Smith, a left guard on offense and a right tackle on defense began his chemotherapy treatments at Duke University Friday, a week after being diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma just before Hobgood's game with Northeast Academy.

On Sunday the school made plans for special purple jerseys with Smith's name on the back — jerseys supplied by Troy Smith of TD Sports, school Athletic Director Pamela Tutor said before Friday's game against Saint David's, which the now 4-0 Raiders won 73-33.

Honoring Carson

In a game that was supposed to be played away in Raleigh, Saint David's agreed to come to Hobgood under the circumstances. “It was most gracious,” Tutor said. “Saint David's was willing to give up a home game.”

Tutor and Smith planned the jerseys Sunday. “They got here today.”

In the middle of the field was Carson's number 88 and fans and the opposing Warrior players signed a cutout of the 16-year-old's number.

Carson, who had been having lymph node problems, had expected a good prognosis, Tutor said. Just before last week's Northeast Academy game the bad news came that Carson would spend the entire weekend taking chemotherapy. “Last Friday night was a blow.”

Well wishes from the daughter of the opponent's assistant coach.

Saint David's responds

Brad Gulley, an assistant coach for Saint David's, gave Tutor a card and trinket his daughter made for Carson.

Saint David's coach Wes Wilder said there was never any question about giving up the opportunity for a home game. “The main reason is there is more to life than football. For a 16-year-old fighting for his life, the least we could do was drive an hour and a half so he could be honored tonight.”

Already a tight-knit school and community, Tutor said the events of last week have made the school closer. “We're going to learn more. We're seeing 18-year-old boys crying and hugging each other.”

The entire conference has wrist bands in Carson's honor, Tutor said, and the school is using the motto Every Snap and the verse Psalms 18:2 to honor the stricken teammate. “Every snap means even though he couldn't be on the field, he's still with us. He'll be heard in every heartbeat and the next play on the field.”

The every snap banner.

Mattie Streeter, whose son plays on the Hobgood team, said the game against Saint David's was about “pure love” and how Carson's diagnosis has tremendously affected the school.

Chris White, a Saint David's player who, with his other teammates signed the cutout, said, “I don't think it matters whether we know him. It matters that we respect what he's going through.”

Pregame

As the Raiders took the field for pregame warmups, there were reminders like, “We're not playing for ourselves tonight,” and “Let's let Carson hear us up there.”

The tribute, coach Brandon Lanier said, was a promise the team made to play every snap for their teammate. “This is not about winning and losing. It's more about the school being a family versus winning or losing a football game.”

At 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds, it was hard to tell anything was wrong with Carson, the team's run stopper. “To look at him he was acting like a perfectly healthy normal child,” Lanier said. “It's all been very sudden. His lymph nodes were giving him trouble.”

Pregame.

John Colby Sykes, a member of the Raider squad, said the goal was simple. “To win. It'll be different that the guy I've had playing beside me since seventh grade won't be playing. He knows he has everyone's support. To get him thinking about that is what's going to get him through.”

The game: First half

In the locker before the game Lanier made it clear who the team was playing for and on its first possession Greg Mullins made it clear the Raiders were out to win, scoring the team's first touchdown at 9:03 in the first quarter. He scored a second touchdown in the first to make the score 16-0.

Mullins got a touchdown in the early minutes of the second quarter to make the score 22-0 and then nabbed an interception for a touchdown minutes later to boost the score to 28-0.

The Raiders weren't through in the second quarter as Jawan Marshal scored on a 45-yard touchdown run to make the score 35-0.

Warriors sign the 88 cutout.

Saint David's struck at the 5:39 mark of the second quarter on a Reef Ivey touchdown to make the score 35-7.

Hobgood answered a minute later with another Mullins touchdown to make the score 43-7. A touchdown pass to William Wampler, however, gave Saint David's another score, cutting the margin to 43-14 at 2:11 in the first half.

A Kevon Carter fumble gave St. David's the ball back with just more than a minute left and Wampler scored with 27 seconds left to make the score 43-21.

Signed jersey in locker room.

The game: Second half

Both teams would not relent in the third quarter. A 40-yard kickoff return by Mullins would set him up for another touchdown and a successful two-point conversion.

A 25-yard pass at 4:31 in the third from Wampler to Braxton Montague made the score 51-27 and a fumble on the ensuing kickoff would eventually lead to Saint David's final touchdown of the evening as Reef ran the ball into the end zone on a three-yard scramble.

Hobgood scored the final touchdown of the third quarter on a 16-yard Christopher Braddy run to make the score 59-33.

In the fourth quarter Carter scored a two-yard touchdown run at 11:13, making the score 67-33. The final touchdown of the evening came on a 65-yard Marshal run to seal a win over the now 0-4 Warriors.

Streeter paints a student's face with Carson's number.

Post game

“We should have just stood on them defensively,” Mullins said.

Mullins said the time before the game was tough but the Raiders found a groove.

At midfield, Lanier assembled his team. “It wasn't the prettiest game,” he told the players. “I think we were choked up with emotion.”

With the next game against powerhouse Southampton Academy, the coach told his players, “It's going to be the battle of the unbeaten. We're playing for Carson as a team. We're going to turn the page over. We've got to be focused and have clear minds and play as a team for Carson. I kept calling y'all Carson. He was on my mind tonight, too.”

He told his players to phone Carson. “Call him, tell him you are praying for him. Tell him who you're playing for. Let him know he was out there.”

Said Braddy, “We played as a team. Really, Carson, we played it for him. It was very emotional. He's my best my friend and we've got to let him know he's there.”