BELMONT — In spite of South Point football has won 37 games over the last four yearsthere are a few glaring omissions left missing from the resume Red Raiderssenior class — including a conference championship.

South Point won the Big South 3A championship on Friday with a 36-22 win over nearby Hunter Huss. Despite advancing to the NCHSAA 3A West regional finals in the 2021 and 2022 fall seasons, the league title is its first since 2017.

“A lot of good teams (in Big South 3A),” South Point football coach Adam Hodge said. “Our kids are playing so hard. We lost one (to Ashbrook) there in the middle and told our guys we have to win now. They did and I’m proud of it; every now and then you’re going to be challenged, and these guys have given up on that.”

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As has been the case throughout South Point’s conference slate, little came easily Friday night.

Hunter Huss running back Javarion Brown accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing), including a 25-yard TD pass to Jakelan Littlejohn to give the Huskies a 22-21 halftime lead. Despite being down at halftime, Hodge said the message was patience and execution, pointing out that South Point was its own enemy in the first 24 minutes.

“We turned the ball over twice and only lost one, the world’s not over and we’ve got 24 minutes to make it right,” Hodge said. “Go out there, block better, tackle better and everything will go as hoped.”

Quarterback Patrick Blee’s 17-yard touchdown run late in the third put South Point ahead for good, quarterback Chanyce Ford kicked in a 2-point conversion to give the Red Raiders a 29-22 lead. Huss’ best chance to even draw came on the opening possession of the fourth, a 42-yard pass from Brown to Littlejohn, putting the Huskies in the South Point red zone. They would move back from there, penalties and a rushing Red Raider defense that buckled at the right time.

Ford put a bow on things with just under two minutes remaining, his 3-yard TD plunge providing the final score. It was the leading rusher’s second touchdown of the game. Blee finished with three touchdowns of his own, two on the ground and another on a 28-yard pass to Kham Crawford.

The Red Raiders finished tied atop the Big South 3A with Kings Mountain, who also finished 6-1 in conference play. However, South Point’s 28-21 victory on Oct. 11 gave it a lead in the league standings, likely receiving one of the top seeds in the 3A West bracket.

While eager to play anywhere in the playoffs, Hodge is happy South Point won’t be getting on a bus anytime soon.

“It’s good not having to travel and go on the road and do those things,” he said. “Some of these journeys can be long; you have your Pisgahs, Smoky Mountains. It’s a good thing we won’t have to go too far on the road for a little while, at least.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA football: South Point defeats Huss to win Big South 3A title