QB Griffin Barber. Brian Wilhite photo.
By Mike London
Salisbury Post
Fifth in a series of reports on local football teams …
CHINA GROVE — Jonathan Lowe is entering his fourth year as Carson’s head football coach.
Fourth years are special, as that means a coach is completing his first full cycle with a group of players. Lowe coached the Class of 2026 as skinny, wide-eyed freshmen and now he gets to coach them as muscular, confident seniors.
“It’s always a good day to be a Cougar,” Lowe said. “And this is a very special group, my first four-year group, a big senior class. We’ve got 78 kids out for football. That’s not too bad.”
An East Rowan and Liberty University graduate, Lowe has throughly enjoyed his 12 wins at Carson and he’s learned from the 19 losses. It’s his fourth year, but he’s still on the mellow side as football coaches go. more inclined to hug than holler. He’s nice, but he’s also got rules. He’ll kick you off the team if you screw up, but he would prefer that you do what you’re supposed to do.
Carson has never had a graduate play a snap in the NFL, but 90 percent of Lowe’s current Cougars are going to eventually be husbands, fathers and job-holders. His mission is to prepare them to be responsible and accountable citizens. Even if they get the opportunity to play a bit of college ball, the cheering will stop soon. The real world is right around the corner. Lowe gets that.
In addition to being head coach, Lowe will make the defensive calls for the Cougars. Jon Brown is the offensive coordinator.
Carson has slipped gradually from five wins to four wins to three wins during Lowe’s three seasons, a combination of tough breaks and tough schedules. But that trend can be reversed this year. The Cougars have a realistic chance to win more than they lose.
A sure sign that Carson is a dangerous team, even in the challenging 4A/5A South Piedmont Conference, where always-tenacious Salisbury has replaced up-and-down Central Cabarrus, is that Carson has a returning starter at quarterback, but he’s in a battle to retain his position.
Griffin Barber is the incumbent QB1. He’s a rugged young man, an accomplished wrestler, an athlete who ran for 241 yards while throwing for 568 yards and four TDs in 2024.
“Griffin took over for us when he was pressed into duty as a sophomore when Michael Guiton broke his collar bone,” Lowe recalled. “He was our starting quarterback as a junior. Now he’s a senior.”
The challenger is Colin Masingo, the catalyst for a surprisingly good Carson jayvee team in 2024.
“Colin is a really good running quarterback, and we’re a triple-option running team,” Lowe said. “Griffin has that Friday night experience, and that’s valuable, but Colin is good enough that he’s made it a neck-and-neck competition.”
Lowe doesn’t necessarily have to choose. Both may play. Having a starter-quality quarterback on the sideline who can come in and provide a spark when the team isn’t moving the ball can be a really good thing.
Whoever quarterbacks the Cougars is going to have a chance to succeed in a major way as the Cougars are stacked at running back and receiver. They have weapons. Rosean Perkins (76 carries, 541 yards, 5 TDs) and Damo’n Broussard (91-499-6) are expected to form a powerful 1-2 punch in the backfield.
“Fast and strong,” Lowe said. “Those two can be a lethal duo.”
Fullback Trip Marcum (57-320-4) probably would be the featured ball-carrier on some other teams. He’ combines a quick first step with the strength to punish DBs after he finds daylight.
Scatback Travis Sharkey got carries in 2024 and returns. Zay Burch is another senior back.
Seniors Zay Phillips (21 catches, 200 yards, 1 TD) and Jacob Rockwell (10-156-2) lead the returning receivers. Kaiden Cruz will get a chance to make some catches, and the receiving group has added springy, 6-foot-4 basketball star Drew Neve, a newcomer to football.
“Drew scored a couple of touchdowns in our 7-on-7 at Mooresville,” Lowe said. “Football and basketball are very different sports, and he’s just starting to see what he can do in football. He’ll be in the receiver mix.”
Another tall target will be tight end Will Welch.
Offensive line coaches Zach Overcash and Nick Holman will be critical as they seek to put together a unit that can provide the time and the blocks for that talented group of skill guys to make plays.
“Those linemen will know their jobs,” Lowe said.
The most experienced offensive linemen is center Griffin Yarbrough. Bailey Wilhelm is another senior, but most of Carson’s top 0-linemen — Easton Feehan, Rajon Howell, Ridge Barger, Sedrick Wallace and Julian Myers — are juniors.
The kicking game should not be an issue. Rockwell punts effectively, while Julio Moctezuma kicked three field goals and 18 PATs last season. He made some clutch kicks. Welch is the long snapper.
Carson had a big loss in the off-season. That was Simeon Parker, a two-way lineman who may have been the Cougars’ best college prospect. Parker’s family moved to the Monroe area. Among other things, Parker had a punt block in the West Stanly game last season.
Carson offensive linemen also get practice reps as defensive linemen.
Welch, Wallace, Howell, Yarbrough and Feehan will have roles in the defensive rotation.
They’ll get help from Isaac Rabon, Dawson Syhavong, Dom Loscasio, Landon Shoemaker and Chanler Reaves.
Carson’s linebackers, coached by former East Rowan and Catawba College standout Christian Bennett, could be very good. Elijah Morgan’s return from a knee injury that cost him his junior season could be a huge boost for the Cougars.
Jamarion Brown is a returning standout at linebacker.
“Strong as an ox,” Lowe said.
Other important members of the linebacking crew are Ethan Webb, Gavin Witt and Marcum.
“I’m pumped about our linebackers,” Lowe said. “One of the best groups we’ve had.”
Jase Overcash will be on the field either as an outside linebacker or strong safety.
Cruise Montieth and Nolan White are experienced corners.
Konnor Karriker used to be a receiver, but with Carson expecting to run the ball even more than last year, he’s switched to defense and could be a starting safety.
Garreck Barnes and Eli Covington are solid DBs.
“Eli could make a name for himself this season,” Lowe said.
The Cougars have depth in the secondary with Daylan Patterson, Ty Woods, Kirk McKenzie and Karl Beal. In a pinch, against a throwing team, the Cougars can even put athletes like Broussard and Perkins in the back.
Besides the seven SPC games, Carson will take on Central Davidson, Mount Pleasant and Pine Lake Prep. There won’t be many easy Fridays, but Carson should have a chance on most of them.
Carson’s coaching group is stable, but the Cougars also added quite a few new faces to an extra-large coaching staff.
One “coach” Lowe depends on every day is his father — Kelly Lowe. He drives the bus for a lot of Cougar athletic squads, and not just the football team.
“We like to call him Carson’s director of transportation,” Lowe said. “He’s good to have around. Just another high-character guy for our boys to learn from.”
