By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Previewing tonight’s varsity football games (all statistical references are unofficial totals):
SOUTH FORK 2A
BANDYS-MAIDEN
The last 10 games between the long-time rivals:
Year, Result
2016—Maiden 56, Bandys 40 at Maiden
2015—Maiden 41, Bandys 0 at Bandys
2014—Bandys 29, Maiden 21 at Maiden
2013—Maiden 21, Bandys 19 at Bandys
2012—Maiden 7, Bandys 0 at Maiden
2011—Maiden 31, Bandys 21 at Bandys
2010—Maiden 35, Bandys 20 at Maiden
2009—Bandys 41, Maiden 6 at Bandys
2008—Maiden 28, Bandys 20 at Maiden
2007—Bandys 20, Maiden 0 at Bandys
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport.com files/research
BANDYS (2-2) at MAIDEN (4-0), 7:30 p.m.
It’s game No. 65 in a storied series that includes Maiden going 25-0-3 in the first 28 games and the teams playing twice in both 1962 and 1963.
Maiden leads the all-time series 48-13-3, which includes winning the last two games and six of the previous seven.
This game is the WNNC 101.3 FM feature game to be broadcast tonight from Maiden.
Bandys has won six times at Maiden since 1981 – in 1986, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2014.
Tonight’s game, like many in the long series, could get interesting.
Maiden is sparked by QB Keygan Mayfield (38-322 rushing, 5 TDs; 44-73-1 for 587 yards, 4 TDs) and RB Kentrell Williams (37-417. 5 TDs).
What Bandys can and tries to do offensively will depend on who plays QB. Lake Hojnacki, out about six weeks with a broken collarbone, could be in the lineup for the first time if doctors clear him today. If not, the Trojans will continue to play several players at QB.
Bandys is led by RB Ethan Howard (83-538, 5 TDs).
LINCOLNTON (1-3) at NEWTON-CONOVER (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Wolves go for their fifth straight win a Gurley Stadium in a series in which they have won seven straight, which includes a 2014 state playoff game.
The rivals have met 16 times since 1983 with Lincolnton up 9-7 and that includes twice beating the Red Devils in postseason games.
This is game No. 40 for Matt Beam as head coach at Newton-Conover (22-16-1), and he has another high octane offense. It’s led by RB Tylor Stinson (51-485, 7 TDs) and QB Shamar Baker (65-96-4, 896 yards, 6 TDs).
Lincolnton’s offense came alive last week, scoring 51 points, and the Wolves’ biggest threats are RB Tyshawn Harris (60-559, 6 TDs in last two games) and QB Terrell McClain (26-46-4, 435 yards, 4 TD passes that average 46.2 yards on those plays).
NORTH LINCOLN (1-3) at WEST LINCOLN (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
In a game that features four of the top offensive players in the South Fork 2A, the Knights visit the Rebels.
West Lincoln — led by RBs Nakathan Phansook (68-434, 5 TDs) and Brendan Ikard (53-433, 4 TDs) — can gain head coach Tom Sain his 40th win by winning tonight.
North Lincoln can throw it – QB Reed McRorie has 791 passing yards plus seven of his 11 TDs coming in the last two games and RB Clayton Cribb has added 329 yards on 45 carries and a TD.
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (3-1) at EAST LINCOLN (1-3), 7:30 p.m.
The Knights make their South Fork 2A debut against a Mustangs team that last week picked up the first win for new head coach David Lubowicz.
Lake Norman Charter is led by 6-foot-4 QB Jackson Newton, who converted to the position after the Knights lost their expected starter to injuries sustained in an auto accident.
The Knights also have some speed at WR in Davis Wilder, who already has TD catches of 87 and 91 yards, and RB Josh Aruta had run for four TDs and caught a TD pass.
East Lincoln had to restock its offense when it lost a starting QB and WR to transfers.
The Mustangs are paced by RB Chandler Jones (53-343) and QB Chase Jones (25-53-4, 299).
NORTHWESTERN FOOTHILLS 2A
FRED T. FOARD (4-1) at PATTON (3-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Tigers and Panthers battle for the first time since 2008, when Quenton Owens ran eight times for 104 yards and two scores, and Landon Isenhour went 5-for-6 for 145 yards and threw a 70-yard TD pass to Tyler Ruth in a 48-7 Tigers victory.
Foard has won four straight this season and is going for a five-game win streak. The Tigers haven’t won five in row since 1998.
RB Tate Beaver (73-460, who last week had the second 100-yard rushing game of the year for Foard), leads the Tigers.
Andrew Bishop of Foard has returned a blocked punt for a TD in the last two games to spark Foard on defense.
The area’s first 1,000-yard rusher could come tonight as Patton’s William Brawley goes into the game with 68 carries for 811 yards and 11 TDs.
Since 1980, Foard has won only twice in Burke County – once over Patton and once over East Burke.
HIBRITEN (5-0) at BUNKER HILL (0-5), 7:30 p.m.
The Panthers and Bears meet for the first time since 2008, when Hibriten won 49-0 in Claremont behind Jamichael Walton’s nine rushes for 92 yards and a TD and a passing TD.
The teams have met 13 times since 1980 with Hibriten winning nine of those games, which includes going 4-2 at Bunker Hill.
McKinley Witherspoon (28 rushes for 432 yards) and Marqwone Jones (41-337) lead an explosive Panthers offense.
DRAUGHN (1-4) at WEST IREDELL (2-3), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats and Warriors meet for the first time in varsity football.
Draughn will play in Iredell County for only the third time in school history (1-1 at South Iredell previously).
West Iredell, coached by former Hibriten assistant Monte Simmons, have won five of 27 games since he became head coach.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
ALEXANDER CENTRAL (4-0) at WEST CALDWELL (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Alexander Central’s Butch Carter coaches his 17th game with the Cougars and his 200th as a prep football head coach (115-84, 17th season).
The Cougars and Warriors meet for the first time since 2000, when Brooks Corpening ran for 116 yards, Ronnie Hood added 121 and Brandon Pritchard ran for two TDs to lead West Caldwell to a 28-13 win in Taylorsville.
RB Tevin Clark (52-322, 4 TDs) and QB Gunnar Anderson (39-288 rushing, 6 TDs; 28-43-0, 433, 4 TDs) lead Alexander Central.
RB Taye Dula has sparked the Warriors with 49 rushes for 436 yards.
In the 20 games played between the two since 1980, West Caldwell has won 12 between rivals who opened the season against each other for six years from 1995-2000.
HICKORY (2-2) at McDOWELL (1-3), 7:30 p.m.
McDowell returns to the Northwestern 3A-4A tonight with a visit from Hickory, playing the Red Tornadoes for the first time since beating them 17-10 in 1992 behind Markemus Wilkerson’s TD run and TD pass and a 32-yard field goal by Brian Corn.
The Titans won their last two – and fourth in five – over Hickory, and the Red Tornadoes’ last win in Marion came 50-25 in Marion in 1990.
Hickory has won two straight games behind QB Derrien Phillips (56-362, 8 TDs; 59-112-5, 954, 5 TDs), who could be a lot of fun to watch as McDowell now has an artificial turf field.
ST. STEPHENS (1-3) at FREEDOM (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Freedom is 4-0 against the Indians, outscoring them 186-34 (or an average win margin of 37 ½ points) in those games.
RB C.J. Hayden (69-382, 5 TDs) and QB Jaylen Birchfield (53-96-3, 708, 9 TDs) lead Freedom.
St. Stephens, playing its 51st game with Wayne Hicks as head coach (15-35), counters with RB Xavian King (60-344, 6 TDs) and QB Justin Bullock (37-72-3, 565, 5 TDs).
In the Indians only two visits to Morganton, the Patriots rolled 48-6 and 38-0.
SOUTH CALDWELL (0-4) at WATAUGA (4-0), 7:30 p.m.
In a series that had some intense games when South Caldwell opened in the late 1970s, game No 38 may not be as close as the Spartans aren’t nearly as experienced as the Pioneers are.
South Caldwell still leads 22-15 in the 37 games played since 1980, and that includes a 10-8 record in that span in Boone.
The Spartans had won two straight before last year, when the Pioneers cruised 63-21 in Boone.
RB Bryce Satterfield (59-463, 11 TDs with eight of those in the last two games) and QB Andrew Castle (48-403, 7 TDs) lead Watauga. Satterfield’s dad is head coach at Appalachian State.
South Caldwell is still chasing the first career win for new head coach Marc Kirkpatrick, a former starting QB for the Spartans whose dad, Red, was South Caldwell’s first head coach.