GATESVILLE – Currituck quarterback Tyler Schuster threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns, including three in a decisive third quarter, as the visiting Knights pulled away from a 10-0 halftime lead and defeated Gates County High School, 38-8, here Friday night.

The loss, Gates County’s second straight, drops the Red Barons to 1-2 on the young season heading into next week’s game at Plymouth, now 2-0 after winning, 21-15, at Edenton on Friday.

Currituck, meanwhile, ran their string of wins to three straight to open the 2013 season.

Despite a workhorse effort from senior Brandall Riddick, the game’s leading rusher with 108 yards on 25 attempts, the Red Barons struggled to find any offensive consistency. They squandered a pair of scoring opportunities in the first half – losing a fumble at the Knights’ nine yardline after a 39-yard run by Riddick had gotten Gates inside the red zone; and losing possession on downs at Currituck’s 21 yardline.

Currituck built their 10-0 first half lead thanks to a 32-yard field goal from River Gwaltney on the Knights first possession of the game and a 19-yard TD pass from Schuster to Fred Huff on a 4^th down play with only 56 seconds left in the second quarter. That touchdown was set-up after Gates County’s punter was forced to drop to his knee to field a low snap at his own 21 yardline.

Schuster enjoyed a banner third quarter, throwing for 168 yards on a 5-of-8 effort and trio of touchdown strikes. Two of those aerial six-pointers were grabbed by Huff (scoring catches of 61 and 45 yards) while the third was a 34-yard “catch-and-run” by Dylan Abrams. Huff finished the game with four receptions covering 148 yards.

Charles Nichols scored Currituck’s only rushing TD of the game on a 27-yard jaunt to paydirt during the Knight’s 28-point outburst in the third quarter.

Gates County prevented the shutout late in the game, driving 67 yards in seven plays capped by Riddick’s seven-yard scoring blast over the left side followed by his two-point conversion run. That drive was highlighted by a 40-yard pass from Drew Wiggins to Everett Sawyer.

The Red Barons finished with 242 yards of total offense (171 on the ground) while Currituck accounted for 344 total yards.