STATE 3A FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Rockingham County uses turnovers to eliminate Freedom

HobbsDailyReport.com WENTWORTH – Freedom High had five first-half turnovers and never rebounded on Friday night as Rockingham County won 47-29 in a first-round state 3A football playoff game. No. 7 Rockingham (9-3) grabbed a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and led 33-0 en route to earning a second round game next Friday at No. 2 Kings …

GAME PREVIEWS, 3A PLAYOFFS: Hickory returns to postseason, goes to Weddington

By CHRIS HOBBS HobbsDailyReport.com Previewing tonight’s first round 3A state football playoff games involving teams from the Northwestern 3A-4A (all seeds are in the West bracket and all statistical references are unofficial totals): 3A No. 12 HICKORY (6-5) at No. 5 WEDDINGTON (8-3), 7:30 p.m. The Red Tornadoes return to the state playoffs under first-year head coach Russell Stone, who …

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL: Freedom’s 14th annual Super Saturday just ahead

HobbsDailyReport.com MORGANTON – Fans who love following girls’ high school basketball have another full-day opportunity ahead to watch teams in the preseason. The 14th annual Super Saturday – with scrimmages starting as early as 8:30 a.m. and as late as 5:40 p.m. — is scheduled on Saturday at Freedom High. The battles will be in two gyms at Freedom and …

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Final pairings, as released by North Carolina High School Athletic Association

HobbsDailyReport.com STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS GREATER HICKORY AREA CONFERENCES Pairings for next Friday’s first-round state high school football playoff games that involve teams from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A. The games are at the higher seed’s home field with 7:30 p.m. kickoffs: WEST 2A No. 16 W. LINCOLN (4-7) at No. 1 Reidsville (11-0) No. …

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Birchfield sets records as Freedom beats McDowell

HobbsDailyReport.com MARION – Getting big games from two underclassmen and playing through two lightning-caused delays, Freedom High closed the football regular season by beating McDowell 41-14 on Friday night to finish in a three-way tie for third place. The visiting Patriots rode the passing of sophomore Jayden Birchfield — who threw for five scores and ran for another — and …