Shelby rallies past Olympic in non-conference high school football game in Charlotte

Mike Wilbanks didn’t want his Shelby Golden Lions heading into the start of conference play next week on a three-game losing streak.

Wilbanks’ players responded Friday night, picking up their tempo in the fourth quarter for a 35-24 victory over previously undefeated Olympic.

Tristan Tate ran for a game- and season-high 157 yards and three touchdowns — two of those coming in a decisive fourth quarter as Shelby (2-2) overcame a three-point deficit.

“I challenged them at halftime,” Wilbanks said. “All season, we have been slow starting and play a lot better in the second half. I challenged them to come out and get something going in the second half. Once we got up, we kinda steamrolled them from there.

“Well, 2-and-2 sounds a whole heck of a lot better than 1-3, and better than a three-game losing streak. We’ve had two good weeks of practice … and it paid off. We’re going to enjoy this one this weekend, and get right back to work Monday.”

Lan Farmer and Namajay Thompson also had touchdown runs for the Golden Lions, Jose Lopez went 5 for 5 on extra-point kicks and Shelby’s defense forced a pair of turnovers to snap its two-game losing streak.

However, the Trojans (3-1) gave the Golden Lions all they could handle in the first three quarters, leading 14-7 at the halftime break and 17-14 through three quarters.

Olympic — still off to its best start since the 2022 season — did it behind a Corey Martin 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, a 38-yard TD pass from Chance Cato to Alex Wiley IV in the second, and Feqrnando Zelaya’s 28-yard field goal in the third.

Then Shelby stepped up its game, and the Trojans couldn’t adjust. Their only second-half points came on Cato’s 24-yard TD pass to De’Angelo Hall in the closing seconds of the game.

“We did some things that killed our momentum,” Olympic head coach Brandon Thompson said. “They made some adjustments and got really physical in the run game, and we weren’t able to stop it like we did in the first half.

“It was a good football game against a good football team. It comes down to who executes the best, who was more physical. They were more physical tonight.”

Three who made a difference

Tristan Tate, Shelby: The Golden Lions’ junior back had his second 100-yard rushing game of the season, and his three TD runs equaled his season total through the first three games. He scored on runs of 10, 7 and 3 yards.

Chance Cato, Olympic: Threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans to keep the team moving offensively, but he also threw two interceptions.

Derrick Kee Jr., Shelby: Came up with both interceptions for the Golden Lions, both ending potential Olympic scoring drive.

Up next

After a tough nonconference schedule, Shelby opens Southern Piedmont 1A/2A conference play Friday, Sept. 20, at Cherryville. That same night, Olympic begins its South Meck 4A schedule at home against South Mecklenburg.

SCORING SUMMARY

SHELBY 0 7 7 21 – 35

OLYMPIC 7 7 3 7 – 24

First Quarter

O—Corey Martin 1 run (Fernando Zelaya kick), 2:07.

Second Quarter

S—Lan Farmer 6 run (Jose Lopez kilck), 6:47.

O—Alex Wiley IV 38 pass from Chance Cato (Zelaya kick), 2:05.

Third Quarter

S—Tristan Tate 10 run (Lopez kick), 9:40,

O—Zelaya 28 FG, 1:36.

Fourth Quarter

S—T. Tate 7 run (Lopez kick), 10:56.

S—Namajay Thompson 1 run (Lopez kick), 7:13.

S—T. Tate 3 run (Lopez kick), 3:39.

O—De’Angelo Hall 24 pass from Cato (Zelaya kick), 32.1.