Bandys running back Ethan Howard (32), who ran for 227 yards last Friday night in a home win over Maiden, unofficially needs 119 yards tonight at Newton-Conover to reach 3,000 for his career./MICHELLE THOMPSON PHOTO
Editor’s note: All statistical totals referenced are unofficial and historical information is from research and files of HobbsDailyReport.com that dates back to the 1980 season (or before).
Howard closes in on 3,000 career rushing as Bandys visits N-C
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
SOUTH FORK 2A
BANDYS (4-0, 1-0) at NEWTON-CONOVER (3-2, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
Newton-Conover goes for its fourth straight victory in the 49th game of the series (Red Devils lead 15-33-0), that coming after Bandys had won three straight and four of five.
any passing yards to down previously unbeaten Maiden 37-28 at Bandys. The Trojans ran for 423 and Howard — at 646 yards on 63 carries this season with 10 TDs — gained 227 yards.
RB Allen Wilfong leads the Red Devils, rushing for 100 or more yards in four consecutive games. He has 88 carries for 664 yards.
Howard is within striking range of 3,000 career rushing yards, going in needing 119,
Bandys is 8-11 at Gurley Stadium since 1983 but has not won there since 2014 (31-14) when Devan Cox went 3-for-3 passing for 45 yards with scoring passes to Dyan Wambold and Tyler Black and Jarrett Pembleton ran 30 times for 189 yards.
Two of the last three battles of been high-scoring – Newton-Conover 54-30 at Bandys and Newton-Conover 31-29 – before the Red Devils posted blowout 55-7 win last year at Bandys.
WEST LINCOLN (4-1, 0-1) at MAIDEN (4-1, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The 100th game with Tom Sain (45-53) as head coach at West Lincoln is a big one, as the loser of this game will probably have to have help along the way to stay in the race for the conference title.
West Lincoln has had little success against Maiden, losing 12 straight at Maiden, 20 straight overall in the series and going 2-24 in the 26 games played since 1980.
QB Bain Sipe (53-91-1 for 926 yards, 10 TDs) leads a Maiden offense that has a solid passing game while the Rebels counter with RB Nakathan Phansook (69-521, 7 TDs), RB Brendon Ikard (45-426, 5 TDs) and QB Seth Willis (19-31-2, 413 yards, 6 TDs).
West Lincoln’s only wins over Maiden were 12-8 at Maiden in 1980 and 8-6 at West Lincoln in 1985 when Clay Leatherman ran for 1-yard TD and Kip Childers threw a two-point conversion pass to David Beatenhead for the difference.
Maiden head coach Will Byrne coaches the Blue Devils for the 30th time (23-6).
EAST LINCOLN (3-2, 1-0) at LINCOLNTON (1-4, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Mustangs need a win, their fourth straight, to stay tied for first place in the conference.
East Lincoln has gotten its offense in gear – winning 56-7 last Friday over Lake Norman Charter – behind QB Chase Jones (45-81-2 for 712 yards, 10 TDs), RB Cole Barber (32-262, 2 TDs) and WR Sidney Dollar (16-319, 7 TDs).
RB Jamal Littlejohn has two 100-yard games for the Wolves (70-462 yards), whose only win is 46-0 at East Gaston.
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (2-3, 0-1)
at NORTH LINCOLN (3-2, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
North Lincoln head coach Nick Bazzle pursues career win No. 133 in the 220th game of his 18-year career, fresh off a 7-6 win over West Lincoln in his first South Fork 2A game.
RB Jake Soorus (34-311 yards, 2 TDS) had the only score against West Lincoln – a 99-yard run – and RB Clayton Cribb (77-404, 5 TDs) is another key offensive weapon for the North Lincoln.
RB Jaden Goodman (24-224 yards) and QB Jeff Womack (17-43–6 for 340 yards), who has made back-to-back starts, lead Lake Norman Charter.
This is game No. 51 for Lake Norman Charter head coach Mark Steele, 17-33 and in his fifth season.
NORTHWESTERN FOOTHILLS 2A
FRED T. FOARD (2-4, 0-1) at BUNKER HILL (0-6, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
Bunker Hill has won three straight games over the Tigers in games played at Bunker Hill but Foard has a two-game win streak in the series after winning those at Foard.
They’ve played 38 games since 1980 and Foard leads the series 22-16.
The Bears have really struggled offensively in their first season under head coach Patrick Clark, outscored 287-12 in six games.
Foard’s offense has begun to open up behind RB Corey Siemer (three straight 100-yard games, 70-514 in those games, 98-642 for the year, 7 TDs) and QB Jack Colosimo (87-367 yards rushing, 494 yards total offense).
The Tigers are 7-10 at The Hilll since 1982, last winning there 44-35 in 2009 when RB Quentin Owens ran 28 times for 306 yards and had two catches for 55 yards and QB Byron Fuldenwider threw scoring passes to Owens and Tyler Ruth.
Foard head coach Derrick Minor can get back within a game of .500 at Foard (14-16, third year) with a win, and he has 45 career victories.
DRAUGHN (0-6, 0-1) at PATTON (2-4, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats and Panthers meet for the 11th time, with Patton leading the series 6-4.
Patton has won three straight in the series, and each team has won twice in the games at Patton.
RB Bryson Ratliff (77-313 yards, 5 TDs) has been the leader of the Panthers’ offense.
For Draughn, still chasing the first career win for new head coach Chris Powell, the offensive stars are RB Tyler McKinney (82-238 yards, 8 TDs), QB Braxton Cox (94-176-12 for 1,279 yards, 4 TDs) and WR Colton Singleton (36-444, 2 TDs).
EAST BURKE (1-4, 0-0) at WEST IREDELL (3-3, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
East Burke and its top offensive threat, RB Josh Moore (99-486 yards, 3 TDs) come off a bye week to open conference play against the Warriors.
It’s the first visit to West Iredell for the Cavs, whose 26-14 loss against the Warriors was in Icard.
East Burke, in records dating back to 1980, has played only two other games in Iredell County (split with South Iredell).
West Iredell head coach Monte Simmons (11-29, fourth season) is in his 41st game leading the Warriors while the Cavs pursue their third win in 17 games under head coach Mark Buffamoyer.
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
ALEXANDER CENTRAL (5-0, 1-0) at WATAUGA (5-0, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
First place is on the line as the Pioneers go for their fifth straight home victory in a series that the Cougars led 23-18 since 1980.
Alexander Central has five players with 196 or more rushing yards, led by Steven Montgomery’s 474 on 31 carries and seven TDs.
The Cougars have won two straight in the series after Watauga had won three straight and five of six.
Watauga chase career win No. 99 for head coach Ryan Habich, who is 48-19 since coming to Boone six years ago, and could get its starting QB (Anderson Castle) back in the lineup.
Castle was injured early in a season-opening win and Jackson Greene (541 yards rushing, 529 passing) has led the offense along with RBs Bryce Satterfield (72-464, 7 TDs) and Jaiden Bond (32-420, 6 TDs).
Alexander Central is 22-7 since Butch Carter became head coach.
The Cougars have not won in Boone since 2010, a 20-0 game moved to Appalachian State because of light issues at Watauga. Watauga was limited to 34 yards of offense that night (minus 2 rushing) and Kyle Kinnaird and Kodie Farley each ran for a score and Jeremy Whisnant kicked field goals of 42 and 43 yards.
HICKORY (3-2, 1-0) at FREEDOM (4-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Patriots will try to get their third straight win in the series in Morganton and their seventh straight overall in a series they lead 16-13.
Game No. 439 in HHS head coach Russell Stone’s career will be mostly about trying to contain, slow down or shut down Freedom QB Jayden Birchfield (78-113-2 for 1,184 yards, 14 TDs). Birchfield has three primary targets, Dezmond Caldwell (28-424, 7 TDs), Christian Fox (19-286, 6 TDs) and Jaxon McMahon (19-256, 1 TD).
The Red Tornadoes counter with a still-developing running game led by RB Cody Young (24-206 yards, 4 TDs in back-to-back starts) and a must-be-defended passing game led by QB Bryce Stober (77-128-7 for 942 yards, 7 TDs) and WR Jaylen Harper (32-505, 2 TDs).
Hickory is 3-7 at Freedom since 1982 and has not win in Morganton since 2009, a 20-9 decision that featured 18 rushes for 99 yards and a TD run by RB Shaquan Reid and QB Tyler Barnette throwing for 136 yards and one score.
ST. STEPHENS (1-4, 0-1) at McDOWELL (2-3, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Indians play at McDowell for the first time after beating the Titans 19-17 last season in Hickory.
Another close game is likely in a game that features some of the top offensive players in the league.
RB Xavian King (77-329 yards, 3 TDs) is a St. Stephens leader along with QB Connor Williams (41-94-11 for 540 yards, 3 TDs) and WR Zach Lee (23-429). Williams and Lee had three TDs in a season-opening loss at Bandys but have no TDs since.
The Titans, 9-19 under head coach Andy Morgan, feature RB J.C. Olivio (71-327 yards, 2 TDs) and an effective passing game of QB Adam Randolph (57-92-7 for 852 yards, 8 TDs) and WRs Andruw Randolph (19-271, 4 TDs) and Dakota Effler (15-242, 2 TDs).
SOUTH CALDWELL (1-4, 0-1) at WEST CALDWELL (0-5, 0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Spartans and Warriors meet for the 38th time since 1981 with West Caldwell leading 24-13.
South Caldwell has won two straight since snapping the Warriors’ series win streak at 12.
Opponents have outscored West Caldwell, 6-11 under head coach DeVore Holman, by 264-6 this season.
RB Spencer Piercy leads the Spartans (37-352 yards, 6 TDs) along with QB Jason Martin (25-52-5, 387 yards, 3 TDs).
South Caldwell is 6-12 at West Caldwell since 1982.
The Spartans go for the third win of former QB Marc Kirkpatrick’s tenure as head coach (2-14).