South Point staves off rally, two-point conversion for hard-fought victory

                The South Point Red Raiders advance again. But it sure was not an easy task as they watched a 28-14 lead wither away down the stretch. But were able to hold on for a 28-27 lead after stopping West Rowan on a two-point conversion try. The Red Raiders were also down 14-7 at half-time.

                “I thought our character was tested tonight. Our kids showed their character” said South Point head coach Mickey Lineberger “They have a great football and they are very physical. We are blessed to play four more quarters. It was up to our kids to cover each other’s backs. At times our offense played great. At times our defense played great.”

                Falcons quarterback Casey Otto got things going for the Falcons early. After a kickoff return all the way to the South Point 20-yard line, Otto capped off the drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Kortez Weeks. Austin Morrison’s extra point made it 7-0.

                But you knew it would not take South Point long to respond. The Red Raiders capped off a drive of their own with a three-yard run by Nolan Wilson. Thomas Lempereur tied the game with the extra point kick. But before the half expired, the Falcons put another score on the board. This time, it was on a two-yard run by Casey Otto. Morrison nailed the extra point for the 14-7 half-time lead.

                The Red Raiders received the ball in the second half and did not waste an opportunity. Ryland Etherton’s one-yard touchdown run and Lempereur’s extra point tied the game at 14-14. Things got worse before they got better for the Falcons. Diontre Kings 19-yard touchdown run and Nolan Wilson’s 12-yard touchdown run put the Red Raiders up 28-14.

                Then it was the Falcons’ turn to respond. West Rowan cut South Point’s lead with an Otto 29-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Houston. After stopping South Point on the ensuing drive, the Falcons struck again with just second remaining. Otto hit Kreshon Alexander for a three-yard touchdown strike.

                The Falcons opted to go for the win on a two-point conversion try but were unsuccessful.

                “Our kids fought like crazy and gave us a chance to win.” said West Rowan head coach Joe Nixon. Nixon said this about the failed two-point try “We game planned all week that if we were in this situation, we would go for the win. It’s easy to second guess it when it doesn’t work. Each time you play after Thanksgiving you had a great season. I’m proud of our kids.”

                South Point will advance to play Kings Mountain, a 28-13 winner over Hibriten.

                “Kings Mountain has a great football team.” Lineberger said “At this stage of the game, they’re all going to be tough. You have to win tough games to be a state champion.”

                “Our coaches do such a great job in preparing these kids. We have 350 years coaching experience and three former head coaches on staff.”

                                Rylan Etherton led South Point with 150 yards and a touchdown. JT Starr recorded two interceptions for the Red Raider defense.

Etherton, King, Defense Propel South Point To The Third Round

                South Point fullback, Ryland Etherton, and quarterback, Diontre King, had big nights for South Point in their 42-21 dominant win over Statesville. But it was the defense that set the tone early. Deep in their own territory, the Greyhounds went to a lateral play that fell to the turf. The Red Raiders’ Nick Farmer picked up the loose ball and took it 32 yards for the touchdown.

                Statesville could not get anything going on their next drive. South Point, on the other hand, had no trouble moving the ball down field on their first drive. Etherton extended the Red Raiders’ lead to 14-0 with a 12-yard dash into the end zone. The Greyhounds responded early in the second quarter. Nakendrick Clark got the Greyhounds on the board with 13-yard touchdown run. Zach Nicholson’s kick cut South Point’s lead to 14-7.

                But the Red Raiders kept pouring it on. Etherton made it a two-score game again with a five-yard touchdown run. Thomas Lempereur’s kick made it 21-7. South Point looked like they were going to go up by three scores before the half when Tyler Hall intercepted a Travis Ramseur pass and returned it to the one-yard line. But a personal foul penalty brought it back to the 37 yard line. South Point opted to just melt the clock and go into half-time up 21-7.

                The second half would keep getting better for South Point and keep getting worse for Statesville. On their second drive of the second half, the Red Raiders went up by three scores with an eight yard run by King. The Greyhounds cut the lead again with a 13-yard run by Ramseur on a quarterback keeper.

                But each time Statesville showed a spark, the Red Raiders knocked it out by scoring more points. Etherton responded with a one-yard touchdown plunge. The score was 35-14 at that point. The Greyhounds kept fighting. Ramseur’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Tyrek Morrison and Zach Nicholson’s extra point kick cut the lead to 14 points again.

                Statesville attempted an onside kick but it was unsuccessful. The Red Raiders scored on that drive with another Etherton one-yard run.

                Ryland Etherton led South Point with 215 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Diontre King amassed 104 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Lempereur was six-for-six on his extra point kicks.

                The Red Raiders also avenge their playoff loss to Statesville back in 2012. The Greyhounds won 27-21.

                “We came out and we got a bad break to start out the ball game with a little disputable call there on the backwards pass that gave them seven. That gave them momentum and we never quite recovered.” said Statesville head coach Randall Gusler “They (South Point) have a really good football team. They play really hard and you can’t make mistakes. We made a couple mistakes tonight that gave them some touchdowns and that was the difference in the ball game. I’m really proud of the way our guys fought back. We didn’t lay down and quit.”

                “I think this is the best effort. I think we’re peaking at the right time. This is the best football game we’ve played.” said South Point head coach Mickey Lineberger “They have run ten kickoffs and punt returns for touchdowns. We did a great job punting. We did a great job kicking off. We hit all our extra points. Our special teams unit is strong. Defensively, that was a great way to start the game by getting that lateral, picking it up and scoring. Statesville has so many weapons. You are not going to shut people like that out. We are not going to find anybody with more athletes than what they have.”

                “It’s big! Our seniors were freshmen and they remember that night, 27-21, we had five turnovers. We did not play our best football that night.” Lineberger said about avenging the loss to Statesville three years ago “This season has been about taking care of business and settling scores and we’ve been doing pretty good at that. I am proud of our guys and our coaching staff for getting them ready to play.”

                South Point will play West Rowan. The Falcons beat the West Henderson Falcons 41-19. West Rowan is another team the Red Raiders have history with. The Falcons whipped South Point 35-7 in 2008. The Red Raiders played them again in the playoffs two years ago. South Point won that matchup 28-7.

East Gaston Starts Fast, But Falls Against Hibriten

                Early on, it looked like the #5 seed East Gaston Warriors were going to run away with the game. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead with a 27-yard touchdown run by Tyler Spurling and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nick Ferens to Kyle Truett. But on the first play in the second quarter, the tide started to turn. Hibriten quarterback, Trey Ellis, scored from the one-yard line on a quarterback sneak. Noah Haney’s kick cut the lead to 14-7.

                The Warriors would respond. The Warriors were lined up on the punt formation, but it was a fake as Nick Ferens tossed the ball to Nash Jamison and he took it the distance for a 48-yard touchdown. Ivan Serrano’s kick gave East Gaston a 14-point lead again. But the lead would evaporate.

                Hibriten went on a tear. A ten-yard touchdown run by Jamar Ferguson, a three-yard run by Chris Scott and a five-yard touchdown pass from Ellis to David Patterson put Hibriten up 28-21 at half-time. That pass play came with just seconds left in the half.

In the second half, the Panthers extended their lead. Ellis would score another touchdown with his arm. He would hit Darius Cotton for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Haney’s kick gave the Panthers their largest lead of the night at 35-21.

                But the Warriors were not done. Robert Washington Jr. finally got into the scoring column with a two-yard touchdown run. Serrano’s extra point cut the lead to seven. But that would be as close as East Gaston would get. The Warriors could not get anything going on offense and their defense could not stop the Panthers’ triple-option attack. The Panthers added another score before it was all said and done. Chris Scott’s 16-yard run for a touchdown and Will Killian’s run for the two-point conversion put the nail in the coffin.

                “It’s a big win for us tonight. I am excited at how our kids played and how they handled adversity.” said Hibriten head coach Clay Lewis “A true test of a man’s character is how he handles adversity.”

                “I never thought we didn’t have a chance.” Lewis said after being down 14-0 and 21-7 “We got some breaks here and there. Getting those points helped us out when we scored on that touchdown pass at the end of the first half.”

                “We had opportunities. We just didn’t cash in.” said East Gaston head coach Sean Joyce “We had two costly turnovers. We had a couple of stops, but sputtered.”

                “Our program is heading in the right direction. Two wins in 2012, three wins in 2013, five wins last year and seven wins this year. That’s a credit to the young men that bought into it. What a great group of young men. These guys have matured.”

                Joyce also mentioned that the Warriors lose a lot of seniors, but have plenty of talented players returning for next year.

                Hibriten, a #12 seed in the 3A West, will be home next week to host conference foe, St. Stephens. The Indians, a #13 seed, upset #4 Pisgah 14-13.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Round 1 Playoff Picks

3AA

#15 Piedmont                              7
#2 Crest                                       48

#14 Ashbrook                              14
#3 A.C. Reynolds                        34

#9 North Henderson                    14
#8 Kings Mountain                      31

3A

#15 Southwest Randolph            7
#2 South Point                            42

#14 Forestview                           21
#3 West Henderson                    14

#12 Hibriten                               28
#5 East Gaston                           42

2AA

#15 Smoky Mountain                14
#2 East Lincoln                          48

2A

#16 West Wilkes                       7
#1 Shelby                                  51

#11 Lexington                           13
#6 Lincolnton                            38

1AA

#14 Bessemer City                    14
#3 East Surry                             41

1A

#10 Winston-Salem Prep           24
#7 Mountain Island Charter       21
#13 Albemarle                           14
#4 Thomas Jefferson Academy 17

Warriors Clinch Second Place In Wild Finish

                Many probably figured it would be an offensive shootout between the two teams. But how many people would have thought that a total of 104 points would be scored? That was the case in East Gaston’s 56-48 come from behind victory over Forestview.

                The Jaguars jumped out to a fast start. Colton Guthrie threw to Jared Carter who then lateraled it to Moe Neal for a 60-yard hook-and-lateral touchdown score. Dylan Disarro’s extra point kick gave Forestview a 7-0 lead. East Gaston responded. Quarterback Alex Adams hit Nick Ferens for a four-yard touchdown strike. Ivan Serrano’s extra point tied it up.

                The Jaguars struck again with an 11-yard run by Moe Neal. Following an East Gaston fumble, the Jaguars extended the lead with a Guthrie 38-yard touchdown pass to Jared Carter. Disarro’s kick for the extra point made it 21-7. The Warriors fought back, though. Tyler Spurling’s 48-yard touchdown run cut the Jaguars’ lead to 21-13. The two-point conversion try would fail however.

                The Jaguars kept pouring it on in the first half. Guthrie threw for another touchdown pass. This time it was a 69-yard deep pass to Josh Green. The defense got in on the scoring fun also. An Adams incomplete pass that was deemed a backwards pass was scooped up by Josh Freeman and returned 25 yards for a touchdown. Disarro was 5-for-5 on extra points in the first half.

                The Warriors put another score on the board before the half was over. Robert Washington Jr.’s two-yard touchdown run and Serrano’s kick cut the lead to 35-20.

                In the second half, Forestview picked up right where they left off. Moe Neal’s three-yard run and Disarro’s extra point made it a three score game at 42-20. But the Warriors went on a tear after that. Washington’s 16-yard touchdown run and three touchdown passes by Adams (two to Ferens and one to Nash Jamison) gave the Warriors a 49-42 lead. Ferens’ touchdown catches were 86 and 22 yards respectively. Jamison’s reception was from 34 yards out.

                The Jaguars did strike back in the fourth quarter with less than six minutes left with a one-yard touchdown run by Neal. The Jaguars elected to go for two, but it failed. The Jaguar defense was unable to stop the Warrior offense. Spurling’s 43-yard touchdown run and Serrano’s extra point put East Gaston up by eight. The Jaguars would need a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie it up. But it would not be as the Warriors kept them out of the end zone.

                “We definitely rallied at half-time and played as a team.” said Robert Washington, Jr. “We had a bad first half. Coach Joyce told us to keep our heads up in the second half.”

                “Sometimes the offense works off the defense and sometimes the defense works off the offense. We are a hard train to stop once we get rolling.” Washington added.

                “Huge!” Alex Adams said of the win “Team came together in the second half and we played with heart we never had before. I’ve never been part of something like this before. Best season since 2006.”

                “Wow! What a game.” said East Gaston head coach Sean Joyce “What a way to finish this regular season. It’s been a struggle at points. At points we played great. At times we struggled both offensively and defensively. This group has matured so much from what we’ve been through. I’m very proud of these young men.”

                “This is my fifth year as a head coach. This group of freshmen, they were freshmen four years ago, built in to what we’re doing. They have bought in. They’ve worked really hard. They’ve been through a lot of tough times and to be able to take all that and use that for the good to get a win tonight, it just speaks to those guys. They’ve done everything they needed to do to put themselves in a situation to be successful.”

                “Give East Gaston a lot of credit. They kept fighting.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “Being up 42-20, we ought to be able to hang on and we just didn’t. That’s twice it’s happened to us, get a 21-point lead and lose it.”

History Tidbits

This is twice in three weeks the Jaguars held a 20+ point lead during the game, only to lose down the stretch. Prior to this season, that has only happened twice to Forestview. The first time was in 2002 when the Jaguars held a 28-7 lead over East Gaston. The Warriors rallied to beat the Jaguars 35-34. In 2007, Forestview held a 42-20 lead over Hunter Huss. The Jaguars blew the lead and wound up losing 55-52.

There was another time the Jaguars blew a 21 point lead. That was in 2013 in the first round of the playoffs against Jesse Carson. The Jaguars jumped out to 35-14 lead in the first half. Carson rallied to tie it up at half-time and took the lead early in the third quarter. The Jaguars did go on to win that game 63-48.

East Gaston has not beaten Forestview at home since 1998. The Warriors won 14-0. The other times the Warriors beat the Jaguars (’02, ’04, and ’06) were at Forestview.

East Gaston will host a playoff game for the first time since 2006. That was the year they were Big South 3A/2A conference co-champs with Crest. They went on to the third round of the playoffs that year, losing to West Charlotte 35-25.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 12 Picks

Big South 3A/2A

(5-5)(4-2) Forestview                     42
(6-4)(4-2) East Gaston                    35

(5-5)(2-4) Stuart Cramer                7
(8-2)(6-0) South Point                    49

(5-5)(3-3) Ashbrook                        34
(3-7)(2-4) Hunter Huss                   27

(4-6)(2-4) Lake Norman Charter    13
(3-7)(1-5) North Gaston                  20

Southern District 2A

(8-2)(5-1) Lincolnton                       34
(8-2)(5-1) Maiden                            20

(10-0)(6-0) East Lincoln                  49
(4-6)(1-5) West Lincoln                   6

(5-5)(2-4) Newton-Conover           28
(2-8)(2-4) Bandys                             14

(6-4)(3-3) West Caldwell               48
(2-8)(0-6) Bunker Hill                     14

South Mountain 3A/2A

(10-0)(7-0) Crest                               21
(10-0)(7-0) Shelby                            14

(8-2)(5-2) Kings Mountain             28
(6-4)(5-2) East Burke                      14

(5-5)(2-5) R-S Central                     20
(3-7)(1-6) Burns                               14

(2-8)(0-7) Chase                              7
(4-6)(2-5) East Rutherford            27

Southern Piedmont 1A

(3-7)(2-3) Bessemer City                34
(1-9)(1-3) Cherryville                      20

(0-9)(0-5) Highland Tech                               0
(7-2)(3-2) Thomas Jefferson Academy       55

(10-0)(5-0) Pine Lake Prep                                           35
(8-2)(4-1) Community School of Davidson                28

(5-5)(0-0) Trinity Academy (TN)                                 13
(5-5)(1-3) Mountain Island Charter                           27

Other

(7-3)(4-2) Lake Norman                 35
(3-7)(2-4) North Lincoln                 14

Jaguars Score 35 First Half Points, Defense Shuts Down Huss

                After blowing a 21-point half-time lead in their 32-21 loss to Ashbrook last week, the Jaguars were hoping to avoid another such disaster this week against another cross-town rival on Senior Night. They were able to do just that. Forestview scored 35 unanswered points in the first half. Moe Neal scored on runs of 4 and 2. Trell McCaskell scored from the one-yard line. Tate Payne scored from the four-yard line. Colton Guthrie threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Saveon Falls. Dylan Disarro was 5-for-5 on extra point kicks.

                The Jaguars offense sputtered in the second half, but their defense never let the Huskies into the end-zone. Well, at least not until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. The Huskies scored two late touchdowns to cut the Jaguars’ lead to 35-12. Akeythio Carson’s nine-yard touchdown got the Huskies on the board. Jaquavious Butler’s four-yard touchdown run capped the night off. That would be all the highlights for the Huskies.

                “A lot of penalties in the first half. A lot of miscues on offense and defense.” said Hunter Huss head coach Jamar McCoy “We had a snap go over the punter’s head and they scored on the next play.”

                “The better team won tonight. Hats off to Chris Medlin. We just got to get better blocking upfront. We got to do a better job covering the secondary. Our linebackers have to come up and fill the holes and hit the runners. We got to be more consistent at what we do well.”

                “It was great to get the win.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “Everyone played well. I thought all three phases played well. We had to put (last week) behind us and we did.”

                Butler led the Huss offense with 179 yards rushing and a touchdown. Colton Guthrie led Forestview with 122 yards passing and 39 yards rushing and a passing touchdown. Moe Neal amassed 51 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving and two rushing touchdowns.

                The Jaguars now have a chance to take the conference’s #2 seed when they travel to East Gaston next week given that Ashbrook got knocked off by Lake Norman Charter 15-9. Hunter Huss’s playoff chances are up in the air, but they can solidify them with a win at home against Ashbrook next week.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 11 Picks

Big South 3A/2A

(7-2)(5-0) South Point                    41
(3-6)(1-4) North Gaston                 14

(3-6)(2-3) Hunter Huss                   27
(4-5)(3-2) Forestview                     48

(5-4)(3-2) Ashbrook                        35
(3-5)(1-4) Lake Norman Charter   13

(5-4)(3-2) East Gaston                    28
(5-4)(3-2) Stuart Cramer                24

South Mountain Athletic 3A/2A

(3-5)(1-5) Burns                                13
(9-0)(6-0) Crest                                 51

(4-5)(2-4) East Rutherford             21
(4-5)(1-5) R-S Central                     28

(9-0)(6-0) Shelby                              48
(5-5)(3-4) Draughn                          14

(5-4)(4-2) East Burke                      42
(2-7)(0-6) Chase                               7

Southern District 2A

(7-2)(4-1) Lincolnton                      42
(5-4)(3-2) West Caldwell               14

(8-1)(5-0) Maiden                            21
(9-0)(5-0) East Lincoln                    35

(1-8)(1-4) Bandys                            14
(4-5)(1-4) West Lincoln                  21

(2-7)(0-5) Bunker Hill                      13
(4-5)(1-4) Newton-Conover           35

Southern Piedmont 1A

(2-7)(1-3) Bessemer City               42
(0-8)(0-4) Highland Tech               0

(7-2)(4-0) Community School of Davidson             48
(1-8)(1-2) Cherryville                                                  13

(9-0)(4-0) Pine lake Prep                            31
(7-1)(3-1) Thomas Jefferson Classical      24

(5-4)(4-3) Cannon School                           14
(4-5)(1-4) Mountain Island Charter          28

Other

(2-7)(1-4) North Lincoln                                27
(0-9)(0-5) West Iredell                                   14

Ashbrook Erases Half-Time Deficit As Forestview Crumbles

Call this game wild. Call it crazy. Call it a tale of two halves. Call it a game of missed opportunities. But if you’re an Ashbrook coach, player or fan, you’re calling it a victory. If you’re a Forestview coach, player or fan, you’re probably still scratching your head.

The first half, almost everything was going right for the Jaguars. Four Ashbrook turnovers helped aid Forestview to a 21-0 half-time lead. The Green Wave muffed two punts and quarterback Jabreze Robbs threw two interceptions. One was a tipped interception that was returned 20 yards for a touchdown by Logan Melsior.

Forestview got their first their first points on the board with a four-yard run by defensive tackle/fullback Tate Payne. Colton Guthrie extended the lead with a nine-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The score could have been even more lopsided had it not been for a long touchdown pass by Forestview that was called back by penalty.

The Green Wave had a chance to put some points on the board in the first quarter, but a 29-yard field goal attempt failed.

The tide turned in the Wave’s favor quickly in the second half. On the first play from scrimmage Robbs pitched the ball to Terrell Hager and Hager took it 77 yards for a touchdown. The kick failed however. The Jaguars appeared to answer the score with a half-back pass from Moe Neal to Jared Carter for a touchdown, but an illegal shift brought it back.

The Jaguars drive would stall when they went for it on fourth and one. The Green Wave defense came up big. In the fourth quarter, the comeback was on. Robbs’s three-yard run for a touchdown and Cameron Lowery’s run for a two-point conversion cut the Jaguars’ lead to 21-14. Things continued to snowball for Forestview.

The Jaguars suffered their first turnover of the game when Colton Guthrie was intercepted by Junathean Hager. Hager returned it 54 yards for a touchdown. The Green Wave went for two, but the attempt failed. The Jaguars kept the one-point lead.

The Jaguar offense could not sustain a drive and could not melt the clock. Ashbrook took the lead with less than a minute to go with a Robbs 13-yard pass to Thomas Smith. The two-point conversion failed again. Ashbrook would score one more time in the final seconds with another interception by Juneathan Hager. He returned it 99 yards as time expired.

Ashbrook won 32-21!

"We came out slow. But we played extremely well in the second half." said Ashbrook head coach Greg Hill "We were fortunate to win. We tried our best to put ourselves in a hole to give it away in the first half. These kids showed a lot of character and a lot of resilience to come back and win this game tonight and that’s what I’m proud of."

When talked about having sole possession of second place in the conference, Hill said "Right now. We still have to more weeks to go. We don’t count anything. We have been up, down and all over the place. I think right now we are starting to get a little bit."

Ashbrook will be on the road the last two weeks against Lake Norman Charter and Hunter Huss. Forestview will host Hunter Huss before traveling to East Gaston for the regular season finale.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 10 Picks

Big South 3A/2A

(4-4)(3-1) Forestview                     24
(4-4)(2-2) Ashbrook                        22

(3-5)(1-3) Lake Norman Charter   14
(6-2)(4-0) South Point                    47

(5-3)(2-2) Stuart Cramer                27
(2-6)(1-3) Hunter Huss                   20

(3-5)(1-3) North Gaston                 14
(4-4)(2-2) East Gaston                    42

Southern District 2A

(4-4)(1-3) Newton-Conover           20
(6-2)(3-1) Lincolnton                       42

(4-4)(1-3) West Lincoln                   13
(7-1)(4-0) Maiden                            48

(5-3)(2-2) West Caldwell                14
(8-0)(4-0) East Lincoln                    41

(2-6)(0-4) Bunker Hill                      21
(0-8)(0-4) Bandys                             28

South Mountain Athletic 3A/2A

(2-6)(0-5) Chase                              7
(7-2)(3-2) Kings Mountain            42

(4-5)(2-4) Jimmy Draughn            24
(3-4)(1-4) Burns                              21

(9-0)(6-0) Crest                                 45
(4-4)(2-3) East Rutherford              7

(4-4)(1-4) R-S Central                     13
(4-4)(3-2) East Burke                      27

Southern Piedmont 1A

(1-7)(1-1) Cherryville                      7
(8-0)(3-0) Pine Lake Prep              31

(2-6)(1-2) Bessemer City               13
(6-1)(2-1) Thomas Jefferson        34

(0-7)(0-3) Highland Tech                                            0
(6-2)(3-0) Community School of Davidson             45

(4-5)(2-1) Greenville Home School           7
(3-5)(1-3) Mountain Island Charter          35

Other

(2-6)(1-3) North Lincoln                 13
(7-1)(4-0) South Iredell                  42

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 9 Post Game Round Up

North Gaston and Hunter Huss Falling Out Of Playoff Contention

Both the Huskies and the Wildcats dropped big opportunities to grab some key wins last Friday. North Gaston lost 35-28 to Stuart Cramer, dropping the Wildcats to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in conference play. It does not get easier for North Gaston as they travel to East Gaston then host South Point. The Wildcats could reach the four win minimum if they beat Lake Norman Charter in their home finale. But it might not be enough.

Hunter Huss was shocked by Lake Norman Charter as they fell 20-6. That drops the Huskies to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference. This makes their home game with Stuart Cramer a much needed win in order to get back on track. A win could put Hunter Huss back in the driver’s seat in the 2A portion of the conference given that each team would have two conference wins and the Huskies would own the tie-breaker.

Total Shift In Power

For the past two seasons, Bessemer City and Cherryville were the Southern Piedmont 1A’s top conference teams. But both teams have fallen on hard times. Cherryville just now got their first win of the season as they romped Highland Tech 39-7. The Ironmen are 1-7 overall. Bessemer City dropped their second consecutive conference game as they fell to Pine Lake Prep 26-0. The Yellow Jackets are 2-6 overall.

The conference is likely to come down to Pine Lake Prep and Community School of Davidson. Both are the only two undefeated teams left in conference play. Although, Thomas Jefferson may still come up and force a three way tie. The Gryphons lost to Community School of Davidson last week 35-21. That was their first loss of the season.

There are three more weeks left in regulation and anything can happen from here on out.

Yes, He Said That

When asked about the revenge factor South Point’s 34-7 win over Forestview, head coach Mickey Lineberger said “It was sweet! I waited on it for 365 days and our boys have too and it showed tonight.”

Not the Bill Belichick-like “just another game” response that was expected.

Not only did South Point avenge their only conference loss from last year (a 34-31 OT decision to Forestview), the Red Raiders are now in sole possession of first place. South Point also held Forestview to their lowest score of the year at seven points.

“I thought this was the most complete game we have played all year. We had some good quarters. We had some good halves. But tonight was a complete ball game on all sides of the ball, offense, defense and special teams.” Lineberger said

Week 10 Games

Forestview @ Ashbrook
Lake Norman Charter @ South Point
North Gaston @ East Gaston
Stuart Cramer @ Hunter Huss
Newton-Conover @ Lincolnton
West Lincoln @ Maiden
West Caldwell @ East Lincoln
Bunker Hill @ Bandys
Crest @ East Rutherford
Chase @ Kings Mountain
Draughn @ Burns
R-S Central @ East Burke
Thomas Jefferson Academy @ Bessemer City
Highland Tech @ Community School of Davidson
Cherryville @ Pine Lake Prep
North Lincoln @ South Iredell
Greenville Home School @ Mountain Island Charter

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 9 Picks

 
Big South 3A/2A

(5-2)(3-0) South Point                    35
(4-3)(3-0) Forestview                      28
It will be a tight ball game, but the Jaguars’ conference win streak will likely end tonight.

(4-3)(2-1) East Gaston                    28
(3-4)(1-2) Ashbrook                         24
The Green Wave is desperate for a win, but the Warriors are one of the hottest teams in the area right now.

(3-4)(1-2) North Gaston                        13
(4-3)(1-2) Stuart Cramer                         10
A win in this game will put the Wildcats one step closer to clinching a playoff berth.

(2-5)(1-2) Hunter Huss                      28
(2-4)(0-3) Lake Norman Charter      7
A win here will likely make the Huskies playoff eligible in the 2A portion of the conference.

 

Southern District 2A

(7-0)(3-0) East Lincoln                    49
(4-3)(1-2) Newton-Conover           26
The Mustangs quest for another conference title and undefeated season continues.

(5-2)(2-1) Lincolnton                      42
(2-5)(0-3) Bunker Hill                      7
The Bears are still seeking their first conference win, but won’t get it tonight against a hot Wolves squad.

(4-3)(2-1) West Caldwell              35
(4-3)(1-2) West Lincoln                 13
The Warriors likely seal a playoff berth with the win tonight, the Rebels will likely have to wait.

(6-1)(3-0) Maiden                            45
(0-7)(0-3) Bandys                             7
The Blue Devils are still keeping pace with the Mustangs for the conference title. The Trojans officially get eliminated from postseason contention.

 

South Mountain Athletic 3A/2A

(4-3)(3-1) East Burke                                      7
(7-0)(4-0) Crest                                               54
The Cavaliers have been one of the more surprising teams this year, but won’t be a match for the conference co-leading Chargers.

(3-4)(1-3) East Rutherford                            13
(4-4)(2-3) Jimmy Draughn                            24
The Wildcats will look to rebound from their loss to county rival, East Burke. The Cavaliers are hoping to stay in the playoff hunt.

(6-2)(4-2) Kings Mountain                           34
(4-3)(1-3) R-S Central                                     13
The Mountaineers are looking to rebound from their second loss of the season. The Hilltoppers are hoping to keep their playoff dreams alive.

(8-0)(5-0) Shelby                                              48
(3-3)(1-3) Burns                                                13
Undefeated Shelby continues to keep pace with Crest while Burns continues to struggle.

 

Southern Piedmont 1A

(0-7)(0-1) Cherryville                                     28
(0-6)(0-2) Highland Tech                                6
In the battle of the winless teams, Cherryville likely still gets a convincing win in this matchup.

(2-5)(1-1) Bessemer City                               13
(7-0)(2-0) Pine Lake Prep                             45
The Yellow Jackets are trying to get one step closer to a playoff bid. But against a hot Pine Lake Prep team, that will be a tall task.

(6-0)(2-0) Thomas Jefferson Academy                   35
(5-2)(2-0) Community School of Davidson             21
The undefeated Gryphons will face their biggest test of the year. The winner of this game is one step closer to the conference title.

(4-3)(0-0) Hickory Grove Christian                            21
(2-5)(1-4) Mountain Island Charter                         31
There are no more conference games for the Raptors, but that does not downplay the importance of each game ahead.

 

Other

(4-3)(1-2) Statesville                                      42
(2-5)(1-2) North Lincoln                                 13
A missed opportunity for the Knights last week in their loss to Alexander Central. It will not get any easier from here on out.

Moe Neal Sets County Records As Forestview Rolls North Gaston

                It was a big day for the Forestview Jaguars and running-back Moe Neal. Forestview blew out North Gaston 40-14 and Moe Neal broke county records in scoring just a week after setting a new record for yards from scrimmage. Neal had 128 yards receiving on the night and 120 yards rushing.

                Things did not start the way Forestview wanted. The Wildcats received the opening kickoff and went right to work. The drive was capped off with a two-yard touchdown run by Quadray Watson. Christian Stewart’s kick made it 7-0 Wildcats. But the Jaguars answered immediately. On the first play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Colton Guthrie tossed the ball to Moe Neal at the line of scrimmage. Neal took it 80-yards for the touchdown. Dylan Disarro tied it with the extra point kick.

                The Jaguars extended their lead with a Guthrie 33-yard touchdown pass to Josh Green. The kick failed, but it wouldn’t matter. Neal extended Forestview’s lead with a 25-yard touchdown run. North Gaston appeared to cut Forestview’s lead with a long kickoff return. But penalties brought it back. Wildcats head coach Mike Patton said that was the turning point of the game.

                The onslaught continued from there. Guthrie’s one-yard touchdown pass to Jared Carter and Disarro’s extra point made it 27-7 Forestview. Just before the half, Guthrie connected with Neal again for a 22-yard touchdown pass with two defenders around him. The score was 33-7 at half-time.

                Neal scored Forestview’s only touchdown in the second half with a ten-yard touchdown run. Disarro was 6-for-8 on extra points. Then the subs started coming in.

                The Wildcats scored an oh-by-the-way touchdown in the fourth quarter with a two-yard touchdown run by Prince Fox. Stewart’s extra point made it 40-14. The Wildcats threatened late in the game, but turned the ball over.

                “It’s good to be 3-0 in the conference. We got a great challenge coming up next week.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “The defense responded well after that first drive. The offense helped us out. We bounced right back from there and we got going pretty good.”

                “We got to go back to work and get ready to play Stewart Cramer. We made too many mistakes early. We have to eliminate ourselves as an opponent.” said North Gaston head coach Mike Patton “We didn’t do that the first half and we got into a big hole. It’s hard to get out of that hole against a talented team.”

                Last week against Ashbrook, the Wildcats won the turnover ratio as they had none. The Green Wave had two. Tonight however, they turned the ball over three times while Forestview only turned it over once.

                “Last week, we had two takeaways, one penalty and no turnovers and we came out on top. That’s the way we have to play in order to compete in this conference.” Patton said.

                North Gaston (3-4)(1-2) travels to play the Storm (4-3)(1-2) next week. Forestview (4-3)(3-0) will be home against South Point (5-2)(3-0). The winner of this game will be one step closer to locking up a share of the conference title.

Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 8 Picks

Big South 3A/2A
(3-3)(1-1) Ashbrook                        21
(4-2)(2-0) South Point                    35
Road gets tougher for Ashbrook after upset loss to North Gaston

(3-3)(2-0) Forestview                     28
(3-3)(1-1) North Gaston                 20
Is North Gaston for real? We will find out tonight.

(3-3)(0-2) Stuart Cramer                  21
(2-3)(0-2) Lake Norman Charter     14
Winner of this game gets first conference win and likely locks up one of the 2A playoff spots

(2-4)(1-1) Hunter Huss                   14
(3-3)(1-1) East Gaston                    28
Warriors are likely to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

Southern District 2A
(0-6)(0-2) Bandys                             7
(4-2)(1-1) Lincolnton                       35
Struggles continue for Bandys as Lincolnton likely punches their playoff ticket.

(4-2)(1-1) West Lincoln                14
(3-3)(0-2) Newton-Conover        28
The loser of this game will face an uphill battle getting a postseason bid.

(2-4)(0-2) Bunker Hill                      14
(6-0)(2-0) East Lincoln                    48
East Lincoln keeps rolling on and will be one step closer to another conference title.

(5-1)(2-0) Maiden                            34
(4-2)(2-0) West Caldwell                20
Both teams are undefeated in conference play. Could the winner of this one challenge East Lincoln for the conference title?

Southern Piedmont 1A
(5-0)(1-0) Thomas Jefferson       42
(0-6)(0-0) Cherryville                      7
Cherryville is seeking their first win, but won’t get it tonight.

(4-2)(1-0) Community School of Davidson             35
(2-4)(1-0) Bessemer City                                            14
Bessemer City might hang with CDS for a bit, but look for CSD to pull away late.

(6-0)(1-0) Pine Lake Prep              49
(0-5)(0-1) Highland Tech               0
Another night, another loss for Highland Tech.

(4-2)(0-0) Hickory Grove Christian            21
(2-5)(1-3) Mountain Island Charter          14
Mountain Island Charter is finished with conference play. Just win now!

South Mountain 3A/2A
(6-0)(3-0) Crest                               28
(6-1)(3-1) Kings Mountain            13
Kings Mountain will put up a fight, but Crest will be too strong.

(7-0)(4-0) Shelby                            35
(3-3)(1-2) East Rutherford            14
Shelby continues to roll.

(3-3)(0-3) R-S Central                     34
(2-5)(0-4) Chase                              13
Both teams are looking for their first conference win. R-S Central should be favored to get the win, though.

(4-3)(2-2) Jimmy Draughn             21
(3-3)(2-1) East Burke                      24
The Battle of Eastern Burke County will come down to the wire.

 

Other
(2-4)(1-1) North Lincoln               27
(1-5)(0-2) Alexander Central       24
After a slow start on the year, North Lincoln is back in the playoff picture. A key conference win here puts them a step closer.