Coming off stinging loss, Maiden goes
for 30th straight win over Bunker Hill
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
A look at Friday’s varsity football games involving teams from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A, with predictions on who will win by HobbsDailyReport.com co-owners Will Hancock and Myra Hobbs and editor and content coordinator Chris Hobbs.
Last week, Chris Hobbs was 15-0, improving to 26-4 for the season. Will Hancock went 13-2 and is 23-7 and Myra Hobbs went 10-5 and is 21-9.
DRAUGHN (0-2) at FRED T. FOARD (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats and Tigers meet for the third time, this time in an early Northwestern Foothills 2A battle that will be the area’s first league game of the season.
Foard has won both previous games, one at home and one away.
Last year: Foard rolled 54-7 in Valdese when returning RB Corey Siemer ran for 284 yards and three TDs.
Did you know?: Draughn lost its first 10 games last season… Foard started 0-4 a year ago under head departed head coach Derrick Minor … The Wildcats’ best varsity football finish is third in the Catawba Valley Athletic 2A in 2011 … The Tigers’ second-place finish in the Northwestern Foothills 2A last year was their best spot since finishing second in the Western Foothills 3A in 2000.
Will says: Foard wins
Myra says: Foard wins
Hobbs says: Foard wins
MAIDEN (1-1) at BUNKER HILL (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
BYRNE
The Blue Devils, coming off a 14-13 home loss last Friday to South Caldwell, look to continue to dominate their series with the Bears as former Maiden WR Will Byrne guides his alma mater for the 39th time.
Last year: Maiden rolled 49-0 at Maiden but one of the Blue Devils’ leaders in that game – RB Malik Kennedy (eight carries for a season-high 70 yards) — now plays at Bandys and QB Bain Sipe (10-17-0 for 162 yards) is now playing wide receiver.
Did you know?: Maiden’s win streak against Bunker Hill is 29 straight years, including 15 straight wins at The Hill … Bunker Hill last beat Maiden in 1989 24-8 at Maiden … The Bears’ last home win over the Blue Devils was 23-12 in 1988 … Maiden leads the series since 1980 by 34-5… After winning a share of five titles in a six-year run that ended in 2006, Maiden has only one outright league title and one share in a dozen years.
Will says: Maiden wins
Myra says: Maiden wins
Hobbs says: Maiden wins
NEWTON-CONOVER (1-0)
at HICKORY (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST: Newton-Conover at Hickory, 7:30 p.m.
They’ve met 29 times since 1980, and the Red Devils have won 18 of those and enjoyed a lot of that success in the previous 15 years.
Last year: Hickory snapped a four-game losing streak in the series, winning 35-6 in Newton, in a game that returning RB Allen Wilfong of the Red Devils ran for 147 yards … QB Bryce Stober had the first of his three 200-yard passing games of last season for HHS, completing 10 of 214 for 253 yards and three TDs, one to returning WR Davis Amos.
Did you know?: The Red Devils have won 10 of their last 14 battles with Hickory … Newton-Conover is 18-11 against HHS in games since 1980 … The Red Devils are 35-34-1 since 2014 and 6-3 at Barger Stadium since 2000… HHS is 15-43 since 2014.
Will says: Newton-Conover wins
Myra says: Newton-Conover wins
Hobbs says: Newton-Conover wins
BANDYS (2-0) at SOUTH CALDWELL (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The sixth game that will go in the book in the series (they played a seventh but only six are in the record books), and it’s their first matchup since a 2016 game Bandys won in Catawba.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST: Bandys at South Caldwell, 7:30 p.m.
Bandys last won in Hudson in a 1993 season-opening game, 32-23.
Last year: Did not play.
Did you know?: The last Bandys at South Caldwell game was in 1995 and halted by bad weather in the third quarter with Bandys ahead and the teams then decided to count it as a “no game” which the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) allowed because it was a mutual agreement (schools can no longer do that)… The Spartans have won six games under head coach Marc Kirkpatrick they’ve had three straight losing seasons … Bandys., 19-9 in its last 28 games, has reached the state playoffs in 14 of the previous 17years.
Will says: Bandys wins
Myra says: Bandys wins
Hobbs says: Bandys wins
EAST BURKE (1-1) at FREEDOM (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
The famous Fat Friday game… and they don’t come any bigger than this one as far as rival games.
LITTLE
Head coach Mark Buffamoyer coaches in his 70th career game (14-55 record) while Freedom head coach Luke Little is approaching 100 career wins (97-60, 13th year).
Last year: Freedom won 55-13, its ninth straight win in the series, and the Patriots lead the series 27-18 and have not lost to the Cavs in Morganton since 2008.
Returning QB Jayden Birchfield had a hand in 34 points in last season’s game with a season-high 84 rushing yards and another 224 passing while returning RB Josh Moore ran for 151 yards for the Cavs.
Did you know?: East Burke RB Josh Moore, who leads the Northwestern Foothills 2A in rushing after two games, has had at least 100 yards in seven of his last eight games … Freedom, 17-9 in its last 26 games, had earned a playoff bid in 11 straight seasons but did not get to appear in one of those years (ejection policy) … East Burke has had a losing record in eight of the previous nine years.
Will says: Freedom wins
Myra says: Freedom wins
Hobbs says: Freedom wins
STATESVILLE (2-0) at
ALEXANDER CENTRAL (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Cougars started 6-0 last season and face a challenge tonight with a visit from the Greyhounds, who have two straight wins in the series.
Statesville is 9-8 in their previous 17 games against the Cougars since 1980, last winning in Taylorsville 77-43 in 2015.
Could tonight’s game again approach 120 combined points? Yep.
Last year: Did not play.
Did you know?: Alexander Central has reached the state playoffs in 14 of the previous 16 seasons and won 21 of its last 26 games … Cougars head coach Butch Carter, in his 19th season, is 132-80 that includes 28-10 in Taylorsville (fourth year)… Statesville is 4-3 against the Cougars in Taylorsville since 1980.
Will says: Alexander Central wins
Myra says: Alexander Central wins
Hobbs says: Statesville wins
NORTH LINCOLN (1-1)
at WEST CALDWELL (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Knights continue their 17th year of varsity football, going for their 70th victory as they visit a struggling Warriors program that went back to its past to try to find a way to turn it around.
Mike Biggerstaff — who won 75 games at West Caldwell in his first tenure — is back as head coach.
West Caldwell has lost 16 straight games, and last won an outright league title in Biggerstaff’s final year there (1987).
Last year: Did not play.
Did you know?: North Lincoln head coach Nick Bazzle picked up his 140th career win last Friday when the Knights crushed East Rutherford 57-21 at North Lincoln … Tonight’s game is the 200th as a prep head coach for Biggerstaff, whose head-coaching also include R-S Central and East Burke … North Lincoln is 70-120 in varsity football since opening.
Will says: North Lincoln wins
Myra says: North Lincoln wins
Hobbs says: North Lincoln wins
HIBRITEN (1-1) at ASHE COUNTY (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
New head coach Sam Mackey will try to keep the Panthers unbeaten against Ashe County, as they’ve played nine times since 2001 and Hibriten has won all nine meetings.
The Panthers have won three straight conference titles and are 45-3 in their last 48 games.
Last year: Hibriten won 56-14 in Lenoir as returning PK Griffon Bryson hit his only field goal of last year (27 yards) in that win… RB Gee Witherspoon ran seven times for 154 yards – scoring on runs of 69, 32, 33 and 28 yards and QB Jaylen Scott threw for two scores for the Panthers.
Did you know?: Hibriten is 5-0 at Ashe County since 2001, outscoring Ashe County 186-41 in those five games.
Will says: Hibriten wins
Myra says: Hibriten wins
Hobbs says: Hibriten wins
PATTON (0-2) at McDOWELL (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
McDowell has won the two previous meetings, 42-7 at Patton and last year’s win in Marion. It’s an endowment game originally scheduled at Patton but moved to Titans Stadium.
Last year: Patton won 35-13 in Marion, riding QB Weston Fleming’s 75 yards of total offense and returning RB Bryson Ratliff’s 57 rushing yards and three TDs to a win… The three scores were half of Ratliff’s scoring totals a year ago.
Did you know?: Patton is 15-12 in its last 27 games… The Panthers are yet to win a varsity football title… McDowell has had a losing record for six consecutive seasons and has not won a varsity football league crown since 1982 in the Northwestern 4A.
Will says: McDowell wins
Myra says: McDowell wins
Hobbs says: McDowell wins
CHERRYVILLE (1-1) at WEST LINCOLN (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Rebels go for a 2-0 start and their 11th win in the last 14 games with a battle against the Ironmen.
West Lincoln started 4-0 last season.
PONDER
Darren Ponder is going for a 2-0 start as head coach of the Rebels, who have reached the state playoffs three straight seasons.
Last year: West Lincoln won 48-7 when RBs Brendon Ikard and Natakathon Phansook combined for 303 rushing yards and five rushing scores.
Did you know?: After opening with a 43-20 victory over Christ The King, the Ironmen did not score last week in a loss to Chase, 40-0.
Will says: West Lincoln wins
Myra says: West Lincoln wins
Hobbs says: West Lincoln wins
EAST LINCOLN (1-0) at ASHBROOK (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
RB Lucas McConnell, who had 37 yards rushing in the Mustangs’ 30-14 win over the Green Wave at home last season, returns.
Last year: Last year’s big stars in East Lincoln’s victory — QB Chase Jones (14 of 30, 164 yards) and WR Sidney Dollar (season-high eight catches for 99 yards), graduated.
Did you know?: The Mustangs are 13-13 under head coach David Lubowicz, who is in his third season… Since going undefeated and winning a state title in 2014, East Lincoln has been 38-17… Ashbrook’s losses are 56-21 against Green Hope and 28-6 last week at A.L. Brown, where the Wonders have installed new turf.
Will says: East Lincoln wins
Myra says: East Lincoln wins
Hobbs says: East Lincoln wins
LINCOLNTON (0-2) at NORTH GASTON (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Wolves need a victory to avoid starting 0-3 for the second straight season and going winless in the first three games for new head coach Joe Glass.
GLASS
Stuart Cramer beat Lincoln by three in a season-opening game and South Point won 12-0 last Friday at Lincolnton.
North Gaston won its opener two weeks ago at East Gaston, 21-14.
Last year: North Gaston won in Lincolnton, 8-7, despite a scoring pass by returning Wolves QB E.J. Manjarres… RB Jamal Littlejohn had 17 carries for 106 yards for Lincolnton in the loss.
Did you know?: Before the last two seasons, the last time the Wolves had back-to-back losing seasons was in 1999 and 2000, the last season of Richard Smith’s tenure as head coach and the first year of Scott Cloninger as the boss.
Will says: North Gaston wins
Myra says: Lincolnton wins
Hobbs says: Lincolnton wins
WATAUGA (2-0)
at WINSTON-SALEM REAGAN (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
Watauga continues to make chase of three straight 10-win seasons something it hasn’t done in records dating back to the late 1970s.
The Pioneers were 13-0 last season when they were eliminated from the state playoffs, and they are 58-20 since head coach Ryan Habich arrived seven years ago.
Reagan, which did not play Watauga last year, has started with a 14-7 win at Mount Tabor and a 42-0 win over North Forsyth.
Last year: Did not play.
Did you know?: The last time Watauga had a shot at three straight 10-win seasons started with 12 wins in 2006, followed by 11 in 2007… The Pioneers went 5-7 in 2008.
Will says: Winston-Salem Reagan wins
Myra says: Watauga wins
Hobbs says: Winston-Salem Reagan wins
UNION ACADEMY (1-0)
at LAKE NORMAN CHARTER (0-2), 7 p.m.
The Knights added tonight’s game after their schedule was released and will chase their first win of the second tenure of Bob McKay as head coach.
Union Academy, 3-8 last year, opened with a 36-13 victory over South Stanly while Lake Norman Charter has dropped game to SouthLake Christian (55-16) and Pine Lake Prep (20-14, OT).
QB Jeff Womack has played well early for Lake Norman Charter.
Last year: Did not play.
Did you know?: Lake Norman’s biggest year in varsity football in the last decade was in 2012 when McKay guided them to a 10-2 record … The Knights’ most wins since – five in 2013, the final year of McKay’s first gig as head coach, and five in 2016 under Mark Steele.
Will says: Union Academy wins
Myra says: Union Academy wins
Hobbs says: Union Academy wins