Friday night’s game started out like a dream for the Mathews High School varsity football team. It ended like a nightmare.

After jumping out to a 20-0 first-quarter lead to visiting Lancaster, the wheels came off the bus for Mathews, as the Red Devils outscored their Blue Devil counterparts 57 points to seven as Lancaster trounced Mathews, 57-27, in the game at Ken Brown Field.

Mathews seemed to be an unstoppable juggernaut in the first few minutes, starting with the opening kickoff, which junior Jesse Ingram took 70+ yards for a touchdown. P.J. Johnson hit the first of three PAT kicks for the night to give the Blue Devils a 7-0 edge.

It didn’t stay that way for long, as Johnson’s onside kick was recovered by Justin Jenkins and the Blue Devil offense was back in business. Mathews marched downfield quickly, spurred on by a couple of Dayshon Williamson runs. The senior running back capped the drive with a two-yard TD, and Mathews extended its lead to 14-0 with ...