By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Previewing tonight’s first round 2A state football playoff games involving teams from the South Fork 2A (all seeds are in the West bracket and all statistical references are unofficial totals):
2A
No. 16 WEST LINCOLN (4-7) at No. 1 REIDSVILLE (11-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Rebels have never won a state football playoff game, and to pull off an upset here would send ripples through the West 2A bracket.
West Lincoln’s running game — led by Nakathon Phansook and Brendan Ikard — has been solid this season. But it’s hard not to imagine that the Rams, as they always have, will have double or triple times the pure athletes on their roster that the Rebels have on theirs.
Senior QB Titus Jones has thrown for nearly 1,900 yards and 29 TDs for Reidsville, while WR Issac Hill has 20 catches for 348 yards, and the Rams have two other receivers with at least 261 yards and a total of eight with at least 100 receiving yards.
Reidsville has scored 510 points this season.
Defensively, Donovan Pinnix leads a team that has 44 ½ sacks with 22 hits for lost yardage.
This is West Lincoln eighth appearance in the postseason. It had none from 1962 through 2004 and all of its bids have come since 2005.
Next up: The winner faces No. 8 East Rutherford or No. 9 East Montgomery next Friday. Their winner would go to Reidsville while West Lincoln would go on the road for the second round.
No. 12 LINCOLNTON (5-6) AT No. 5 GRAHAM (3-8), 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves go for their 31st victory under head coach Ledford Gibson (30-11) in a place – the state playoffs – that they are known for excelling in.
Any opponent is going to have to deal with Lincolnton’s team speed, though it may be at fewer positions than in many years, and RB Tyshaun Harris has been a spark.
Lincolnton, under .500 and potentially facing its first losing season since 2006 earned its 18th straight postseason bid and its 33rd since 1971.
Graham comes in having lost two of its last three games – to Carrboro and 50-0 to Reidsville – and features two RBs with more than 500 rushing yards.
Senior Zikiah Pettiford has 554 yard on 128 carries and six rushing TDs, and junior Javon Parmley has 587 yards on 121 carries with four TDs.
Opponents have outscored Graham 470-220.
Next up: The winner faces No. 13 Wheatmore or No. 4 South Columbus next Friday. Wheatmore would travel to Lincolnton or Graham while Lincolnton or Graham would go on the road to play South Columbus.