Statesville 36 Alexander Central 21
Taylorsville: Statesville scored on the games first play, never trailed and won the first game ever played on artificial turf at Cougar Stadium.
AJ Sherrill hauled in a 64-yard pass from Ethan Peel on the opening play from scrimmage for Statesville.
The Cougars would answer when Sawyer Chapman-Mays capped a 9-play 58 yard drive with a 2-yard run for score.
The Greyhounds would score twice in the 2nd quarter on a 3 yd run from Allen Jones and a 60-yard scamper from Davion Summers.
AC would get closer with 3 seconds left in the half on a two-yard run by Jamison Rowe. Statesville was up 22-14 at the intermission.
Neither team scored in the third quarter. Statesville would open the final period with an 18-yard td from Allen Jones.
The Blue and Gold got a two-yard td run from QB Wade Queen to make it 29-21. The Cougars onsides kick failed and Statesville would put the game away when Tyreek Carter found paydirt from 4 yards with 2:35 let.
Statesville out gained ACHS 342-193. The visitors from Iredell County were led by Davion Jones with 98 yards on 10 carries. Allen Joes accounted for 80 yards on 12 chances on the ground. Ethan Peet was 6-11 passing for 129 yards with a td and an int. Statesville was flagged 19 times for 158 yards.
Statesville shut down the Cougar run game holding Sawyer Chapman-Mays to only 34 yards on 13 carries. Wade Queen was 6-14 passing for 126 yards.