No. 1 Hough routs Myers Park in conference championship showdown
The game was effectively over after the first four drives, but Hough senior quarterback Ethan Royal added 172 passing yards in the second quarter just for good measure Friday in the Huskies’ 35-0 beatdown over Myers Park.
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With the win, Hough clinched the Greater Charlotte 7A/8A conference championship and extended a perfect 9-0 record. They also ended a six-game win streak for Myers Park (6-3).
With one game left in the regular season, the Huskies (9-0), ranked No. 1 in every N.C. statewide poll and as high as No. 11 in the nation, look pretty hard to beat.
Royal, who finished the game 12 of 14 for 236 yards and five touchdown passes, notched three scores in the second quarter, including a 62-yard strike to senior wide receiver Jahmere Anderson, who caught the first three of Royal’s touchdowns.
“I was taking what the defense gave me,” Royal said postgame. “It went short to long. They started coming down on our quick game, so we went over the top.”
Myers Park went three-and-out on its first two offensive drives before finally finding enough rhythm to cross into Hough territory. But on the ninth play of the drive, sophomore kicker Thomas McLaurin missed a 43-yard field goal wide left.
Hough head coach DeShawn Baker says the defense, which has let up just 33 points all season, continues to show up every game. The Huskies recorded their fifth straight shutout heading into a regular-season finale next week at Hopewell. Hough’s defense has given up two touchdowns all season.
“Our coaches do a hell of a job getting them prepared week in and week out,” Baker said. “They come out and execute the game plan, and when they’re flying around like that, it’s hard to score against them.”
Myers Park senior quarterback Ramir Watson struggled Friday, completing six of his 12 pass attempts for 72 yards. The rush was no better for the Mustangs, who ran a total of 22 times for just 43 yards.
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“They’re playing lights out,” Royal said of his defense. “We have an electrifying defense in every aspect, from the d-line to the secondary.”
For as unproductive as Myers Park’s offense was, Hough was the opposite. The Huskies scored touchdowns on all five of their first-half possessions. And it wasn’t just Royal’s arm that contributed.
Hough junior running back JaMarion Morrison ran the ball four times for 48 yards.
“We finally played a complete game offensively,” Baker said.
Still, there’s room for growth. Hough ran the ball just 13 times all game, which may need to change if the aerial game gets shut down.
“We gotta find a way to run the ball consistently with those holes we got up front,” Baker said. “We’ll figure it out.”
But if Hough’s defense can continue to let up so few points, the offense won’t have to do too much to win games.
“We practice against them Monday through Thursday,” Baker said, “so we understand.”
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Myers Park 0 0 0 0 — 0
Hough 14 21 0 0 — 35
First quarter
H: Jahmere Anderson 35 pass from Ethan Royal (Cole Johnson kick)
H: Anderson 12 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
Second quarter
H: Anderson 62 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
H: Joshua Autry 7 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
H: Mason Pearsall-Brown 44 pass from Royal (Johnson kick)
This story was originally published October 23, 2026 at 9:12 PM.
