By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
An in-depth look at Friday’s varsity football games involving teams from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A.
HobbsDailyReport.com co-owners Will Hancock and Myra Hobbs and editor and content coordinator Chris Hobbs are predicting who will win the games.
Chris Hobbs was 7-4 last week and leads for the season at 82-23. Hancock went 7-4 last week and is 77-28 and Myra Hobbs went 6-5 last week and is 68-37:
North Lincoln faces challenge from Maiden;
Hibriten, Draughn battle for the conference lead
Maiden running back Amarion Craig (3) is unofficially averaging 95.7 yards rushing per game for the Blue Devils, third-best in the South Fork 2A. The Blue Devils (5-2, 2-1) play tonight at North Lincoln (6-1, 3-0)/PHOTO COURTESY OF GENE LEATHERMAN, OBSERVER NEWS ENTERPRISE.
SOUTH FORK 2A
MAIDEN (5-2, 2-1) at NORTH LINCOLN (6-1, 3-0), 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST: Maiden at North Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.
North Lincoln will need its second win over the Blue Devils to remain atop the South Fork 2A standings, where it shares the league lead with Newton-Conover.
Maiden — up 9-1 in the series after the Knights won last year at Maiden — has won all four of its previous games at North Lincoln.
QB Ethan Rhodes leads Maiden and the conference 1,575 yards passing and 20 TDs, and the Blue Devils have the top two WRs in the conference – Dylan Abernethy, averaging 114.5 yards per game with a league-best 11 TD receptions and Brennan James, averaging 60.2 yards per game with seven TD catches.
The Knights feature two of the league’s top rushers in RB Ty Williams (71.7 yards per game) and RB Jake Soorus (65.1).
Last year: North Lincoln beat Maiden for the first time, winning 21-19 at Maiden behind RB Clayton Cribb, who had 28 carries for 137 yards and his third straight 100-yard game … Cribb scored on runs of 5, 1 and 2 yards … Caleb McDaniel had 13 carries for 82 yards and two TD runs and Abernethy, who returns, scored on his only reception (45 yards from QB Bain Sipe).
Did you know?: Maiden head coach Will Byrne has 32 wins in 43 games and is in his fourth year as head coach at his alma mater … North Lincoln is 16-5 under head coach Nick Bazzle, who has 145 career wins.
Will says: North Lincoln wins
Myra says: Maiden wins
Hobbs says: Maiden wins
BANDYS (4-2, 1-2) at EAST LINCOLN (6-1, 2-1), 7:30 p.m.
It’s a key conference game for both teams, especially East Lincoln if it wants to remain in the chase for a conference title.
While Bandys still leads the all-time series at 26-23-1, the Mustangs have won four straight at East Lincoln and seven of eight against the Trojans there and they’ve won eight of the last 10 match-ups.
East Lincoln is going for win No. 20 (in 33 games) for head coach David Lubowicz.
The game features two of the league’s top rushers – RB Cole Barber of East Lincoln averages 91.2 yards per game (with five rushing TDs) and is fourth in the conference and RB Isaiah Gilchrist of Bandys is fifth in the league at 85.1 yards per game (with one rushing TD).
East Lincoln QB Justin Barnett is within striking distance of 1,000 for the season tonight (931 yards with 12 TD throws).
Last year: Bandys won 35-14 at home behind RB Ethan Howard, who had a TD run, a 27-yard fumble return for a score and 24 carries for 167 yards … Barber scored his fourth and fifth rushing TDs of last season on runs of 3 and 20 yards and finished with 71 rushing yards on 15 carries while QB Chase Jones threw for 107 yards.
Did you know?: The Trojans are 9-10-1 at East Lincoln and last won on the Mustangs’ field in 2011 … Bandys had a 19-10-1 series lead through 2000 and East Lincoln has gone 13-7 since then against the Trojans.
Will says: East Lincoln wins
Myra says: Bandys wins
Hobbs says: Bandys wins
NEWTON-CONOVER (5-2, 3-0) at
LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (1-6, 0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Red Devils need a road win to remain in at least a first place with North Lincoln, heading to Huntersville with a 2-0 lead in their series with the Knights.
Newton-Conover RB Allen Wilfong has been steady, as always, and has 671 yards on 135 carries to rank No. 2 in the league in rushing yardage, and QB Justice Craig has thrown for nearly 1,200 yards and had 12 TD throws.
Craig is second in the league in passing with Lake Norman Charter QB Jeff Womack next with 1.079 yards and eight TDs and WR Jason Goodman has (39-358, 5 TDs), second in catches to only Maiden’s Dylan Abernethy.
Last year: Newton-Conover won 52-28 at Gurley Stadium as returning WR Keagan Covington had seven catches for season-high 57 yards, Wilfong ran for 210 yards to clear 1,000 for the season and Craig cleared 1,000 yards passing with 193 and returning K Addison Hayes kicked 10 PATs.
Did you know?: The Red Devils have outscored the Knights 115-35 in two games and won 63-7 two years ago in Huntersville.
Will says: Newton-Conover wins
Myra says: Newton-Conover wins
Hobbs says: Newton-Conover wins
LINCOLNTON (2-5, 0-3) at WEST LINCOLN (5-2, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Rebels have three of the top 10 rushers in the South Fork 2A, led by league-leading RB Canon Bridges (126-1,072 yards, 16 TDs). He averages 163.1 yards per game and has a league-best 16 rushing TDs.
RB Xander Pendergrass (77.8 yards per game, 10 TDs) ranks sixth in conference rushing and QB Mason Huitt is ninth at 47 yards per game and five rushing scores.
Lincolnton has just gotten QB E.J. Manjarres back in the lineup from an injury and he is averaging 77.3 yard passing after three games (his first back was last week).
Last year: West Lincoln won 20-14 at Lincolnton as RB Nakathon Phansook ran for 138 yards — his fourth 100-yard game of the year — and scored runs of 2 and 5 yards … Manjarres threw his fourth and final TD pass of the year, hitting WR James Woods for 61 yards, for Lincolnton.
Did you know?: The Rebels are 14-5 in their last 19 games … Lincolnton did not make the state playoff last year, snapping a streak of 18 consecutive bids into postseason play.
Will says: West Lincoln wins
Myra says: West Lincoln wins
Hobbs says: West Lincoln wins
Quarterback Carson Elder (6) will lead Bunker Hill tonight as it goes for its third straight victory in a Northwestern Foothills 2A battle in Icard against East Burke, kicking off at 7:30 p.m./MICHELLE THOMPSON PHOTO (purchase her photos by emailing her at luvinlkn@gmail.com)
NORTHWESTERN FOOTHILLS 2A
HIBRITEN (6-1, 3-0) at DRAUGHN (5-3, 3-1), 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST: Hibriten at Draughn, 7:30 p.m.
The conference lead is on the line tonight in Valdese with the Panthers – defending conference champions – the only team in the league without a conference loss.
Hibriten is abover .500 in games played in Burke County since 1982 (11-7).
The Panthers have allowed a league-low 79 points.
Draughn QB Braxton Cox had played well all season long; he threw for 111 yards in last year’s loss and came out of that game with 1,926 passing yards at that point.
Last year: Hibriten won 70-0 at Draughn when RBs Gee Witherspoon and Marqwone Jones combined for fivce rushing TDs … Witherspoon ran five times for 164 yards and scored on runs of 73, 9 and 54 yards while Jones had seven carries for 86 yards with scoring runs of 17 and 13 yards.
Did you know?: Tonight’s game is the 20th for Chris Powell as head coach of the Wildcats (6-13 record) … Hibriten has won a conference title in each of the last three seasons… The Panthers’ records in Burke County — 6-4 against East Burke, 4-0 against Patton, 1-3 at Freedom.
Will says: Hibriten wins
Myra says: Hibriten wins
Hobbs says: Hibriten wins
BUNKER HILL (3-4, 2-1) at EAST BURKE (2-5, 1-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Bears go for their third straight victory and enter the game tied for third place with West Iredell.
Bunker Hill has won three of its last four against the Cavs, including last year 26-21 in Claremont, and have been winning by playing well together.
The Bears are 2-5 in Burke County since 1980 and last won in Icard in 2011 (27-14).
RB Josh Moore leads the Cavs, who are 5-24 under Mark Buffamoyer as they enter his 30th game as their head coach.
Last year: Bunker Hill won 26-21 at home with returning RB Desmond Anderson throwing a 26-yard TD pass to returning WR Kaliq Ramseur and Raheem Carson running 49 yards for a score and returning a blocked punt 85 yards for a TD … Moore, now the Cavs’ all-time career rushing leader, had 28 carries for 127 yards and a TD and returning QB Seth Pruitt had 162 yards of total offense and ran and threw for one score each.
Did you know?: Bunker Hill had six wins over the five seasons … The Bears have not been to the playoffs since 2013 … Draughn has won seven or more games only once in school history and its best conference finish is third (2011).
Will says: Bunker Hill wins
Myra says: Bunker Hill wins
Hobbs says: Bunker Hill wins
FRED T. FOARD (1-7, 1-3) at WEST CALDWELL (0-7, 0-3), 7:30 p.m.
In their first match-up since 2008, the Tigers go for their fourth straight win in the series in games played at West Caldwell.
This is the ninth game of the second tenure of Ryan Gettys as Foard head coach and his 100th game in that position (31-68 record).
The Tigers are led by RB Corey Siemer, who has three straight games with at least 161 rushing yards.
West Caldwell hasn’t beaten Foard in Lenoir since 1990 and is still chasing the first win of Mike Biggerstaff’s second tenure as head coach. He has not won since returning, coming in with a school-best 75 career wins (75-33, ninth season).
Last year: Did not play as Foard was in the Northwestern Foothills 2A and the Warriors were in the Northwestern 3A-4A… They last played in 2008 and have met 12 times since 1985 (West Caldwell leads 7-5).
Did you know?: Foard’s three straight wins in Lenoir — 17-7 in 1992, 51-21 in 2006 and 42-0 in 2008.
Will says: Fred T. Foard wins
Myra says: Fred T. Foard wins
Hobbs says: Fred T. Foard wins
PATTON (2-5, 1-2) at WEST IREDELL (4-2, 2-1), 7:30 p.m.
West Iredell is in third place, tied with Bunker Hill, and could move into second place alone if it wins tonight and Hibriten beats Draughn.
Patton is 2-0 against the Warriors, winning 23-15 on the road two years ago and 23-7 at home last season.
QB Weston Fleming and RB Bryson Ratliff led Patton, 9-10 under second-year head coach Jonanthan Browning.
West Iredell has several of the league’s most athletic skill position players, including QB Eli Kitchens.
Last year: Patton won 23-7 at home when Ratliff ran 15 times for a season-high 124 yards and a 26-yard TD, the second of his two games last year with 100 or more yards … Kitchens threw five times to William Barber for 74 yards, including a 45-yard TD pass, and finished with 114 yards for West Iredell.
Did you know?: Patton did not play varsity football when it opened in 2007 and is in its 12th year of varsity competition and is chasing its fifth straight postseason bid … West Iredell last won a conference varsity football title in 1986 under head coach David Moody.
Will says: West Iredell wins
Myra says: West Iredell wins
Hobbs says: West Iredell wins
South Caldwell, shown early in the season celebrating a big road win at Maiden, has a key Northwestern 3A-4A game at home tonight at 7:30 p.m., facing explosive Freedom’s offense led by quarterback Jayden Birchfield./SOUTH CALDWELL HIGH PHOTO
NORTHWESTERN 3A-4A
FREEDOM (5-3, 2-1) at SOUTH CALDWELL (4-3, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
In their 30th game against the Spartans since 1980, the Patriots need a victory to remain at least tied for second place.
Freedom has won six straight in the series and seven of the last eight with the last win at Hudson coming in a season-opening game in 2012 (21-12).
QB Jayden Birchfield leads Freedom’s offense and he has hand a hand in a conference-best 172 points scored. He is averaging 177.2 yards passing per game with 17 TD throws and goes in with 1,418 passing yards.
His favorite targets – WRs Desmond Caldwell (30-610 yards, 7 TDs) and Damien Dula (28-321, 4 TDs) rank No. 2 and No. 4 among Northwestern 3A-4A receivers.
South Caldwell, expected to ride last week’s win to the league’s lone 4A state playoff bid, is led by versatile QB Avery Raynor, who has thrown for more than 800 yards on 52 completions and for five scores.
Last year: Freedom ran its win streak to six in the series, rolling 58-14 in Morganton … Birchfield ran for 68 yards and threw for 237 — boosting his season pasing to 1,864 — and finished with a rushing TD, three passing scores and three conversions … Raynor threw for 77 yards and ran for a TD and threw for one for the Spartans.
Did you know?: The Patriots had a 17-game win streak over South Caldwell from 1982 through 2006… Freedom is 11-2 in Hudson since 1982.
Will says: Freedom wins
Myra says: Freedom wins
Hobbs says: Freedom wins
McDOWELL (1-6, 0-3) at ALEXANDER CENTRAL (4-2, 0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Cougars, who now face an uphill challenge to get into the state playoffs, will try to snap a two-game skid when they play the Titans for the 14th time since 1998 (lead series 9-4).
Alexander Central has won seven straight in the series since snapping McDowell’s four-game win streak, and the Cougars have won four in a row in Taylorsville.
RB Steven Montgomery of Alexander Central, averaging 142.4 yards per game, can clear 1,000 yards for the season tonight. He needs three more yards.
McDowell has scored a league-low 92 points and is led by RB Quantavion Moore, who has 610 rushing yards on 100 carries and five rushing TDs.
The Titans have not won in Taylorsville since 2002 (8-7).
Last year: Alexander Central rolled 49-0 in Marion with returning RB A.J. Miller gaining 125 yards on 10 carries with a 29-yard TD run and Montgomery adding 108 on six carries and a 52-yard TD run … The Cougars scored seven rushing TDs … QB Adam Randolph went 17-of-24 for 174 yards, hitting returning WR Richard Handy five times for 64 yards.
Did you know?: In the Titans’ last win in Taylorsville (8-7 in 2002), a 1-yard TD run by Justin Blanton and Justin Dalton’s two-point conversion pass to Kenneth Presnell provided the points … Daniel Walker’s 95-yard fumble return for a TD and a PAT by Will Bumgarner provided the Cougars’ scoring.
Will says: Alexander Central wins
Myra says: Alexander Central wins
Hobbs says: Alexander Central wins
WATAUGA (7-1, 3-0) at ST. STEPHENS (4-3, 1-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Pioneers are alone in first place as they head to play the Indians in Hickory, the 18th game in the series since 1981 (Watauga leads 9-8).
Watauga has won six of the last seven games but is 2-3 at St. Stephens, where the Indians have had a tendency to play well against the on-paper-better Pioneers.
QB Anderson Castle sparks Watauga as the conference’s leading rusher (152.1 yards per game with 17 rushing TDs) and he is averaging 210.6 yards per game of total offense.
Watauga RB Jaiden Bond has 801 yards on 53 carries (9 rushing TDs) and also averages 31.2 yard per game receiving with three TDs.
The Indians’ passing game offers every defense a challenge with QB Connor Williams averaging 116.1 yards passing per game (eight TDs) and the top WR in the league is Zach Lee (46-631 yards, 7 TDs).
St. Stephens also has two of the top 10 rushers in the conference with Zak McLauchlin third at 110.4 yards per game with seven scores and Matthew Hancock ninth in the league at 67.2 yards per game with two TDs.
Last year: Watauga won 49-7 in Boone with a big game from RB Bryce Satterfield, who is out for the rest of this season with an injury … He had nine carries for 62 yards and scored on runs of 29 and 1 yard and returned a kickoff 96 yards for a score … Castle had 92 rushing yards on 10 carries and threw for 157 yards while Bond had four rushes for 78 yards… RB Xavian King ran 31 times for 155 yards for the Indians with Hancock adding 58 yards on 13 carries and the St. Stephens score coming on a 20-yard pass from Williams to Lee.
Did you know?: The Pioneers rolled 56-17 in their last visit to St. Stephens … Watauga head coach Ryan Habich is 113-35 and in his 12th year with a 63-21 mark in Boone in his seventh season.
Will says: Watauga wins
Myra says: Watauga wins
Hobbs says: Watauga wins