Staff report
HENDERSONVILLE — You have to crawl before you can walk, and East Rowan’s football program crawled back to respectability in 2025.
East went from a no-chance 0-10 to a generally competitive 4-7 in one season.
The season ended in the first round of the 5A state playoffs on Friday when the Mustangs lost 42-7 at West Henderson.
If East had been able to hold on in the fourth quarter against West Rowan, it would have been a really nice season, but you can’t have everything. The Mustangs did beat two county teams, and with a sophomore quarterback and a sophomore workhorse running back and a junior receiver who is earning postseason accolades, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about East’s offense making some strides in the future.
Plus, the jayvees were good.
East fought on Friday as the 21 seed at 12 seed West Henderson (7-4), but West Henderson is good and gradually pulled away. It was 7-0 after a quarter and 21-0 at halftime, and the Mustangs weren’t able to score until the fourth quarter.
Nolan Strozier got the East touchdown.
West Henderson’s Falcons can run or throw. Cade Young completed 18 passes for 171 yards and two scores. Isaiah Cash rushed for 156 yards and two TDs on only 12 carries.
Amariyon Ferrell picked off a pass for East. Eric Coleman recovered a fumble.
Jay Blakeney made eight tackles, while Keaton Ware and CJ Macon had seven each.
Linebacker Ashur Tesh turned in another outstanding game with 10 tackles. He had a sack, another tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
West Henderson plays next at 5 seed East Lincoln (9-1).
