CHINA GROVE – Opening night was a dream for Carson football.
The Cougars not only won 41-24 at Central Davidson, they won the way they want to win, getting substantial rushing yards from all four guys in the backfield, throwing it just enough to keep defenders honest, and getting the key defensive stops.
“We scored six points against Central Davidson last season and 41 this time,” Carson head coach Jonathan Lowe. “Sure, they’re a different team this year – but so are we.”
While Lowe had nothing but nice things to say about new starting QB Colin Masingo, new wingbacks Laden Montieth and Triton Wood and returning star Raeshon Perkins, the holes were there all night, so Lowe also had praise for o-line coaches Zach Overcash and Nick Holman and the five o-line starters – seniors Ridge Barger, Ra’jon Howell, Easton Feehan and Julian Myers and junior Ace Cousins.
“The offensive line probably is our strongest position group because of the experience they have and the togetherness they have,” Lowe said. “Last year, I thought it was our linebackers. Right now, it’s our o-line.”
The signature play of the Central Davidson game came in the first quarter, as Konnor Karriker got loose on a reverse for an explosive touchdown run of more than 50 yards. Howell, a guard, showed his mobility by sprinting out and making the key block that sprung Karriker.
“I pull on a lot of plays, and that’s a very important part of what we do on offense,” Howell said. “I did have a good night. I had a lot of effective blocks on our iso plays.”
Lowe explained that Howell is Carson’s most athletic offensive lineman, so he’s frequently called on to pull. That means Howell will take a step back and quickly move laterally behind the line of scrimmage to block a defender on the opposite side. You have to have wheels to do that, and Howell (5-11, 263) can motor.
Howell explained that he started playing football at North Rowan Middle in the eighth grade.
When he first came to Carson, he had some struggles finding his role, but he stayed with it and has become a real player.
“I’m grateful the coaches took the time to work with me until I understood what they needed me to do,” Howell said. “Now I’m one of the veterans.”
While Perkins, the fullback in Carson’s offense this season, got well over 100 yards in the opener, as he’s expected to do, Carson also got at least 60 from all the backfield starters. The Cougars had almost 400 rushing yards and almost 500 yards of offense.
“We know what Perkins can do, but we trust all of our backs to get the job done,” Howell said. “The guys who have moved up from the jayvees are talented.”
Barger, a three-year varsity player, has been out there a lot for the Cougars on Friday nights. He’s been there for big wins and tough losses.
“The game has slowed down some for me every year,” he said. “Nerves aren’t a factor now like they were when I was younger. It’s easier to see everything now. Easier to read the defensive front, easier to see the blocks.”
Lowe said Barger and Howell are almost like family because he’s been around them so much. He teaches them in weightlifting class. He coaches them in indoor and outdoor track as well as football. Not surprisingly, they are throwers in track.
Barger is only 5-foot-8, but he’s made himself a player through a relentless work ethic. He takes a lot of pride in Carson’s offensive production.
“We use an offense (flexbone) that you don’t see much,” Barger said. “We embrace being different as a big-time advantage for us. When you’re facing mostly spread offenses, it can be tough to prepare for Carson in a week.”
Carson had moments of offensive brilliance in 2025, but couldn’t always sustain it for two halves. Opening night looked different. The Cougars weren’t stopped very often. They had a fumble at the Central Davidson end zone or they would have scored 48 against a team that was 11-2 last season.
“From start to finish, we were pretty strong,” Barger said. “We didn’t ever let up.”
Barger said his most satisfying blocks of the night came mostly on dive plays. He helped the Cougars break some for big chunks.
“The thing about the dive plays is that if you don’t block it right, it’s going to be a zero,” Barger said. “But if you go with maximum effort, it can mean really good yards. It can mean a first down. Especially with Perkins running because he can run right over you.”
The Cougars have a lot of new faces, but they also have a lot of familiar ones on the o-line, so they’ll lean on those guys in the early going.
“We do feel good about where our offense is,” Lowe said. “And not just our running game. We’ve got a 6-foot-5 receiver on one side and a 6-foot-3 receiver on the other, so we can attack defenses. We believe we can attack people in a lot of different ways.”
Mount Pleasant is next for the Cougars.
