Week One is filled with great match-ups throughout the state. If you can't make it to one of these great games, be sure to check out your local team.

1. 4A #13 Ardrey Kell at 3A #5 Weddington
2. West Rowan at Mooresville
3. Franklin at 3A #6 Asheville
4. East Wake at #14 Millbrook
5. 4A #9 Independence at 4A #1 Mallard Creek
6. Concord at A.L. Brown
7. 3A #2 Havelock at 2A #8 Washington
8. Panther Creek at 4A #2 Wake Forest
9. 4A #11 West Forsyth at A.C. Reynolds
10. 3A #14 Southern Nash at Northwood

South Point @ Crest

South Point
Last Year's Record: 12-1
Points For Per Game (last year): 43.5
Points Against per Game (last year): 17

Crest
Last Year's Record: 10-3
Points Per Game (last year): 39.9
Points Against per Game (last year): 23.9

Last Meeting: 2nd Round 3AA Playoffs: South Point 46, Crest 33.
Series Wins Since 2003: South Point: 9 Crest: 2 (Crest last win 2006)
Series Avg Score Since 2003 South Point 32.1, Crest 25.9

Concord @ AL Brown

Concord
Last Year's Record: 13-3
Points Per Game (last year): 37.2
Points Against per Game (last year): 22.8

A.L. Brown
Last Year's Record: 10-4
Points Per Game (last year): 41.9
Points Against per Game (last year): 27.6

Last Meeting: Oct. 26, 2012: Concord 21, Brown 14
Series Wins Since 2003: Concord: 4, Brown: 6
Series Avg Score Since 2003: Concord 20, Brown 24.5

Middle Creek @ Garner

Middle Creek
Last Year's Record: 11-2
Points Per Game (last year): 37.2
Points Against per Game (last year): 24.9

Garner
Last Year's Record: 14-1
Points Per Game (last year): 44.5
Points Against per Game (last year): 14.7

Last Meeting: Sept. 26, 2012: Middle Creek 29, Garner 46
Series Wins Since 2003: Middle Creek: 1 (2009) Garner: 8
Series Avg Score Since 2003: Middle Creek 17, Garner 29.2

Hillside @ New Bern

Hillside
Last Year's Record: 8-3
Points Per Game (last year): 32.2
Points Against per Game (last year): 19.9

New Bern
Last Year's Record: 15-0 (4A Champions)
Points Per Game (last year): 43
Points Against per Game (last year): 15.2

Last Meeting: Aug. 17, 2012: Hillside 20, New Bern 40
Series Wins Since 2003: Hillside: 1, New Bern: 2
Series Avg Score Since 2003: Hillside 17, New Bern 24.7



(Helmets courtesy of http://nschelmets.x10host.com)

10. Knightdale at Clayton

For many high school football players and coaches, there’s a very special feeling about practicing on Thanksgiving Day.  In the past, a post-Thanksgiving game meant playing for a sectional championship.  This year, with the NCHSAA’s shorter schedule, the game on Friday is for a regional championship and a chance to play for a state title.  With only two weeks left in this year’s football season, be sure to go out and support your local team this Friday.

We’ve reached Round 2 of the state football playoffs, and it’s time for some great football action.  The temperatures are dropping towards the freezing mark and while many of the linemen show their toughness by playing without sleeves, the fans are bundling up in the stands.  Be sure go out and support your local team this Friday night.

WAXHAW – If there’s one thing that playoff football does, it’s bringing the best out of teams.  Tonight’s game at Marvin Ridge was an clear example of this principle.  The Mavericks were able to take down the visiting Berry Cardinals with a total effort on offense and defense.  By the end of the night, the scoreboard read 31-12 in favor of the home team and the Mavericks were on their way to the second round of the 3AA Midwest playoffs.



The second quarter was a match of defensive stands by both teams.  Every time one team would find a way to get a first down, the other would come back with a big defensive stop.  Trying to find some momentum, each team decided to go for it on fourth down in the second quarter but both were stopped.  The turning point in the second quarter was when the Mavericks’ Cameron Pittman made a big interception late in the half and returned it into Berry territory.  A mix of runs and passes got Marvin Ridge inside the 10 with 0.2 seconds left, and Tyler Cochran kicked a field goal giving the Mavericks a 10-6 halftime lead.


The fourth quarter began with a 9 yard touchdown run by Derek Smith, giving Marvin Ridge a 24-6 lead.  Berry tried to get back in the game with a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but a long pass from Chadwick to a wide open Taylor Capoziello for 73 yards and a score put the final nail in the coffin.

Asked about his team’s effort in the first round of the playoffs, Marvin Ridge head coach Scott Chadwick, “I’ve never been so proud of a group of guys in all my years of coaching.  They’ve defied every bit of expectation that has been placed on them this year.  Others said this would be a rebuilding year has been our best season in our school’s history.

On Joey Sanguine, who stepped in after the starting running back was ruled out with a concussion and ran for 172 yards on 20 carries: “You can’t say enough about him…I thought he came in and ran the ball extremely hard.  We’re not really known for our running game, but we had some great line play tonight and controlled the line of scrimmage.”

Next week, Marvin Ridge travels to Charlotte Catholic for second round playoff action in the 3AA Midwest.

Check back with Carolina Gridiron for more information on the NCHSAA playoffs and information about future games of the week.

It’s playoff time in North Carolina.  Teams who can put together the complete effort will move on, while other teams will be getting ready for basketball season.  The brackets are set, the teams and fans are excited, and it’s time to win or go home.  Be sure to go out and support your local team this Friday night.

Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week

This week’s matchup is from the most brutal of all of the pods, the 3AA Midwest.  Four of the top five seeds in the western region are located in the Midwest.  The top four teams in the Midwest went a combined 39-2 during the regular season.  The games in the Midwest are sure to be some great matchups between great teams.  This week’s game is just that.  The Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 12 features the 7-3 Berry Academy Cardinals traveling to Waxhaw to take on the 9-1 Marvin Ridge Mavericks.



Marvin Ridge is only it its fifth year of existence, but they have made the playoffs every season.  Coach Scott Chadwick’s Mavericks have averaged 9 wins a season over the last three years.  This year’s Mavericks team was not expected to have as much success, having to replace 18 starters from last year’s playoff team.  But, the Mavericks have worked together as a team on a mission this year.  The Mavericks have “exceeded expectations this year…both individually and as a team” according to Coach Chadwick.

THOMASVILLE – It was a chilly night at Thomasville’s Cushwa Stadium as the hometown Bulldogs took on the defending 2AA state champion Salisbury Hornets.  Although Thomasville came into the game with a 4-5 record, this was a battle to see who would site at the top of the Central Carolina 2A conference.  Thomasville was not intimidated by their opponent this evening as they took advantage of multiple Salisbury turnovers on their way to a 34-27 victory.

TROUTMAN – It was a packed house at Viking Stadium at South Iredell. Not only was it a big conference game with Draughn, but it was homecoming. Alumni from the last 30 years were in the stands catching up with each other and cheering on the hometown team. The Vikings football team did not let down the crowd tonight as South Iredell defeated Draughn 27-20.

The Wildcats won the opening toss and elected to receive, hoping to get ahead of a South Iredell team that has outscored its opponents by an average of 30 points a game this season. An intentional grounding call halted the Draughn drive and the Wildcats were forced to punt it away to the Vikings.

South Iredell went on its own drive, moving the ball down the field with a mix of runs and passes, resulting in a 37 yard touchdown pass from Adrian Whitener to Quataye Smyre. The PAT was no good and the score stood at 6-0.

South Iredell tried a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff, and Draughn returned it to the 44. The Wildcats, running their own version of the option, was able to move the chains against the Viking defense. But mostly, it was the Keith Loomis show for Draughn as the majority of the runs were quarterback keepers. When Loomis’ pass on third down was not successful, a roughing the passer call kept the drive alive and Loomis made them pay with a 1 yard run for a score. The resulting PAT gave Draughn a one point lead, 7-6.

South Iredell was driving again in the second quarter and was in position to add more points to the scoreboard, but the Draughn defense was able to get a hand on the field goal attempt, leaving the Vikings empty-handed on a somewhat successful drive. The Wildcats went down the field again and scored on another 1 yard keeper by Loomis to take a 13-6 lead. The PAT was no good and it was still a one possession game.

This apparently woke up the South Iredell offense who realized they were going to have to give Draughn everything they had to win this game. Running back Cameron Mattox answered the call and ran for a 59 yard touchdown, tying the score at 12. Mattox finished the game with 228 yards on 20 carries.

Draughn was forced to punt on their next possession, and the Vikings came back with a 14 yard touchdown run by Tevin Turner, making the score 20-13. South Iredell kicked off out of bounds, but Draughn was unable to capitalize before the half ended.

Both teams went back and forth for the third quarter, but neither team was able to put any points on the scoreboard. It was much of the same for the first part of the fourth quarter and as the time began to wind down, Draughn began to feel some pressure to put some points on the scoreboard. After Draughn drove down to the red zone, they were unable to score after going for it on fourth down.

South Iredell attempted to put the game out of reach with a 20 yard touchdown pass to Tevin Turner, making the score 27-20. But, the big play on the drive was a 31 yard run by Cameron Mattox, who broke about 8 tackles on his way down to the 20.

Draughn didn’t give up though and Keith Loomis, who ended the game with 128 yards and three touchdowns, scored again on a 5 yard keeper at the 3:17 mark of the fourth quarter. The onside kick was unsuccessful, but by the time the Wildcats got the ball back there were only 9 seconds left on the clock and the desperation pass fell incomplete to end the game.

South Iredell coach Scott Miller: “It’s good to wake up Saturday morning after a win on Friday night…it was a very physical game.” When asked how the game was moving in the first half, Miller didn’t like that “we continue to keep putting the ball on the ground…we’ve got to get better with that.”

“Our defense got smashed in the game early, but we figured out what we were doing and fixed that.” Asked about playing in an electric home environment, “we stand here and fight tough with all the distractions of homecoming and everything, we know we’re getting everyone’s best shot each Friday…I’m proud of my guys”

Draughn head coach Scott Lambert agreed, “it was a war, two really good teams, and we really battled… my hats off to South Iredell, our kids played really hard.” About his third year school’s effort, “I see these kids every day in practice and know how hard they work…I’m proud of what they were able to do.”

Both teams are at home next week in conference action as South Iredell hosts Bandys while Draughn takes on Newton-Conover.



Check back with Carolina Gridiron for information on future games of the week.

The lights shined bright and the air was crisp as the Porter Ridge Pirates took on the Marvin Ridge Mavericks in a matchup of 5-0 teams.  Both teams sought to use this week’s game as a springboard to the conference lead.  But, only one team emerged victorious, and tonight it was the Pirates as they defeated the Mavericks 27-3 in Southern Carolina 3A/4A action.












Porter Ridge faces off against Parkwood next week while Marvin Ridge hosts Sun Valley in conference action.

It’s week 7 in the high school football season and most schools are fighting it out in their conference for future playoff berths.  Coaches are looking for leadership to emerge, and players are beginning to play each game with more intensity.  We’re getting to the point now where some rivalry games are beginning to be played.  Be sure to go out and support your local team this Friday night.






The Mavericks, coached by Scott Chadwick, are even stingier on defense than their counterparts, allowing only an average of 14.8 points per game.  For a team that lost 18 starters from last season, Marvin Ridge has also played with a chip on their shoulders and has started 5-0 for the third season in a row.  Strong line play and experience at the skill positions, led by quarterback Tyler Chadwick, has fueled this fast start.

It’s week five in the 2011 North Carolina high school football season, and for many teams it is the start of conference play. Teams finally begin playing games that have implications on playoff berths and seeding. For the teams that scheduled softer games in their non-conference schedule will now be challenged. The teams that went up against the state’s best are now battle-hardened and ready to take on all conference foes.

Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 5

Being the number one team can have its perks. Showing up on Friday night highlight shows, getting recognition by media sources from around the state, and having players noticed by higher profiles college coaches. But, it also means that there is a large target on your back and every team is gunning for you and will make the matchup with you the biggest game of their season. This week’s game features the number-one ranked Mallard Creek Mavericks hosting the Mooresville Blue Devils in the I-MECK 4A conference opener.

After knocking off the two-time defending 4AA champions in the first week, Mallard Creek has earned the consensus number one spot in state-wide polls. With top-five national recruit and Florida-bound DJ Humphries anchoring the defensive line, opposing teams fear running up the middle on the Mavericks. Offensively, the Mavericks are led by wide receivers Jela Duncan and Jamel Harbison who seem to score touchdowns at will against their opponents.

On the visitor’s sideline will be Hal Capps, in his second year as head coach of the Mooresville Blue Devils. The Blue Devils made national headlines in Week 1 when they knocked off three-time defending 3A champions West Rowan, ending the nation’s longest winning streak. The Blue Devils have made quite a turnaround since Coach Capps took over last year, making the playoffs after finishing 0-11 in 2009.

Conference games are always a toss-up as teams begin to play with a little more intensity. It looks to be a good game in Charlotte on Friday night, but if you can’t make it be sure you support your local team this Friday night.

It's football season again. The sights and sounds of Friday nights are right around the corner and fans everywhere are ready to watch their favorite teams take to the gridiron in victory. Carolina Gridiron is ready to join in the experience as we go throughout our coverage area searching for the best games, food, and stadium atmospheres.

Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week

There are a lot of good games taking place in Week 1, but one stood above the rest in its matchup of historically great teams. The Carolina Gridiron Game of the Week for Week 1 is Shelby at A.L. Brown. Both teams have won multiple championships in their history and ironically, both teams are breaking in new coaches. Shelby promoted long-time assistant Lance Ware to replace Chris Norman as head coach of the Lions. Brown hired Mike Newsome away from Butler to replace Ron Massey as coach of the Wonders.



Stay tuned to Carolina Gridiron for more information on the Game of the Week. Follow our Twitter, @NCGridiron, for updates from the game.