1A # 1 Swain (2011: 15-1; 1AA champ)

1A # 2 Southwest Onslow (2011: 10-3)

1A # 3 Albemarle (2011: 13-2)

1A # 4 Ayden-Grifton (2011: 13-2; 1AA runner-up)

1A # 5 Hendersonville (2011: 10-3)

1A # 6 Mount Airy (2011: 8-4)

1A # 7 Murphy (2011: 11-4; 1A champ)

1A # 8 West Montgomery (2011: 11-3)

1A # 9 Red Springs (2011: 10-3)

1A # 10 Monroe (2011: 10-4)

1A # 11 Wallace-Rose Hill (2011: 13-2)

1A # 12 James Kenan (2011: 7-5)

1A # 13 Jones Senior (2011: 10-4; 1A runner-up)

1A # 14 Manteo (2011: 12-2)

1A # 15 Mitchell (2011: 12-2)

Getting a chance to see a defending state champion in action is something that football fans crave.  Seeing if the team can repeat and watching what other teams do to try and take their throne makes for some good football.  This week, we are looking to watch the defending 1-AA champions in action.  The Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 6 is the West Montgomery Warriors at the Albemarle Bulldogs.

West Montgomery, the #6 ranked team in Carolina Gridiron’s state 1A rankings, is 3-1 with the only loss at the hands of 2A power Cummings.  In the last five years, West Montgomery has made at least the second round of the playoffs each year, and twice making it to a regional final.  In 2007, the Warriors played James Kenan for the 1-AA title, losing only by a touchdown.

The Bulldogs of Albemarle, the defending 1-AA state champion and #5 ranked team in the Carolina Gridiron state rankings, comes into the matchup with a record of 4-1, beating two 2-A schools and one 3-A school in the process.  The Bulldogs are led by Coach Danny Akins and run a split back offense.  On the other side of the ball, defensive back Tevin Collins leads a defense that has only given up six points a game on average.

With two 1-AA title contenders facing off this week, it looks to be a good game in Albemarle on Friday night.