TRIBUNE/Photo submitted by Tim Weatherman
Starmount’s Chaston Martin breaks free from East Surry defenders Friday night. Martin racked up 141 yards in the game.
PILOT MOUNTAIN - Starmount pulled out an improbable last-minute comeback to top East Surry in overtime Friday night.
Returning all-conference tailback Chaston Martin broke free on a thrilling 84-yard touchdown burst with 3:07 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 7-7 and force the extra session.
Taking the first offensive possession, quarterback Samuel Stone found paydirt on a 7-yard run to put the Rams up 14-7.
There, the defense shut down the Cards to preserve the victory.
East Surry got on the board first, two minutes into the opening quarter on a 29-yard pass to Jon Dickenson.
From there, it was a defensive battle with neither team able to find the endzone until Martin ran free for his third 60-plus-yard scoring run this season already.
East won the coin toss and elected to play defense first. After two short runs by Hunter Myers and Bryan King, Stone faked a handoff to the fullback and raced untouched on an option play from the 7 for the go-ahead score.
The Rams defense held the Cardinals on their four plays, ending the game on a sack.
Martin racked up 141 yards on eight carries to power Starmount’s offense, including the game-tying score. The senior has raced for 328 yards on the ground in two games this season.
Myers (26 yards), Sergio Sarinara (20 yards) and King (20 yards) helped the Rams record 213 yards on the ground.
Starmount remains the only undefeated team in the Mountain Valley Conference after last season’s runner-up Wilkes Central lost Friday to West Iredell.
The overtime victory pushed Starmount’s regular season win streak to 32 games, dating back to 2009. The Rams last regular-season loss was in Week Two during the 2009 season to East Surry.
Starmount kicks off its MVAC title defense Friday when Yadkin County rival Forbush comes to town for the annual Unifi Bowl. The Rams are riding a 33-game conference win streak into the matchup.
Reach Matthew Gorry at 835-1513 or mgorry@heartlandpublications.com.
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