Freedom Football loses steam after early lead

The Patriots, now led by the 1997 FHS graduate who won two consecutive NCHSAA 1A state championships with Mount Airy, extended their lead to 14-0 in the first quarter, 21-7 midway through the second period and took a 28-13 lead in the third.

But Bunker Hill had more pressure down the stretch and the Bears, led by senior running back Jason Willis Jr., rallied to earn a 35-28 non-conference win in Morganton.

Here's a look at some key numbers from Friday night's season opener.

0-2 – The Patriots (0-1) now have a 0-2 record against Bunker Hill after opening each of the last two seasons with a loss. However, this year's loss was much more closely contested than last year's 42-8 loss at Claremont. Notably, despite their proximity, Freedom and Bunker Hill never played each other in the first 50 years of their simultaneous competition from 1973 to 2022. Bunker Hill High School opened in 1954.

14 – Freedom's largest lead of the night was 14 points, twice. The Patriots led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and extended their lead back to two possessions in the second quarter.

30 – Adkins had won 30 consecutive games as head coach before Friday's loss. The Granite Bears went 16-0 en route to their second straight state title in 2023 after winning their final 14 preseason games following a 14-12 non-league home loss to East Surry on Aug. 26, 2022. Mount Airy picked up its 31st straight win with a 50-14 non-league triumph at North Surry on Friday night.

45 – Junior cornerback Kobe Johnson intercepted a deflected pass from Bunker Hill QB Ethan Helms and returned it the other way for a 45-yard pick-six to put Freedom ahead 21-7 in the second quarter. After a stellar sophomore season, Johnson was very quiet on offense Friday night, catching just one ball for

51.9 – FHS junior quarterback Kaden Davis was 51.9% on Friday, completing 14 of 27 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, but he also looked a bit rusty at times and threw a game-winning interception with a few minutes left.

54 — Sophomore Jaiveon Belin totaled 54 yards of offense for the Patriots on the night, but arguably had the hosts' most exciting play. On a run late in the first quarter, the Bears appeared to have managed to tackle Belin, but it was ruled he was never down, and he spun off the ramp and scored on a 24-yard touchdown run.

83 – Tiras Walker had the team's most receiving yards for Freedom with 83 and caught six passes from Davis, including the game's first touchdown, a 39-yard pass in the first quarter and a 5-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

99 – Bunker Hill senior running back Jason Willis Jr. scored the highlight of the night with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter that put the Bears within 28-21. The special teams TD immediately followed Freedom's final touchdown of the night, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Walker. Willis scored four total touchdowns on the night and also scored in the running game, a 7-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a 6-yard touchdown for the game's final touchdown, and in the passing game, a 57-yard touchdown pass from Helms in the second quarter. Willis finished with 113 rushing yards on 25 carries, the most of the game.