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In a game that set modern-era records for points and combined yardage, Western Alamance has won the 3-A state championship 62-36 over North Gaston. It was truly an offensive shootout from the start.

In case I can't get the story posted on our Web site sports page (having technical difficulties right now), here's the early-early edition game story:

By JEFF CARLTON

CHAPEL HILL _ This time, Western Alamance wasn’t stopped a yard short. No 70-yard trick play did in the Warriors. And there was no overtime interception to deny them the 3-AA state title.

In their fourth try in four years, Hal Capps' Warriors decided they would score however many points were necessary to bring the championship trophy back to Elon. Actually, they scored a few more than they needed, turning away North Gaston in a 62-36 shootout Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

"It's unbelievable," Capps said after Western claimed the school's first NCHSAA football state title. North Gaston is an outstanding team, but we were on a mission and didn't want to be denied."

The teams set modern-era state finals records by combining for 98 points and 1,130 total yards. No wonder, then, that Capps attempted two onside kicks, even while playing from ahead the entire day. And that helps explain why North Gaston coach Bruce Clark went for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 36 with a fake punt. The Wildcats (12-3) trailed 41-24 late in the third quarter at that point.

The fake failed, and Britt made quick work of the Wildcats on a short field.

The victory capped a perfect 16-0 season for Western Alamance, which was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press state 3-A poll throughout the season.

The Warriors came to Chapel Hill averaging 40.5 points a game. Offensive coordinator Jeff Snuffer, who lost his brother Kevin to cancer Thursday, said he knew they'd have to score a lot of points to match a North Gaston attack scoring about the same per game.

Senior receiver Levon Curtis said coaches asked the offense to put up 60 points. No problem. Quarterback Donald Britt realized early that Curtis would be instant offense any time he touched the ball and got it to him often.

Britt hit Curtis on a 40-yard score less than five minutes into the game. North Gaston's fabulous QB, North Carolina recruit A.J. Blue, answered with a 65-yard scoring run up the middle. That would be the soft spot in Western’s defense all game.

Curtis came back with an 18-yard TD run and, before the first quarter was finished, he scored on a 70-yard pass on which Britt hit him in stride on a deep route.

Curtis was named MVP of the game after totaling 96 rushing yards and 153 yards on seven catches. Britt threw for 226 yards and ran for another 138. His only blunder was an interception with Western driving deep into Wildcats territory. Instead of blowing the game open, North Gaston went 76 yards, and Blue scored his second TD to cut the lead to 48-30 late in the third quarter.

Plenty of time. Princeton Brooks’ 90-yard dash made it 48-36. But Western kept coming, and put the game away with two more touchdowns.

Brooks finished with 269 rushing yards, Blue with 193. It wasn't enough to match Curtis, a man on a mission.

"In our quarterback meeting, we kind of knew what we wanted to do on the perimeter," Britt said. "We just wanted to get the ball to Levon and let him run."

Contact Jeff Carlton at 373-7065 or jcarlton@news-record.com