Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Week 2 Picks

Game of the Week: Lincolnton (1-0) @ South Point (1-0): Both teams opened the season up with wins. Lincolnton crushed county rival, North Lincoln, 63-7. South Point pulled off the upset that ended defending state 3AA champ, Crest’s, 32-game win streak with a 27-12 victory. This game will be a true measuring stick for both teams. How will Lincolnton’s high-powered offense fare against South Point’s stingy defense? The Wolves and the Red Raiders are favored to win their conferences this year.
 My pick: South Point 27 – Lincolnton 21


Mountain Island Charter (1-0) @ Bessemer City (1-0): These two teams both started the season out much different than they did last year. Bessemer City trounced East Gaston 44-20 last week while the Raptors took care of Central Academy 35-9. This is both teams’ conference opener. The winner of this game will already have a leg up as far as conference play goes.
My pick: Bessemer City 31 – Mountain Island Charter 28


Clover, SC (1-0) @ Forestview (1-0): Clover jumped out to a 41-0 half-time lead last Friday en route to a 48-13 win over Ashbrook. Forestview had a slower start against Providence Day but eventually prevailed 27-6. Clover opens up the season with a win for the first time since 2010. That year, the Blue Eagles swept the Gaston County teams on their schedule (South Point, Ashbrook & Forestview). They added Ashbrook and South Point back on after going four seasons of not playing them. Will they be able to complete the sweep again or will the Jaguars get in their way Friday at home?
My pick: Forestview 24 – Clover 21


Ashbrook (0-1) @ Crest (0-1): Not the start either team was looking for. Crest saw their 32-game win streak evaporate in thin air at the hands of South Point. Ashbrook got clobbered by Clover. Both of these teams could use the win for a confidence booster. Ashbrook has not beaten Crest since 2010 when the Green Wave beat the Chargers 20-17. The Chargers have not opened the season with consecutive losses since 2003. They started 0-3, but went on to win 13 straight games to win the 2003 3AA state title. Don’t look for them to lose this one, however.
My pick: Crest 35 – Ashbrook 7


Hunter Huss (0-1) @ Burns (1-0): Hunter Huss jumped out to a 13-0 lead against East Lincoln last week, but the Mustangs rallied to win 14-13. Burns had no problem with the Carolina Wildcats in a 51-12 rout. But the Huskies will pose a bigger challenge than the Wildcats. Last year, the Bulldogs edged Huss 29-26 so Huss is hoping for some payback.
My pick: Hunter Huss 24 – Burns 20


Shelby (1-0) @ A.C. Reynolds (0-1): Shelby started their defense of their 2A state title in dominating fashion last week dominating Freedom 49-0. The Rockets lost 21-6 at West Forsyth. Reynolds will have a hard time against Shelby’s defense. This game will not be close.
My pick: Shelby 28 – A.C. Reynolds 7


R-S Central (0-1) @ Stuart Cramer (1-0): Both teams started off with wins, but later one of these teams found out they have to forfeit. R-S Central beat McDowell 41-21 last week only to forfeit the win later. They will try and find redemption against Cramer. The Storm beat Cherryville last week 20-6. The Hilltoppers beat the Storm last year 28-21. Will Cramer get their revenge or will R-S Central be too tough.
My pick: R-S Central 21 – Stuart Cramer 14


East Gaston (0-1) @ Kings Mountain (1-0): Don’t expect this game to be close at all. Kings Mountain blew out their opponent (North Gaston) last week 54-10. East Gaston, on the other hand, was blown out 44-20 by theirs (Bessemer City).
My pick: Kings Mountain 49 – East Gaston 7


North Gaston (0-1) @ East Rutherford (1-0): North Gaston suffered a blowout loss in their home opener against Kings Mountain 54-10. They will look to rebound as they travel to East Rutherford. The Cavaliers pummeled East Henderson 43-0 last week. Things might not be much better for the Wildcats this week.
My pick: East Rutherford 31 – North Gaston 13


North Lincoln (0-1) @ West Lincoln (0-1): Both teams would love to leave last week in the past. West Lincoln fell to Draughn last week 27-14. But North Lincoln suffered an even bigger loss, a 63-7 drubbing by Lincolnton. Look for the Rebels to win in their home opener.
My pick: West Lincoln 28 – North Lincoln 7


Christ the King (0-1) @ East Lincoln (1-0): East Lincoln escaped in their home opening win against Huss 14-13. Their next opponent, Christ the King, lost in their varsity football debut 72-0. Look for the Mustangs’ second stringers to get some playing time in this one.
My pick: East Lincoln 63 – Christ the King 0


Cherryville (0-1) @ Chase (0-1): Another set of teams looking for their first win meet. Cherryville lost 20-6 to Stuart Cramer while Chase lost a tough one to Polk County 34-28. One thing is for sure, one of these teams will get in the win column tonight.
My pick: Chase 27 – Cherryville 7


Hickory Grove Christian (0-1) @ Thomas Jefferson (0-0): Hickory Grove Christian opened up the season with a 27-3 loss to Lake Norman Charter. Thomas Jefferson did not play last week so this will be their 2016 debut. The Gryphons have fielded competitive teams these past few years and this year could be another one of those.
My pick: Thomas Jefferson 24 – Hickory Grove 13


Highland Tech (0-1) @ Central Academy (0-1): Highland Tech suffered a brutal 73-0 beating last week against Newton-Conover. Though Central Academy suffered a blowout loss themselves last week, this one is still pretty predictable.
My pick: Central Academy 51 – Highland Tech 0

How Your State Champions Fared Week 1

Well, it was a mixed bag. NCHSAA state champions went 4-4 opening week.

Week 1 Winners:

4AA: Mallard Creek escapes a powerful Dillon (S.C.) team with a narrow 7-3 victory. Dillon won S.C. AA state championship last year. The Mavericks will have another tough match-up this Friday against Butler. Mallard Creek is a three-peat state champion and is looking to make it four in a row.

3A: Rocky Mount blew out South Granville 48-0. The Gryphons will face off with Middle Creek this Friday.

2A: Shelby had no problem against their first opponent either. The Golden Lions trounced Freedom 49-0. Shelby will try and keep that momentum going as they travel to play A.C. Reynolds. Shelby is also a three-peat state champion with hopes for a four-peat.

1AA: Wallace Rose Hill also started the year off on the right foot, beating Laney 28-13. The Bulldogs will try and keep their winning ways going as they travel to take on East Dublin.

Week 1 Losers:

4A: Charlotte Catholic fell in their season opener to Charlotte Christian 20-13. The Cougars were plagued by penalties and turnovers in the game. They will try and get back on track as they host Providence Day.

3AA: Crest, winners of 32 straight, fell to South Point 27-12. The Chargers were held scoreless in the first half as the Red Raiders raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and a 20-0 lead at half-time. Crest looks to rebound as they play host to Ashbrook.

2AA: Monroe also dropped their season opener. The Red Hawks fell 45-37 to Sun Valley. They will have another tough one as they travel to Marvin Ridge.

1A: Plymouth had a rough opening as they were shut out 34-0 by Northeastern. The Vikings will be on the road again. They will play at Williamston.

Others:

Defending NCISAA Champion, Davidson Day, fell in their 2016 opener against Erwin 41-28. Davidson Day will play Christ School this Friday.

In Rock Hill, S.C., two defending state champions went head-to-head. Northwestern (Defending AAAA – Div II Champs) took on cross-town rival, South Pointe (Defending AAA Champs). The Stallions took down Northwestern 30-23. The Trojans travel to Dorman Friday while the Stallions host Nation Ford.

Charlotte Christian Holds Off Charlotte Catholic

                Charlotte Catholic and Charlotte Christian closed out the night on the High School Kickoff at Memorial Stadium. Many were hoping the game between the two would be more competitive than the previous two. The Cougars and the Knights did not disappoint.

                The Knights of Christian raced out to an early lead. Quarterback Garrett Schrader connected with Josh Eboboko for a ten-yard touchdown pass. Christian Vansickle’s kick for the extra point gave the Knights the 7-0 lead. The Cougars would threaten when Angel Marrero would bust through the Knights’ defense for a 30-yard run, but he fumbled near the Christian 30. The Knights took over.

                Christian went up 14-0 with a one-yard touchdown run by Justus Woods and Vansickle’s extra point. Vansickle would put three more points on the board with a 36-yard field goal. Catholic moved the ball well at times, but could not seem to get out of their own way. Penalties seem to plague the Cougars for most of the first half. But one penalty that could have been the turning point of the game was following a chop block that put Catholic at 1^st-and-25, a Christian defender committed a late hit out of bounds. That resulted in the Cougars having a 2^nd-and-1.

                The Cougars would make the Knights pay for that mistake. Jack Brigham put Catholic on the board with a one-yard touchdown run. The extra point, however, bounced off the upright.

                The second half was more of a defensive battle. The only score in the third quarter was a 19-yard field goal by Knights’ kicker Christian Vansickle. Catholic would continue to shoot themselves in the foot. The Cougars would lose two more fumbles and quarterback Brady Berger was intercepted by Christian’s Obi Egbuna in the end-zone.

                The Catholic defense would continue to do their job and keep the Knights out of the end zone. With less than four minutes to go in the final quarter, Catholic finally reached the end zone once again. Berger connected with tight-end John Newman on a slant route. Newman took it 82 yards for a touchdown. Connor Demaine’s extra point put the Cougars within seven.

                With three timeouts remaining, Catholic opted to not go for the onside kick. They did stop Christian on the ensuing drive and got the ball back, but back-to-back sacks by Christian’s Carter Bugg and Carter McLennan would seal the deal for the Knights. Christian won the night cap game 20-13.

                Catholic will host Providence Day next Friday. Christian will host Carolina Pride.

Myers Park Dominates Country Day

                The Country Day Buccaneers were hoping to duplicate what Charlotte Latin did earlier in the day and take down another Charlotte 4A team. There would be no such luck for the Bucs as the Mustangs jumped out to a 27-0 half-time lead. Quarterback Jack Davidson threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Elijah Bowick (31 yards and 4 yards). Aaron Jordan scored on a four-yard rushing touchdown. Kicker Tyler Dameron hit a 31-yard field goal early in the game to give Myers Park a 3-0 lead. He also kicked a 43-yarder to close out the Mustangs scoring in the first half.

                Country Day was not able to get anything going offensively in the first half. The Mustang defense smothered Country Day for most of the night. The Bucs were able to get on the scoreboard in the third quarter. Quarterback Wes Bingham threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Deangelo Epps. Alexander Drew’s kick cut the lead to 27-7.

                The Mustangs would not allow the Bucs to get any closer. Davidson would throw another touchdown pass. This time it was to Joshua Curry from 19 yards out. Dameron was 5-for-5 on extra points. The final score would be 34-7.

                Myers Park hosts Ardrey Kell next week. Country Day will host Robbinsville.

Charlotte Latin Handles Providence

                The Hawks started fast and never looked back in the opening game of the High School Kickoff Night against Providence. Demarkes Stradford took the opening kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown. Stradford also had a touchdown run (seven yards) and a touchdown reception (50 yards) from quarterback Bates Jones. Jones also threw another touchdown pass to Ryan Ensor (14 yards). Just like that, Latin was up 30-0 at half time.

                The Panthers were able to cut the Hawks’ lead in the second half. Quarterback Jack Cherry would hit Blake Proehl (son of Panthers receivers’ coach/former receiver, Ricky Proehl) for a ten yard touchdown pass. Nate Kibambe’s two-yard touchdown run and Bryce Porzenski’s extra point cut the lead to 30-14.

                Providence would not get any closer. Latin shut the door on any comeback attempt when Jones connected with Todd Hartert for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Providence did get an oh-by-the-way touchdown in the closing seconds when Cherry connected with Kevin McCann for an eight-yard touchdown reception That would make the final score 37-21.

                This is the first time since 2008 that a private school took down a 4A school. Charlotte Country Day took down Crest 15-14 that year. The previous year, the Buccaneers took down South Carolina 4A powerhouse, Northwestern 51-48.

                Providence plays at Vance next week. Charlotte Latin will be home against Northwood.

Wonders Stout In Season Opener, But Win At A Cost

                In a game that has traditionally been played as a season finale, the Wonders of A.L. Brown and the Spiders of Concord kicked their game off on Thursday. Brown is part of the MECA 4A conference while Concord plays in the South Piedmont 3A conference.

                The game got under way and it would be the Wonders that strike first. Brown quarterback Cordarius Butler hit Lewis Harris for a five-yard touchdown pass. Brian Gutierrez’s extra point kick made it 7-0. The Spiders would strike back with a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Larkin Lancaster to P.J. Hall. Landon Trott tied the game with the extra point.

                The Spiders took the lead when Wonder quarterback Butler was sacked and he fumbled. Ja’Nai Spratt scooped up the loose ball and took it 37 yards for a touchdown. The play was not the only costly because of the turnover. The play also resulted in Butler injuring his knee. He would not return. Senior Zac Williamson took over at quarterback.

                Mistakes doomed Concord, however. Following a muffed punt that put A.L. Brown at the one-yard, the Wonders would capitalize. Jahia Mahatha punched in it on the next play. Gutierrez’s kick gave the Wonders the lead at 14-13. The Wonders extended their lead to 21-13 with another run by Mahatha, this time from three yards out. That would be the score at half-time.

                The third quarter was a stalemate for the most part. The only score in that period was a Gutierrez 26-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Spiders came back to life. Justin Nicholson returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown. Their two point conversion to cut it to three points failed however. That would be as close as Concord would come. The Wonders put the nail in the coffin with an interception from Steven Howie that was returned 35 yards for a touchdown.

                The final would be 31-19 in favor of A.L. Brown. The Wonders host South Rowan next week. Concord takes on Albemarle.

               

Forestview, Sloppy But Victorious

                For most of the game, it looked almost like a game of chess as both teams’ offenses were not able to do much for most of the game. The only scoring in the first half was a quarterback draw play, which Mac England took 60 yards for a touchdown. Dylan Disarro’s extra point made it 7-0.

                The Chargers were also plagued with kicking game woes as they missed three field goals on the night. One of them was blocked, though. Providence Day was able to respond midway through the third quarter with a one-yard plunge into the end-zone by Gabe Montgomery. The point after was mishandled however. So Forestview would keep the 7-6 lead.

                That would be the only highlight for the Charger offense. The Jaguar offense went to work from there. On the ensuing drive, Jayveon Love scored his first of two touchdowns. This was from 80 yards out. Love scored again early in the fourth quarter with a 25-yard touchdown run. The score was 20-6 at that point. Chapperal Smith capped off the night for Forestview with a six-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Dylan Disarro was good. He was 4-for-5 on his kicks.

                “We’re 1-0, that’s the goal.” said Forestview head coach Chris Medlin “(Mac England’s touchdown run) gave us a spark and our defense kept us in it and let us hang around long enough and we got a few plays to break. (Jayveon Love) had some good runs. Chapperal Smith came in and had some good runs and we were just fortunate enough to get a little momentum in the second half.”

                “We just made a lot of mistakes that you can’t make. They capitalized off our mistakes and it comes down to that. Our defense did a great job but we didn’t help them that much.” said Providence Day coach Adam Hastings “We got to turn around and be ready to go on Monday. That’s all we can do. (Charlotte Catholic) is a good football team. We played them a lot when I was at Ardrey Kell so I have an idea on what kind of football they play. We better be ready to go.”

                Providence Day travels to play Catholic next week. Forestview will be home against Clover, S.C.

                Jayveon Love led Forestview with 209 all-purpose yards (164 yards rushing, 45 yards receiving) and two touchdowns. Nate Whitaker, Jacob Ash, Jackson Moore, Christian Harwell, Caleb Mayfield and Cameron Jackson were also in on. Harwell, Jackson, Mayfield, Ash, Jared Carter and Rhett Jenkins also had tackles for loss. Jalen Sanders intercepted Providence Day quarterback, Dan Horton, once and Tremayne Booker recovered a fumble to end the game.

Gabe Montgomery led the Providence Day offense with 112 yards rushing and a touchdown. Ross Berry and Elijah Brown registered sacks for the Chargers. Ikem Ekwonu, Osita Ekwonu, Adam Hardy, Harmon Nobili, and Will Filiault each had tackles for loss. Kyle Wood intercepted Forestview quarterback Mac England twice and Cole Brown recovered a fumble.