By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Previewing tonight’s varsity football games (all statistical references are unofficial totals):
SOUTH FORK 2A
WEST LINCOLN (3-3, 1-1) at NEWTON-CONOVER (5-1, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Red Devils need a victory in Gurley Stadium, where they are 10-1 against the Rebels since 1982, to keep at least their share of first place in the conference.
RB Tylor Stinson (78 carries for 740 yards) and QB Shamar Baker, who has cleared 1,500 yards in total offense this season, lead Newton-Conover’s explosive offense.
West Lincoln has two RBs with more than 700 rushing yards, Nakathon Phansook and Brendan Ikard, but doesn’t have the passing game the Red Devils do with Baker.
A win would give head coach Matt Beam 25 as head coach at Newton-Conover (24-16-1). This is game No. 160 for Beam as a boss, and he already has 105 career victories.
West Lincoln has won only twice in 22 matchups with the Red Devils since 1981 — last season 24-21 at West Lincoln when Seth Willis, who is back, returned an interception 67 yards for a TD, and in 2003, also at West Lincoln, when QB Miguel Corella ran for four scores as the Rebels gained 502 yards.
The teams have split their last four matchups.
BANDYS (2-4, 0-2) at LINCOLNTON (1-5, 0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves have won all four games since the series resumed in 2013, and they have a 3-7-1 all-time edge overall.
Bandys’ biggest threat is hard-running RB Ethan Howard (119-795), and exactly what it has offensively in store for the Wolves depends largely on who is available to play QB. Lake Hojnacki, the projected starter who hasn’t played yet because of a broken collarbone, and Ja’Tay Culliver — out last week with a concussion — will be game time decisions, Bandys head coach Trent Lowman said.
The Wolves are led by RB Tyshaun Harris (152-851).
Bandys last won at Lincolnton in 2003 (28-15) when RB Chris Spade ran 22 times for 155 yards and for an 83-yard score with RB Matt Woodlief adding 56 yards and a 39-yard TD run.
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (3-3, 0-2) at MAIDEN (6-0, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.
Maiden meets the Knights for the first time and needs a victory to maintain its share of first place in the conference standings.
The Blue Devils have been consistent on offense behind RB Kentrell Williams (69-723), QB Keygan Mayfield (nearly 1,300 yards of total offense) and good-hands WR Caleb McDaniel (321-375).
Lake Norman Charter counters with QB Jackson Newton and playmaking WR Davis Wilder but doesn’t have the overall scoring threats the Blue Devils have.
With North Lincoln up next week, Maiden has a legitimate shot at giving Will Byrne, their former star WR, a 16-4 start through 20 games as a head coach.
EAST LINCOLN (3-3, 2-0) at NORTH LINCOLN (2-4, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
Three weeks into the season, East Lincoln was 0-3. The Mustangs are now at .500 and share the league lead with Maiden and Newton-Conover.
Though not as much of an offensive threat as in past years, East Lincoln is getting better week-to-week.
RB Chandler Jones (83-403) and QB Chase Jones (443 yards passing) led the way for the Mustangs.
North Lincoln has two feature players in its offense – RB Clayton Cribb (90-703) and QB Reed McRorie, who is approaching 1,300 passing yards.
East Lincoln dominated the Knights last season at North Lincoln, winning 48-0 when QB Marcus Graham, who is playing this season at Mountain Island Charter, threw for three scores and ran for two more.
NORTHWESTERN FOOTHILLS 2A
FRED T. FOARD (5-2, 1-1) at HIBRITEN (6-0, 1-0) 7:30 p.m.
Here’s the game that should truly tell the tale on how much better Fred T. Foard is this season.
The Panthers have two straight wins over the Tigers, and they’ve won seven of the last eight battles — including 56-7 last season at Foard when RB McKinley Witherspoon, who returns, had a 15-yard TD run.
Foard relies on RBs Tate Beaver (96-647) and Corey Siemer (88-505) and QB Jack Colisimo. The Tigers’ Big 3 is impressive, especially Beaver with his contributions across the board.
But where Hibriten usually has the upper hand – and probably will again tonight – is it has even more players to turn to for production. The Panthers beat teams with defense and numbers (no one gets overworked in the grand scheme of things).
Although Hibriten has won five straight over Foard in Lenoir, they’ve split their last 20 games.
Foard’s last win at Hibriten (22-13) came in 2005 when Adrian Wells scored on two short-yardage runs and Rod Griffith added 99 rushing yards.
EAST BURKE (1-5, 0-1) at PATTON (5-2, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.
These Burke County rivals have split their last four meetings, and they’ll meet for the ninth time since Patton opened (East Burke leads the series 5-3).
QB Ty Causby has emerged as a leader for Patton, which last week played without 1,000-yard rusher William Brawley (injury). Causby moved under center due to a season-ending injury to Joe Eakin early in the season.
East Burke’s main contributor on offense has been Grant Fulbright (62-372 rushing).
The Cavs won 20-0 last season in Icard when graduated QB Joe Duckworth ran for 70 yards and two scores.
DRAUGHN (1-6, 0-2) at BUNKER HILL (0-7, 0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats and Bears meet as league opponents for the first time and for the first time since a 2012 game at Draughn won 28-21 in overtime by Draughn behind three rushing TDs by Adam Estep.
This has already been a long season for both teams, especially for the struggling Bears.
Draughn leads the series 3-1 and is coming to Claremont for the third time. The Wildcats won there 41-20 in 2009, and the Bears rolled there in 2011, winning 51-8.
This might be Bunker Hill’s best shot at breaking out of its skid, as the Bears finish up with East Burke (a potential win?), on the road at West Iredell and at home against Patton (probably outmatched against those last two).
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
ALEXANDER CENTRAL (6-0, 2-0) at FREEDOM (5-1, 2-0), 7:30 p.m.
It’s a battle for first place in the Northwestern 3A-4A that could arguably be considered one of — it not the– most important regular-season games for Alexander Central in many, many years.
The Cougars have had other key games over the past decade or so, but consider these circumstances: Freedom has won three straight in the series (and 14 of 15) and the biggie … in their games since 1985 played in Morganton, the Cougars are 0-14.
Freedom has a 23-3 edge in the series.
QB Jayden Birchfield, a sophomore, leads the Patriots. He’s had five straight games with at least 200 passing yards, and his favorite target of late, WR Jax McMahon, has 30 catches for 343 yards in the last three games.
Alexander Central is the more experienced offensive team, sparked by a big season from QB Gunnar Anderson (1,059 yards of total offense).
The teams haven’t met since 2012.
Don’t be surprised if the final score approaches the range of last week’s Alexander Central-Watauga battle won 38-33 by the Cougars.
HICKORY (4-3, 1-1) at WATAUGA (5-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
Watauga has won three straight and four of its last six against the Red Tornadoes, including 49-13 in Hickory last season when graduated QB Hamilton Castle accounted for 310 yards of offense and five TDs.
There’s another Castle to contend with tonight in Boone, as QB Anderson Castle is right at 1,000 yards of total offense, and the Pioneers have three players with at least 497 rushing yards.
Hickory QB Derrien Phillips should clear 2,000 yards of total offense for the year tonight.
The Red Tornadoes have won 15 of their last 21 matchups with Watauga and they traditionally play well in Boone (6-2 record in that span).
The last Hickory win on the mountain came in 2013, by 42-27 when RB Jahiz Lineberger had 131 rushing yards and a 93-yard kickoff return TD and RB Corey Stinson, who had missed back-to-back games, returned and had 14 rushes for 105 yards.
ST. STEPHENS (2-4, 1-1) at WEST CALDWELL (4-2, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Indians have won three straight in the series and in each of their last three visits to West Caldwell, but the Warriors have the overall edge (11-5) in games since 1981.
RBs Xavian King (84-467) and Jamar Brown (67-426) lead St. Stephens, and RB Taye Dula (69-710) is a key offensive threat for the Warriors.
The Indians are chasing win No. 17 for Wayne Hicks, which would be a nice early birthday present for their fifth-year head coach who turns 55 a week from Sunday.
The last time St. Stephens won at West Caldwell was in 2008, a 35-14 decision that featured 70 rushing yards and two TDs by Caleb Peterson and his 40-yard TD pass to Logan Self.
SOUTH CALDWELL (0-6, 0-2) at McDOWELL (1-5, 0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Spartans haven’t faced the Titans since 2010 — when they met to open that season — but South Caldwell has a three-game win streak in the series, has won its last three trips to Marion and has won six of the last seven matchups.
McDowell leads in the 23 games they’ve played since 1980 (16-7).
Both teams have struggled to find “it” offensively.
The Spartans continue to chase the first career win for Marc Kirkpatrick, their former starting QB, and the path ahead will otherwise be tough. They have Freedom, Hickory, St. Stephens and Alexander Central left on their schedule.
South Caldwell last won at McDowell in 2009, prevailing 32-0 on a night that featured Tyler Whitsel’s two scores – one an 85-yard kickoff return – and Sam Grubbs kicking two of his six field goals that season.