H.S. FOOTBALL: Freedom blanks Patton; EB, Draughn both fall
Last week represented the opening week of the 2026 high school football season, with all four of Burke County's varsity teams taking the field on Aug. 20.
Freedom defeated host Patton by a 33-0 final, East Burke lost by a 43-6 score at West Iredell, and Draughn suffered a 47-0 home loss at the hands of Bunker Hill.
In addition, Freedom knocked off visiting Patton by a 35-0 score in the only JV contest of the week on Aug. 19.
WEEK 2 GAMES
Freedom hosted Draughn late Friday, while other varsity football games included Foard at East Burke and Avery County at Patton.
See the Sept. 5 edition of The Paper for details from those contests.
Freedom varsity football player Trent Davis scampers for a punt return of nearly 70 yards that accounted for the longest touchdown of the night in the second quarter of the Patriots’ 33-0 road win over Patton on Aug. 20. The Patriots (1-0) limited the Panthers (0-1) to 20 yards of total offense in the season-opening victory, which was called with 11:27 remaining in the third period due to lightning.
- LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
Patton’s Trenton Kidd (right) attempts a pass as Freedom’s Tavion Wilkerson applies pressure on Aug. 20 at Patton. Kidd completed 2 of 3 passes for 8 yards, with his completions going to Alex Ryan (6 yards) and River McCrary (2 yards) on back-to-back plays in the opening quarter.
- LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
East Burke first-year head football coach Jonathan Winkler (left) talks with quarterback Carter Bennett on the sideline during a 43-6 loss to West Iredell on Aug. 20 in Statesville. Bennett finished with 168 all-purpose yards (116 passing, 52 rushing) for the Cavaliers (0-1), whose only points came on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cash Oyola to Leelan Pyatte.
- ROBERT OGLE / FOR THE PAPER
Draughn’s Bryson Seagle (left) looks for running room during the Wildcats’ 47-0 home defeat at the hands of Bunker Hill on Aug. 20 in a game that was called with 1:52 left in the third quarter due to lightning. Seagle was the leading receiver (14 yards) and rusher (7 yards) for Draughn (0-1), while Fore Putnam completed three passes for 26 yards.
- BRADY LINKOUS / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom JV football quarterback Kylen Caldwell keeps his eyes downfield during the Patriots’ 35-0 home win over Patton on Aug. 19. Caldwell tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Xander Summers in the contest, while another highlight for Freedom (1-0) came on a 59-yard punt return TD from Jordan Debro that gave the Patriots a five-score advantage over the Panthers (0-1) in the final minute of the third quarter.
- COOKE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO /
FOR THE PAPER
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Freedom varsity football player Trent Davis scampers for a punt return of nearly 70 yards that accounted for the longest touchdown of the night in the second quarter of the Patriots’ 33-0 road win over Patton on Aug. 20. The Patriots (1-0) limited the Panthers (0-1) to 20 yards of total offense in the season-opening victory, which was called with 11:27 remaining in the third period due to lightning.
- LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
Patton’s Trenton Kidd (right) attempts a pass as Freedom’s Tavion Wilkerson applies pressure on Aug. 20 at Patton. Kidd completed 2 of 3 passes for 8 yards, with his completions going to Alex Ryan (6 yards) and River McCrary (2 yards) on back-to-back plays in the opening quarter.
- LISA PRICE / THE PAPER
East Burke first-year head football coach Jonathan Winkler (left) talks with quarterback Carter Bennett on the sideline during a 43-6 loss to West Iredell on Aug. 20 in Statesville. Bennett finished with 168 all-purpose yards (116 passing, 52 rushing) for the Cavaliers (0-1), whose only points came on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cash Oyola to Leelan Pyatte.
- ROBERT OGLE / FOR THE PAPER
Draughn’s Bryson Seagle (left) looks for running room during the Wildcats’ 47-0 home defeat at the hands of Bunker Hill on Aug. 20 in a game that was called with 1:52 left in the third quarter due to lightning. Seagle was the leading receiver (14 yards) and rusher (7 yards) for Draughn (0-1), while Fore Putnam completed three passes for 26 yards.
- BRADY LINKOUS / FOR THE PAPER
Freedom JV football quarterback Kylen Caldwell keeps his eyes downfield during the Patriots’ 35-0 home win over Patton on Aug. 19. Caldwell tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Xander Summers in the contest, while another highlight for Freedom (1-0) came on a 59-yard punt return TD from Jordan Debro that gave the Patriots a five-score advantage over the Panthers (0-1) in the final minute of the third quarter.
- COOKE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO /
FOR THE PAPER
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