A quick 12-0 deficit would signal big trouble for most Carroll County football teams in recent memory. Not this one.
The Cavaliers reeled off 22 unanswered points in the second quarter Friday, then held off Grayson County down the stretch for a 22-18 victory in Independence. The win marked the first for Carroll County (2-0) over Grayson since 2019 and gave the Cavaliers their first 2-0 start since the spring season of 2021.
Carroll had not played in eight days due to starting the season on a Thursday, while Grayson's opener against Alleghany (N.C.) didn't finish until mid-day Saturday due to lightning the previous night. Still, it was the Blue Devils who looked like the fresher team in the opening quarter.
Maverik Goad scored on a 1-yard touchdown run less than three minutes into the game as Grayson (0-2) marched 59 yards on seven plays. After Carroll turned it over inside its 10 on downs the following possession, the Devils covered 88 yards on nine plays as Goad completed passes of 25 and 32 yards to set up an 11-yard Jacob Brannock touchdown run. Though the kick failed, Grayson had a quick 12-0 lead 10 minutes and seven seconds into the contest.
"They work so hard. Everybody says that, but our kids truly have worked everyday so hard, and they understand there is a reward in that. They have bought into that and they are not going to quit on each other," Carroll County head coach Seth Greer said. "When things get down or things aren't going so well, I think these guys understand we are still alright. But it is because they grind everyday."
A big part of the Cavalier comeback was junior Isaiah Easter. He finished the night with six receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown - a 72-yard score off a pass from quarterback Bryce Smoot. Easter beat his defender to the ball, then outran him to the end zone. Bowman Ayers' extra point cut it to 12-7 with 8:42 remaining in the half.
Easter came up huge on the next possession defensively, picking off a Goad pass in the end zone on an incredible one-handed catch reminiscent of Odell Beckham Jr. Easter then returned the interception 35 yards, weaving and bobbing through Blue Devils. On the next play, he hauled in a 35-yard pass from Smoot. Smoot would scoot into the end zone two plays later from 12 yards out, then connect with Easter on the two-point conversion, putting Carroll in front 15-12 with 6:44 to go before intermission.
"I just saw the ball and I knew I had to get it because we were down," Easter said of his left-handed interception. "It was a big play for our defense."
"He is a guy that we rely on. He is accountable," Greer said of Easter. "He is there everyday, works his tail off and he knows there is a return on the investment. He's a guy people will learn who he is."
"I still have a lot to work on though," Easter chimed in. "We all do."
Like Easter, Smoot had another huge game under center for the Cavaliers. The senior quarterback completed 9-of-15 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown to go along with 140 yards and two more scores rushing. He engineered an 11-play, 59-yard scoring drive on Carroll's next possession, finishing it off with a 1-yard touchdown run. Ayers' extra point gave Carroll a 22-12 advantage with 13.4 seconds left in the half.
Rambo Dalton had an 85-yard kickoff return in the win for Carroll and he also picked off a Goad pass in the end zone midway through the third period. That proved to be huge because the Blue Devils would score on their next possession, trimming the Cavalier lead to four points with just under a minute left in the third.
Carroll burned more than six minutes off the clock late in the fourth quarter, but could not score. A punt and a good return set Grayson up at their own 45 with 2:16 remaining. The Devils would get as close as the Carroll 38, but Goad was sacked on 4th and 9 at midfield with 33 seconds remaining, setting off a big Cavalier celebration in the stands and on the sidelines.
"It was a big game for me to return here. Anytime you return somewhere you worked I think it is a bigger deal. You try not to let it seep into your mind, but it is still there. So it was. It was nice to come here and get a win. Our kids haven't seen a lot of success against Grayson," Greer said. "We are trying to establish things, trying to take one step at a time. We hadn't won a home football game in a while. That was step one. Then come over here and beat somebody we haven't beat in a while. Step two. Next week is another step we are trying to work toward (at home against rival Galax), so that is kind of where we are at, trying to change the culture."
Easter agreed that seems the be the very thing that has most led to Carroll's early success.
"It's the culture we have built. We come to work everyday, show up and do what we need to do," Easter said. "No matter how hard it gets or how tough it gets, just keep going."
Carroll County will host Galax (0-2) on Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in Hillsville.
Carroll 0 22 0 0 - 22
Grayson 12 0 6 0 - 18
First Quarter
GC - Mav. Goad 1 run (kick failed) 9:21
GC - Brannock 11 run (kick failed) 1:53
Second Quarter
CC - Easter 72 pass from Smoot (Bo. Ayers kick) 8:42
CC - Smoot 12 run (Easter pass from Smoot) 6:44
CC - Smoot 1 run (Bo. Ayers kick) :13.4
Third Quarter
GC - Mac Goad 34 pass from Mav. Goad (kick failed) :58.1
Team Statistics
CC GC
First Downs 13 13
Rushes-Yards 32-149 41-223
Passing 9-15-0 7-19-2
Passing Yards 206 141
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0
Penalties-Yds. 6-30 9-68
Possession 23:55 24:05
Individual Statistics
Carroll County
RUSHING - Smoot 19-140, McGrady 5-5, A. Dickerson 4-5, Dalton 2-4, Horton 1-minus 1, Team 1-minus 4.
PASSING - Smoot 9-15-0 206 yds.
RECEIVING - Easter 6-181, Crockett 2-25, Dalton 1-0.
Grayson County
RUSHING - Peterson 15-132, Wagoner 12-39, Mav. Goad 9-34, Mac Goad 2-10, Brannock 1-11, McMillian 1-0, Mak. Goad 1-minus 3.
PASSING - Mav. Goad 7-19-2 141 yds.
RECEIVING - Mac Goad 4-103, Carico 1-34, Armstrong 1-8, Mak. Goad 1-minus 4.
Allen Worrell can be reached at (276) 779-4062 or on X@AWorrellTCN
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