If Rolesville wanted to make a statement that it was ready to take the proverbial next step as a program after back-to-back Eastern N.C. 4A championship game losses, Friday’s 64-14 win at Butler would certainly qualify.
The Rams never trailed while taking a 57-14 halftime lead that led to a running clock in the second half per the “mercy rule” when a team gets a 42-point lead.
Butler entered the game ranked No. 4 overall in the state and No. 2 in Class 4A by maxpreps.com .
But Rolesville, ranked No. 10 and No. 8, respectively, scored on its first eight possessions of the game — gaining one of those possessions when it recovered a squib kickoff just seconds after the Rams had taken a 33-14 lead in the middle of the second quarter.
“If I’m being honest, I felt like yesterday we lost to Gibbons,” Rams coach Ranier Rackley said in reference to last year’s 28-21 Eastern N.C. 4A finals loss to Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons. “Our offseason drills have been, ‘How will you respond when adversity hits?’
“And we played with an edge tonight.”
Did they ever.
Quarterback Braden Atkinson, a Mercer recruit, completed 22 of 31 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns as the Rams rolled up 591 yards of total offense with 26 first downs. Running back De’Von Thomas added 117 yards rushing and two touchdowns and four catches for 43 yards and another touchdown. And wide receiver Gavin Waddell caught nine passes for 165 yards and one touchdown.
“They’re a really experienced team,” first-year Butler coach Glenwood Ferebee said of Rolesville. “I knew they were physical and we didn’t match their physicality and made too many turnovers.”
It was the second meeting between the schools as Rolesville won 21-19 at home in the 2023 opener for both teams.
Each team entered the game with returning quarterbacks coming off big passing seasons — 3,701 yards with 46 touchdowns and four interceptions for Rolesville’s Braden Atkinson and 2,507 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions for Butler’s Zack Lawrence.
Three who made a difference
Braden Atkinson, Rolesville: Completed 22 of 31 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns and directed the Rams to scores on their first eight possessions.
Da’Von Thomas, Rolesville: Had a combined 160 yards and three touchdowns rushing and receiving.
Zack Lawrence, Butler: The UMass commitment completed eight of 20 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.
Notable
▪ Rolesville rolled for 474 yards total offense with 20 first downs in the first half alone with Atkinson completing 21 of 30 throws for 308 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams ended the night with 591 yards total offense on 65 plays with 26 first downs.
▪ Rolesville’s 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end Jayden Fry is ranked No. 33 in ESPN’s N.C. high school recruiting rankings, with Butler’s Lawrence No. 35.
▪ Butler’s Lawrence (No. 15), defensive lineman Jadyn Farmer (No. 20), running back Jayden Williams (No. 36) and athlete De’Quadre Currence (No. 44) are among The Charlotte Observer’s top 50 preseason players.
They said it
“You just move on to the next game. We’ve got to keep playing and keep improving. I think we’ll get better. We’ve just got some things that we’ve got to fix.” — Butler coach Glenwood Ferebee
GAME SUMMARY
Rolesville 11 46 0 7 - 64
Butler 7 7 0 0 - 14
FIRST QUARTER
R: Gavin Waddell 34 pass from Braden Atkinson (Atkinson run)
B: De’Quadre Currence 84 pass from Zack Lawrence (James Vastis kick)
R: Riley Daniels 28 FG
SECOND QUARTER
R: De’Von Thomas 16 pass from Atkinson (Waddell pass from Atkinson)
R: Davis Brown 9 pass from Atkinson (Daniels kick)
B: Jayden Williams 23 run (Vastis kick)
R: Thomas 3 run (Daniels kick)
R: Amir Brown 2 run (Daniels kick)
R: Brown 2 run (Daniels kick)
R: Thomas 5 run (Daniels kick)
R: Daniels 28 FG
FOURTH QUARTER
R: Adrian Silver 28 pass from Mason Horne (Daniels kick)
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