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Friday’s high school varsity matchup between host North Stanly and East Rowan was the 27th meeting between the two schools in football.

The Comets and Mustangs combined for 68 points, the most in the series between the schools, with North coming out on top for just the eighth time in those 27 games, 37-31.

Chance Blake put North (2-0) up in the first quarter with a 27-yard touchdown pass.

The Comets added a safety late in the first quarter when an East Rowan (0-2) punt snap was bobbled into the end zone.

North’s Jay Jackson made it 16-0 with a short touchdown run in the second quarter before the Mustangs got on the board with a 42-yard field goal with 7:02 on the clock.

The Comets made it 23-3 with a Lorquis Lilly three-yard TD run late in the second quarter, but the Mustangs responded in the second half, scoring back-to-back touchdowns including a 68-yard TD pass to get within six points, 23-17.

North extended the lead back with an 78-yard scoring drive capped by a Elijah Bryant one-yard TD run. After three quarters, the Comets led 30-17.

The Mustangs got within one score when Gavin Walker threw a 16-yard TD pass to Malachi Pope, with East Rowan cutting the score to 30-24.

Jackson scored his second rushing TD of the game on a long Comets drive which put the hosts up 37-24 with 4:39 left in the game.

East Rowan’s Walker got the Mustangs back within six with a nine-yard TD pass in the final minutes. The Mustangs went for an on-side kick, but North recovered and ran out the clock.

North head coach Chad Little said he was “happy to be 2-0,” but added “we have things to work on to get to 3-0. This team is tough.”

The Comets will travel to Western Alamance Friday night. The Warriors (1-1) bounced back from a first week loss to win 25-24 at home versus Cummings.