By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Previewing tonight’s varsity football games:
BUNKER HILL (0-3) at BANDYS (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Trojans go for their 12th home win over the Bears in the last 13 meetings at Butler Stadium in Game No. 60 of a series between neighboring schools that, until this year, played in the same conference.
They were inaugural members when the old Southern District 7 2A formed in 1959 and were in the same conference every year until statewide realignment separated them for 2017.
RB Ethan Howard is averaging nearly 200 yards rushing per game for Bandys, which leads the series 36-22-1 after having won four of the last six matchups and 18 of the last 22.
The Trojans, idle last week, have had two weeks to prep for Bunker Hill.
Bandys’ Trent Lowman pursues his 20th victory as head coach at his alma mater (19-29). Two former head coaches did that by season No. 5, Dick Foster (in 1964) and Randy Burroughs (in 1982).
Tony Paroli got to 20 quickest in school history (in 1986, third year) and it was the sixth year when Lowman’s dad, Randy, reached No. 20 (in 1992).
This game is the WNNC 101.3 FM feature game tonight.
ST. STEPHENS (1-1) at MAIDEN (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
QB Keygan Mayfield leads the Blue Devils’ attempt for a 4-0 start against a rival they’ve usually been able to handle.
In the 33 games played since 1980, Maiden leads the series 27-5-1 and has won five straight (and would be six if not for a 2011 forfeit).
St. Stephens has won four times and tied once at Maiden since 1982, the wins coming in 1995, 2007, 2009 and 2011 and the tie in 1989.
Tonight’s game is the feature game broadcast for WNNC 101.3 FM.
NEWTON-CONOVER at EAST BURKE (0-3), 7:30 p.m.
The Red Devils and Cavs meet for the first time since 2012 in a 14-game series they’ve split 7-7.
Their first meeting was a season-opening game in 1991.
Newton-Conover’s 4-3 in Icard and has won four of the last five matchups overall.
The Red Devils’ explosive offense, led by RB Tylor Stinson and QB Shamar Baker, is going to be a mighty challenge for a much younger East Burke defense.
It’s not likely that tonight’s game will be as tightly contested as the last two times the Red Devils faced the Cavs – Newton-Conover won 7-6 in 2012 at home, and the last game in Icard was Cavs 36, Red Devils 35 in two overtimes in 2011.
WEST LINCOLN (2-0) at FRED T. FOARD (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
They’re calling it “The Battle of Hog Hill” and it has more times than not been a true battle.
In the 29 meetings since 1982, the Tigers lead 15-14 but the Rebels have won back-to-back after the Foard had won seven of the previous 10.
Foard RB Corey Siemer is emerging as one of the leading rushers and playmakers in the Greater Hickory area, leading a resurgence under second-year head coach Derrick Minor.
Tonight’s games is another test for the Tigers, as West Lincoln is playing solid football under Tom Sain, who needs one win to reach 40 as head coach of the Rebels.
Foard is 7-6 at home against West Lincoln since 1982.
FREEDOM (2-1) at PATTON (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
It’s a non-league game in Morganton that has all the makings of being very competitive, though Freedom has dominated an 11-game series with 10 wins.
Patton won last season 35-28 at Freedom, and has RB William Brawley (unofficially 626 yards on 44 carries) back in the lineup.
The Patriots are 5-0 at Patton and last won there in a 2015 state playoff game, 55-18.
The series log right now: Freedom has scored 422 points against Patton, averaging 38.3, and the Panthers have scored 103 (9.3) but it’s very unlikely either of them is going to win by that 29-point average margin.
SOUTH CALDWELL (0-2) at HIBRITEN (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
They’ll meet for the 41st time since the 1980 season, South Caldwell holding a 21-18-1 edge.
The Panthers are deeper offensively, especially in the skill positions, and that will challenge the Spartans as they try to pick up career win No. 1 for head coach Marc Kirkpatrick.
South Caldwell had won two straight in the series – and four of five — before last year’s game, (Panthers 61, Spartans 0).
The Spartans beat the Panthers 36-29 and 20-16 in their last two visits to Hibriten.
Clay Lewis reached 60 wins faster than any Hibriten head coach with a victory last week. He’s 60-22 in his eighth season.
HICKORY (0-2) at HUNTER HUSS (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
It’s another game in a rivalry that first developed when both schools played in the Old Western 4A in the 1970s. They first met in 1968 and played every season through 1986.
Huss has won 11 of the 21 games in the series, and the Huskies have won the two matchups in Gastonia that were played since 1982 – 18-6 in 1983 and 35-19 in 2015.
Even though there is a long history between the two schools, Hickory actually has not played a lot of games in Gaston County over the previous 35 seasons – the Red Tornadoes are 3-3 (0-2 at Huss, 2-0 at Ashbrook, 1-1 at North Gaston).
The Huskies are coming off a 42-41 overtime loss to Clover, S.C., after starting the season with victories over Patton (49-20) and Cox Mill (33-0).
The Red Tornadoes lost by one in overtime to Statesville and, last week, were blown out by Newton-Conover.
NORTH LINCOLN (1-1) at ALEXANDER CENTRAL (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
Alexander Central has won two straight in a series it leads 3-1.
The Knights are coming to Taylorsville for the third time, where they are 0-2 with a 19-point loss in 2013 and an eight-point loss in 2015.
This is game No. 199 for Butch Carter as a head coach (114-84, 17th season) and he’s won 10 of his first 15 with the Cougars, who are averaging 34 points per game.
ASHE COUNTY (0-3) at WEST CALDWELL (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
West Caldwell’s new head coach, Devore Holman, was able to see his Warriors from the press box last Thursday night as they nipped visiting West Iredell 28-21.
He’ll be on the sidelines for the first time tonight, athletic director Stephen McMasters said.
Holman has been sidelined since August and recovering after complications after a knee surgery from an injury he sustained while coaching in the East-West All-Star Game in Greensboro.
Not sure if comparing scores will say a lot but here goes: Hibriten 42, Ashe County 0; Hibriten 55, West Caldwell 0.
DRAUGHN (0-3) at CHERRYVILLE (1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats go for career win No. 26 for head coach Scott Lambert when they meet the Ironmen for the first time since 2012.
They’ve split four games with Cherryville winning 28-20 at home in 2010 and the Wildcats rolling 42-0 in their last visit to Cherryville in 2011.
OTHER GAMES
East Gaston (1-2) at Lincolnton (0-2), 7:30 p.m.: The Wolves will try to avoid an 0-3 start, virtually unheard of in Lincolnton. East Gaston, after opening with a three-point win against North Gaston was shutout by Bessemer City and then hammered by 38 points by Cramer.
Lake Norman Charter (2-1) at Highland Tech (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Knights are coming off a 48-46 score-a-thon victory over Community School of Davidson. After beating Christ The King and Commonwealth, the Rams fell 31-14 last week at South Stokes.
West Iredell (1-2) at Statesville (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Warriors face the Greyhounds, who have a one-point win at Hickory, a two-point win over Lake Norman and a 27-13 loss last week at Northern Guilford.
Former Bunker Hill star Bernie Briley, whose family moved to Iredell County, already has scoring plays of 79 and 84 yards for the Warriors.
Wilkes Central (2-1) at Watauga (3-0), 7:30 p.m.: Pioneers head coach Ryan Habich has a shot at career victory No. 87 and his 37th in just 53 games since coming to Boone.
Mitchell County (3-0) at McDowell (1-2), 7:30 p.m.: After wins over Asheville Erwin, Cannon and Trinity Academy, Mitchell County goes for a 4-0 start on the new artificial surface field that McDowell has installed.