it’s a good win. I’m proud of the boys. We still have a lot of stuff to work on and make some adjustments. We will be all right.”

Hobbton coach Robert Hill said it goes back to fundamentals — blocking and tackling.

“We worked hard in practice and sometimes you run up against a team that is just better than you are. That’s what we did tonight. They were much better than we were,” Hill noted. “We had some flashes where did some things right. We played a bunch of our kids. We are just going to go back and line up, start from the beginning.”

The Wildcats travel to Wake Christian Friday night for a 7 p.m. game. Union hosts Princeton.

Josh Royal of Hobbton catches Union’s Malik Williams in the backfield.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Union-FB-2-1.jpgJosh Royal of Hobbton catches Union’s Malik Williams in the backfield.

Hobbton backup quarterback Justin Adkins hands the ball off to Raekwon Bryant.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_Union-FB-1-1.jpgHobbton backup quarterback Justin Adkins hands the ball off to Raekwon Bryant.

By David Johnson

Sports Writer