South Lenoir Opens Season With 46-6 Rout of Jones Senior

WRITTEN BY: Keith Spence

Winning erases a lot of bad memories.

South Lenoir wiped away a winless 2024 with a dominating performance Friday night as the Blue Devils opened their 2025 season with a 46-6 mercy-rule shortened rout of Jones Senior at Thomas Salter Stadium.

It was a complete performance and the outcome was never in doubt.

South Lenoir ran for 217 yards, scored a pair of defensive touchdowns, blocked a punt, and returned a kickoff for a score as all three phases contributed to the win.

Senior Kamarion Graham rushed for 96 yards and the Devils’ first touchdown and also set up another score with a 50-yard scamper. That first TD, a 19-yard run, came two plays after Tevin Shackleford blocked a Trojan punt and gave the Devils possession at the Jones 29.

Zion Carr added 75 yards on six carries, all on a reverse counter play that the Trojans were unable to stop.

South Lenoir led 16-0 with just five seconds remaining in the first half when defensive back Christian Wooten turned in the momentum-changing play of the game.

Jones Senior attempted a pass on the final play of the half, but Wooten picked it off and raced 62 yards untouched to send the Devils into the locker room with a 22-0 advantage.

It got worse for the Trojans when they fumbled on the first play of the third quarter and SL’s Eric Fields turned the miscue into a 13-yard scoop-and-score.

Following a Jones three-and-out, SL answered right back with a 13-yard TD pass from Jackson Owens to Landon Clarkthat upped the lead to 38-0 and instigated a running clock.

The Trojans averted the shutout when Isaiah Meadows raced 38 yards to paydirt midway through the fourth quarter before SL’s Ty’Shon Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards to provide the final 40-point victory margin.

Meadows finished with 38 yards on the ground and also caught a pass for 18 yards for the Trojans. Quarterback Gage Mustachia completed five passes for 45 yards.