Gaston and Lincoln Area Conference Week 11 Picks

Big South 3A/2A Conference Picks

 

North Gaston (3-6)(1-4) @ South Point (5-4)(4-1): North Gaston has had a rough year but are hoping to somehow get a playoff spot. But South Point will be too tough on this night. The Red Raiders are 1-4 at home, but they will likely take this one on their home finale.

My pick: South Point 42 – North Gaston 14

Forestview (7-2)(4-1) @ Hunter Huss (3-6)(3-2): Forestview showed last week that they can avoid upsets after a big win. But they must continue their focus as they travel to Hunter Huss. The Huskies haven’t had a memorable season but they are sneaky enough to upset any team that overlooks them. A win by Forestview will ensure them a share of the conference title.

My pick: Forestview 34 – Hunter Huss 20

Lake Norman Charter (3-6)(1-4) @ Ashbrook (4-5)(3-2): Ashbrook has lost two of their last three games. But don’t expect them to lose this one to the Knights tonight.

My pick: Ashbrook 45 – Lake Norman Charter 7

Stuart Cramer (1-8)(0-5) @ East Gaston (4-5)(3-2): East Gaston has had a turnaround season after starting 0-3. They have won four of their last six games and a win over Stuart Cramer will make it five out of the last seven. Cramer gave Huss a ball game last week, but will likely take another one on the chin this week.

My pick: East Gaston 45 – Stuart Cramer 14

Southern District 7 2A Picks

 

West Lincoln (4-5)(2-3) @ Bandys (6-3)(3-2): The Rebels took a pounding at home last week against Maiden. Will this game at Bandys be just as lopsided? Probably not, but the Trojans should still take this one easily.

My pick: Bandys 48 – West Lincoln 14

Newton-Conover (6-2-1)(3-2) @ Bunker Hill (0-9)(0-5): It’s been a tough two weeks for the Newton-Conover Red Devils as they were handed two lopsided losses to East Lincoln and Lincolnton. They should rebound against a winless Bunker Hill team

My pick: Newton-Conover 48 – Bunker Hill 21

East Lincoln (9-0)(5-0) @ Maiden (5-4)(2-3): Maiden got back on track last week with a 55-7 beating of West Lincoln. However, that’s only two wins in six games for the Blue Devils. Not good news facing unbeaten East Lincoln. The Mustangs have not been challenged by any of their conference foes yet.

My pick: East Lincoln 34 – Maiden 14

West Caldwell (3-6)(1-4) @ Lincolnton (7-2)(4-1): Lincolnton has been on a roll since their 49-27 loss to East Lincoln. Their 51-8 win last week over Newton-Conover just proves how dangerous the Wolves really are.

My pick: Lincolnton 45 – West Caldwell 7

Southern Piedmont 1A Picks

 

Highland Tech (0-9)(0-3) @ Bessemer City (7-2)(3-0): A win over Highland Tech tonight can secure a share of the conference title for the Yellow Jackets given everyone else has at least one loss. Look for them to do just that tonight.

My pick: Bessemer City 51 – Highland Tech 8

Cherryville (3-6)(2-1) @ Community School of Davidson (4-5)(1-2): Cherryville is hopeful to have the same turnaround they had last year where they struggled early on and then won a share of the conference title. Their match-up with C.S. Davidson should be a good game.

My pick: Cherryville 27 – C.S. Davidson 21

Thomas Jefferson Classical (6-3)(2-1) @ Pine Lake Prep (5-3)(1-2): Pine Lake Prep started the season strong, but have stumbled down the stretch. Thomas Jefferson is looking to rebound from their loss to Bessemer City last week.

My pick: Thomas Jefferson 28 – Pine Lake Prep 20

Other

Statesville (5-4)(2-3) @ North Lincoln (5-4)(2-3): Their records say it all. These two teams look evenly matched on paper. But this game is not played on paper. With five wins already, it’s all about playoff seeding with these two teams. This should be fun for the fans to watch.

My pick: Statesville 35 – North Lincoln 31

Forestview overcomes sloppy start, rolls rival Ashbrook

               No 2009 repeat here folks. But it sure looked like one in the works in the first half. It’s not that Forestview couldn’t move the ball but they just simply could not finish drives. Ashbrook, on the other hand, could only muster two first half field goals by kicker Matt Cloyd (24 and 35). Coming off another Forestview turnover early in the second half due to a badly timed snap, Cloyd kicked another 24 yarder.

                But the Jaguars would soon find the end-zone. Moe Neal got the Jaguars on the board with a four-yard touchdown run. Trey Heavner’s kick cut the score to 9-7. Then the defense got in on the fun too. Ashbrook fumbled on the ensuing drive near midfield. Trell McCaskill picked up the ball and ran 48 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed however making the score 13-9.

                The Green Wave stormed back with a Jeff Glenn screen pass Z’Andre Givens which Givens took 58 yards for a touchdown. Cloyd’s extra point gave Ashbrook a 16-13 lead. But the party was just starting for Forestview.

                Faced with a big decision on fourth-and-one from their own 32-yard line, the Jaguars went for it and it paid off as Neal tore through the defense for a 68-yard touchdown run. We all know Neal can run and catch. But on the next drive he made a play with his arm, as hit Isaiah Sanders for a 54-yard half-back pass touchdown. Heavner remained perfect on extra points as the Jaguars held a 27-16 lead.

                Montavis Rogers got in on the fun with a touchdown run from the ten-yard line. Forestview extends their lead to 34-16. But Ashbrook still had some fight left in them. Kristien Bell’s two-yard touchdown run cut Forestview’s lead to 34-22. The two point conversion try failed, however.

                The Green Wave did recover the on-side kick. But could not get anything on the drive. Jeff Glenn was sacked by Nathan Whitaker on third down and an illegal forward pass on fourth down ended their comeback hopes. A three-yard run by Rogers and a 70-yard interception return by McCaskill put the exclamation point on the game.

                Moe Neal finished the game with 241 yards rushing and two touchdowns, along with 27 yards receiving and the 54-yard touchdown pass. Jeff Glenn led Ashbrook with 192 yards passing and a touchdown for Ashbrook.  

                “We’re disappointed. I thought we played a good game defensively the first half and there was a gap in the second half where we lost it.” said Ashbrook head coach Greg Hill “It will be a disappointing weekend for our kids.”

                “You can’t go down there and not get points. Not against a good team like Forestview.” Hill said about taking field-goals early on “We’ve been in situations (this year) where we drove all the way down there and got nothing. We just got to finish strong. We got to get ready for a playoff run.”

                “There were a lot big plays and (the fumble return) was one of them. It gave us the lead.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “Give (Ashbrook) credit, they have a good defense. They have a good team. Against a good athletic team, you have to find ways to put them away early.”

                “We just got to finish strong. We have a lot we can get better at. We’ve got to focus on every week.”

                Forestview (7-2)(5-0) will travel to Hunter Huss (3-6)(3-2) next week. A win at Hunter Huss assures them a share of the conference title. If the Jaguars win out, it will be their first conference title outright. Ashbrook (4-5)(3-2) will be back home against Lake Norman Charter (2-6)(1-4).

Gaston and Lincoln Conference Picks Week 10

Big South 3A/2A Picks

Game of the Week: Ashbrook (4-4)(3-1) @ Forestview (6-2)(4-0): After snapping South Point’s 29 conference game winning streak, the Jaguars find themselves in the driver’s seat for the Big South conference title. But we all know what happened the last time they were in this position. In 2009, after beating the Red Raiders for the first time in school history they fell flat against Ashbrook the following week in a 21-0 loss. The Green Wave can grab a share of the Big South conference title with a win. Ashbrook has won five straight in this series.

My pick: Forestview 34 – Ashbrook 27

East Gaston (3-5)(2-2) @ North Gaston (3-5)(1-3): Both teams are fighting for a postseason spot. The loser of this game is likely out of it. Both teams have improved as the season progressed. This should be another game too tough to call.

My pick: East Gaston 28 – North Gaston 21

Hunter Huss (2-6)(2-2) @ Stuart Cramer (1-5)(0-4): Hunter Huss can solidify their playoff spot with a win against Stuart Cramer given that they would be the #1 2A team in the Big South conference. The Huskies should have no problem doing that tonight.

My pick: Hunter Huss 42 – Stuart Cramer 7

South Point (4-4)(3-1) @ Lake Norman Charter (3-5)(1-3): South Point had their 29 conference game win streak snapped as they fell 34-31 to Forestview. Of course, the last time that happened the Red Raiders went on a tear and went on to win the 2009 state title game. It looks to be a long night for the Knights.

My pick: South Point 63 – Lake Norman Charter 7

 

Southern District 7 2A Picks

Game of the Week: Lincolnton (6-2)(3-1) @ Newton-Conover (6-1-1)(3-1): Right now both teams look to be out of the running for the SD7-2A conference title unless undefeated East Lincoln stumbles down the stretch. Both teams were beaten pretty handily by the Mustangs. Both are hoping to finish no lower than second place. Look for this to be a shootout.

My pick: Newton-Conover 29 – Lincolnton 28

East Lincoln (8-0)(4-0) @ West Caldwell (3-5)(1-3): The Mustangs are looking for their third consecutive conference title. The Warriors are hoping to lock down a playoff spot. That will be a tough task against a hot East Lincoln squad tonight.

My pick: East Lincoln 42 – West Caldwell 14

Maiden (4-4)(1-3) @ West Lincoln (5-3)(2-2): After starting the season 3-0, the Blue Devils have lost four out of their last five and could potentially be falling out of the playoff race. But a win tonight would likely seal a playoff spot. The Rebels are looking for a win in their home finale. This should be another tight ball game.

My pick: Maiden 34 – West Lincoln 30

Bandys (5-3)(2-2) @ Bunker Hill (0-8)(0-4): Bandys should not have any trouble with the Bears tonight.

My pick: Bandys 45 – Bunker Hill 7

South Piedmont 1A Picks

Bessemer City (6-2)(2-0) @ Thomas Jefferson Classical (6-2)(2-0): This game could be for the conference title. The Yellow Jackets completed one tough task by taking down Pine Lake Prep last week 52-30 and are looking to remain unbeaten in conference play, but the Gryphons will be ready to play on their home field.

My pick: Bessemer City 31 – Thomas Jefferson 27

Community School of Davidson (3-5)(0-2) @ Highland Tech (0-8)(0-2): C.S. Davidson needs one more win to qualify for a playoff spot. What better opportunity to get it tonight against a winless Highland Tech squad.

My pick: C.S. Davidson 36 – Highland Tech 0

Pine Lake Prep (5-2)(1-1) @ Cherryville (2-6)(1-1): One of the biggest surprises of the year has to be the Pine Lake Prep Pride. Winless last year and are still hopeful to stay in the thick of things in terms of a conference title or a share of it. The Ironmen are hoping to trip up the Pride and make a late surge as well.

My pick: Pine Lake Prep 24 – Cherryville 21

Other picks

Kings Mountain (6-3)(3-3) @ Chase (1-7)(0-5): Kings Mountain has been on a downhill spiral as of late. They have lost three of their last four games after starting the season 5-0. But they should find redemption against a struggling Chase team.

My pick: Kings Mountain 35 – Chase 14

North Lincoln (5-3)(2-2) @ Lake Norman (7-1)(4-0): North Lincoln will face another challenge on the road tonight. Last week, they were drubbed by Mooresville 38-7. The Wildcats will not be any easier.

My pick: Lake Norman 45 – North Lincoln 21

Jaguars Snap South Point’s Conference Win Streak

                Sound familiar? Well, just five years ago, that exact thing happened. The Jaguars took down South Point, snapping their then 15-game conference winning streak with a 21-20 win at Forestview. This time, they snap South Point’s 29-game conference winning streak. It’s also the first time South Point lost a conference game at home since 2006 when they were blown out by North Gaston 49-7.

                The Jaguars got on the scoreboard first with a John Crawford 16-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sanders. The kick failed, however. Would that be big later? Well it would seem so as the Red Raiders would answer with a Jaquan Brooks 54 yard touchdown run. Max Nieslar’s extra point gave South Point a 7-6 advantage.

                After stopping Forestview, the Red Raiders extended their lead with a Brooks 61-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Muse. Nieslar’s kick made it 14-6. But the Jaguars would storm back with a Crawford 34-yard pass to Moe Neal. Crawford’s run for two-point conversion tied it at 14-14.

                The Red Raiders were primed to take the lead at half-time. But turned the ball over at the one-yard line. That was their second turnover of the night.

                But South Point came out storming in the second half. The Red Raiders would take the lead with a Ryland Etherton one-yard touchdown plunge. The Red Raiders then stopped Forestview on fourth down deep in South Point territory and looked to be on the verge of pulling away. But another South Point fumble opened up another door for Forestview and they capitalized.

                Neal’s three-yard touchdown run and Trey Heavner’s extra point tied the game back up at 21 a piece in the fourth quarter. But the Red Raiders and the Jaguars would each put one more touchdown on the board. Jeff Pearsall’s 37-yard touchdown run gave South Point a 28-21 lead with under three minutes left in the game. That was enough time for Moe Neal to answer with a four-yard touchdown reception from John Crawford. The Jaguars initially opted to go for two to win the game, but an illegal procedure backed them up and they chose to kick it and Heavner tied it up at 28-28.

                Then the game went into overtime. South Point got the ball first in the extra period, but had to settle for a Nieslar field-goal. Then on the third play in overtime Neal plunged through South Point’s defense and sealed the victory for Forestview with a three-yard run.

                “It was a fun game.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “It was an important game as far as conference standings go. Both teams had their moments and both teams did some things good. Our defense made a stop when they had to.”

                Forestview also won the turnover battle 3-0.

                “We played hard. Both teams played hard. We just came up short.” said South Point head coach Mickey Lineberger “Mistakes and turnovers worked against us tonight and not scoring before the half. Hats off to Forestview.”

                South Point drops to 4-4 and 3-1 in conference play. Forestview improves to 6-2 and are 4-0 in conference play. South Point travels to Lake Norman Charter next week. Forestview is back home against Ashbrook.

                Medlin is hoping to avoid the same instance that happened in 2009 when Forestview came off their victory over South Point only to ‘lay an egg’ at Ashbrook in a 21-0 shutout.

                Moe Neal amassed 100 yards rushing and 72 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Crawford passed for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Jaquan Brooks rushed for 88 yards for South Point and passed for 107 yards and accounted for two touchdowns.

Area Conference Picks

Big South 3A/2A Week 4 Picks

 

Game of the Week: Forestview (5-2)(3-0) @ South Point (4-3)(3-0): First place is on the line tonight in Belmont. South Point has completely dominated the series, but do not count Forestview out.

My pick: South Point 35 – Forestview 28

Ashbrook (3-4)(2-1) @ East Gaston (3-4)(2-1): These two teams are battling for a playoff berth. One more win will get these teams the minimum qualifications. The Green Wave looks to be favored in this one.

My pick: Ashbrook 27 – East Gaston 17

Lake Norman Charter (2-5)(1-2) @ Hunter Huss (1-6)(1-2): The winner of this game is one step closer to clinching the league’s top 2A playoff berth. But that will likely go to Hunter Huss.

My pick: Hunter Huss 41 – Lake Norman Charter 17

Stuart Cramer (1-6)(0-3) @ North Gaston (2-5)(0-3): Stuart Cramer let their chances of getting their first conference win slip through their fingers last week in a 28-19 loss to Lake Norman Charter. But it does not get easier from there. The Wildcats take this one.

My pick: North Gaston 34 – Stuart Cramer 10

Southern District 7 Week 4 Picks

Game of the Week: Newton-Conover (6-0-1)(3-0) @ East Lincoln (7-0)(3-0): First place is on the line in Denver. The Mustangs and Red Devils both have explosive offenses. Both defenses will have their work cut out for them.

My pick: East Lincoln 34 – Newton Conover 33

West Lincoln (3-4)(1-2) @ West Caldwell (3-4)(1-2): West Lincoln is looking to rebound from a tight 48-41 loss to Newton-Conover. But the Warriors are a much improved team this year.

My pick: West Caldwell 27 – West Lincoln 24

Bunker Hill (0-7)(0-3) @ Lincolnton (5-2)(2-1): This likes like a mismatch. This game should be over by half-time.

My pick: Lincolnton 45 – Bunker Hill 0

Bandys (4-3)(1-2) @ Maiden (4-3)(1-2): Both teams are looking to rebound from hard losses a chance for a conference title for either of these two teams is slim-to-none. But this is a big rivalry game and this game could be decided in overtime.

My pick: Maiden 24 – Bandys 21

Southern Piedmont 1A Week 2 Picks

Game of the Week: Pine Lake Prep (5-1)(1-0) @ Bessemer City (4-2)(1-0): Pine Lake Prep has improved immensely from last year. But Bessemer City will be a tough task for the Pride.

My pick: Bessemer City 35 – Pine Lake Prep 28

Highland Tech (0-7)(0-1) @ Cherryville (1-6)(0-1): Cherryville came close to getting a win last week in a 25-22 loss to Community School of Davidson. But they should get one easy tonight against the Rams.

My pick: Cherryville 41 – Highland Tech 6

Thomas Jefferson Academy (5-2)(1-0) @ Community School of Davidson (3-4)(0-1): The Gryphons look to be favored in this game. But there’s a reason they play the game.

My pick: Thomas Jefferson 28 – Community School of Davidson 20

Other games:

R-S Central (4-3)(2-2) @ Kings Mountain (6-2)(3-2): Kings Mountain has seen plenty of struggles as of late with key injuries impacting the team, but they should still come out with a win against the Hilltoppers.

My pick: Kings Mountain 28 – R-S Central 17

Mooresville (7-0)(3-0) @ North Lincoln (5-2)(2-1): North Lincoln will face their toughest task of the year as they host the undefeated Mooresville Blue Devils. The Knights will put up a fight bur the Blue Devils will pull away in the end.

My pick: Mooresville 31 – North Lincoln 17

Jaguars overcome slow start, pull away from Wildcats late

                The game was a stalemate the first quarter as neither team would find the end zone and many wondered if the visiting Wildcats would spoil Forestview’s Homecoming. But the Jaguars would put the doubts to bed in the second quarter. The Jaguars would break the ice when FB/DL Tate Payne ran for 17 yards for a touchdown.

                The Jaguars went into their bag of tricks to extend their lead when Moe Neal pitched to Colton Guthrie on a reverse play. Guthrie, also the back-up quarterback, hit Caleb Mills deep for a 52-yard touchdown strike. Trey Heavner’s kick made it 14-0.

                The Wildcats were able to get on the board before half-time. Christian Stewart drilled a 46-yard field-goal to cut the lead to 14-3. Then it was time for the half-time Homecoming festivities.

Things got worse before they got better for North Gaston. After being forced to punt on their first drive, the punt was mishandled and sailed all the way to the Wildcat six-yard line. Moe Neal scored his first touchdown of the night from the one-yard line. Neal would score again with a 53-yard dash into the end-zone to give the Jaguars a 28-3 advantage.

                But the Wildcats would storm right back. Quarterback Ethan Wiggins hit Jaleel Daniels for a 74-yard touchdown strike. Stewart’s kick made it 28-10. The Wildcats continued to chip away at the Jaguars lead. Chancelor Ellis’s one-yard touchdown run cut the Jaguars lead to 28-17.

                But that would be the end of their fun. Montavis Rogers’s one-yard touchdown plunge pretty much put an end to any comeback hopes. Colton Guthrie hit Isaiah Sanders for a five-yard touchdown strike to close this one out. The final would be 42-17.

                Moe Neal led the rushing attack with 140 yards and two touchdowns. Caleb Mills amassed 113 receiving yards and a touchdown. Trey Heavner was a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points.

                “Forestview is an extremely good team.” said North Gaston head coach Mike Patton “I am glad we played to the final whistle. Our kids keep getting better and better.”

                “(When) we made that run (coming back from 28-3), a play there, a call there, a few different plays and we are back in it.”

                “We’re happy win. We’re happy to be 3-0 (in conference play).” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “We need to keep building and trying to get better.”

                “They’re a great team. They’re a quality opponent.” Medlin said about North Gaston “Down 28-3, they kept on fighting and I’m just glad we were able to put the game away in the end. It took a while to get going offensively.”

                Forestview travels to South Point next week. North Gaston will be home against Stuart Cramer.

Big South 3A/2A Week 3 Conference Picks

Game of the Week: South Point (3-3)(2-0) @ Ashbrook (3-3)(2-0): After a tough 1-3 start, the Red Raiders appear to have righted the ship and are working on 13th conference title in 15 years. They have beaten their last two foes by an average of 17 points. Ashbrook avoided upset Monday against North Gaston as the Green Wave escaped with a 28-19 victory. The winner of this game will be one step closer to claiming the conference title. But crazy things have happened in this conference before where we have almost seen a three-way tie for first.

My pick: South Point 27 – Ashbrook 13

North Gaston (2-4)(0-2) @ Forestview (4-2)(2-0): Forestview has rolled through their first two Big South opponents by a combined 89 points. But the test is about to get a little tougher as they host North Gaston. The Wildcats almost came away with a win last week, but fell short against Ashbrook in a 28-19 decision. The Jaguars are hoping to keep pace in the conference, but the Wildcats have upset on their minds. This game could be a little closer than people might think.

My pick: Forestview 34 – North Gaston 17

East Gaston (2-4)(1-1) @ Hunter Huss (1-5)(1-1): Both teams are wanting to get a leg up in the conference and edge closer to a playoff spot. The Huskies are hoping to win their second straight home game. The Warriors are hoping to win their second consecutive game after crushing Lake Norman Charter last week. But with this being a split conference, the Huskies just need wins over the other 2A teams in the conference in order to earn the conference’s top 2A spot. But the Warriors will need to keep their winning ways up in order to qualify.

My pick: Hunter Huss 35 – East Gaston 31

Lake Norman Charter (2-4)(0-2) @ Stuart Cramer (1-5)(0-2): This is likely going to be the battle of the league’s final playoff spot in the 2A portion of the conference. The loser of this game likely misses the postseason and finishes last in league play. Both teams have been blown out in both of their conference games.

My pick: Stuart Cramer 28 – Lake Norman Charter 21

Neal and Rogers Rush For Over 100 Yards as Forestview Throttles Cramer

Forestview used a pounding run game and a few big play passes to blow out first-year varsity program, Stuart Cramer, 62-7. Neal got the scoring started with a 38-yard touchdown run. Quarterback John Crawford scored two 10-yard touchdown runs to give Forestview a 21-0 advantage.

The Storm did get on the board in the second quarter with a Jaylen Rocquemore seven yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Foust. Kaleb Setzer’s extra point made it 21-7. The Storm had a chance earlier in the game to put points up but Rocquemore was intercepted in the red zone by Josh Freeman.

Montavis Rogers got in on the fun with a 16-yard touchdown run to make it 27-7. The extra point was missed, however. A Crawford 44-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sanders closed out the first half scoring. Trey Heavner’s extra point was good and the score would be 34-7 at half-time. But it could have been worse as Rocquemore was intercepted a third time, this time by Chris McClure. McClure took it all the way back for a touchdown, but a personal foul penalty brought the play back.

The Storm got the ball back in the second half, but would fumble it and the Jaguars were back in business at the Cramer 23-yard line. After getting a first and goal, the Jaguars were backed up by a sack, a false start penalty and a tackle for loss to put them back at the 29-yard line. But on 4th-and-goal from the 29, Crawford hit Neal for a short pass that he took the rest of the way for a touchdown. Neal scored his last touchdown of the night with a 50-yard run.

Rogers scored his second and final touchdown of the night late in the third quarter with a 34-yard run into the end-zone. Logan Melsior scored the Jaguars final touchdown with a two-yard run. Trey Heavner was 8-for-9 on extra points.

Moe Neal led Forestview’s rushing attack with 166 yards rushing and 35 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Rogers amassed 124 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Sanders amassed 161 yards receiving and a touchdown.

“It’s good to get another win. That’s the key.” Forestview head coach Chris Medlin said “We’re 2-0 in conference play and we got to get a win this Friday. We have to get in the meat of our schedule and see where we stand. We got North Gaston this week, South Point next week and Ashbrook the week after.”

“Forestview’s got a good team, but I felt like a few times we gave up.” Stuart Cramer head coach Ben McMillan said “I felt we improved over the past few weeks and played with excitement. But it wasn’t there tonight.”

Forestview will be back home for the first time in over a month as they face North Gaston. Stuart Cramer will be home again as they host Lake Norman Charter.

“We just got to get ready for Friday.” McMillan said “It’s an important game for us. I hope we can get a quick turnaround.”

Red Defeats Blue In Battle of the ‘Devils’

The game between Newton-Conover and Maiden was one of many games that was delayed by one day due to a coming storm that did not really come. But what did ensue that many figured would, was a shootout between two competitive rivals. The Red Devils left Gurley Stadium with a 43-35 advantage over the Blue Devils.

The Red Devils got on the board first with a Cameron Stanley eight-yard pass to Alex Johnson for a touchdown. The Red Devils went for two with a Johnson run that was successful. Newton-Conover stopped Maiden on the ensuing drive, but when they got the ball back they gave the ball back in a big way. Stanley was intercepted by Sam Poovey who took it 35 yards for the touchdown. Xzavier Huff’s run for the two-point conversion tied it at eight a piece.

Maiden took the lead when quarterback Caleb Farley hit Huff for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Isaiah Holdren’s extra point gave the Blue Devils a 15-8 advantage. The Red Devils fired back a Blake Roberts 15-yard run for a touchdown. The extra point was good and that tied the game 15-15.

The Red Devils took the lead back with a one-yard run by Roberts. The two-point conversion made it 23-15 and that would be the score at half-time. Maiden did get another drive going facilitated by a 66-yard run by Farley, but a fumbled snap killed the drive.

At the start of the second half, the Red Devils kept pouring it on. Sam England got in on the fun with a 20-yard touchdown run. The kick failed however.

The Blue Devils kept fighting back, however. Huff cut the Red Devils lead with a 17-yard run into the end-zone. Holdren’s kick made it 29-22. But the Red Devils would keep making the comeback. Roberts again extends the Red Devils lead, this time with a two-yard touchdown run. Johnson two-point run made it 37-22.

Huff would once again help the Blue Devils cut into the lead. This time with a two-yard touchdown run. Coming off a Red Devil fumble off a kickoff, Maiden takes advantage. Farley hits Shaquan Kimble for a 32-yard touchdown strike to cut the lead to 37-35, but they would fall short on the two-point conversion.

But Cameron Stanley would connect with Austin Johnson again for a 42-yard touchdown pass. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, the two-point conversion failed and it remained a one-score game. But a key mistake on the ensuing drive dashed Maiden’s hopes. A chop-block penalty back the Blue Devils up and they were not able to overcome.