Prep football preview: ‘Just don’t mess it up’ week
We’ve reached the next-to-last week of the regular season for high school football, with some big games on the schedule for next week.
So what’s the theme for this week?
How about, “Just don’t mess it up.”
Several area teams will play potential trap games Friday night, and if they’re caught looking ahead to next week, something bad could happen this week and ruin things for the finale.
One exception is in the Greater Charlotte 7A/8A, where the de facto championship game is this week. Will it be competitive? That remains to be seen.
So let’s wade into this week’s schedule, with some background and some predictions. I went 7-2 on my picks last week.
Myers Park (6-2, 3-0 Greater Charlotte 7A/8A) at No. 1 Hough (8-0, 3-0), 7 p.m. – OK, most fans probably expect smooth sailing for Hough until the Class 8A state playoff semifinals or finals. But Myers Park will be the best team the Huskies have faced since early in the season. Coach Duke Howell’s team makes big defensive plays (nine interceptions) and seems to enjoy late rallies. But Hough QB Ethan Royal throws touchdowns (17), not interceptions (2). The pick: Hough 28, Myers Park 7
No. 5 Chambers (8-0, 3-0 Meck Power Six 7A/8A) at West Charlotte (5-3, 2-1), 7 p.m. – Don’t-Mess-It-Up Game 1. Chambers has a big game next Friday against Mallard Creek, but coach D.J. McFadden’s West Charlotte team is gritty and plays opponents close. To win, the Mighty Lions would need a superb game from freshman QB Devareus Hill Jr. Chambers’ rugged defense doesn’t give opposing QB’s much grace. The pick: Chambers 23, West Charlotte 8..
Providence (4-4, 3-0 Southwestern 7A/8A) at Ballantyne Ridge (3-5, 1-2), 7 p.m. – After a series of .500 seasons and near-misses, Providence has a conference championship in sight. The Panthers have a big game next Friday against Ardrey Kell, which makes this week a Don’t-Mess-It-Up game. Ballantyne Ridge RB Osazee Inneh (1,185 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns) is the kind of player who could cause big trouble for Providence. But the Wolves will have a tough time stopping Panther QB Luke Meadow. The pick: Providence 31, Ballantyne Ridge 21.
Mount Pleasant (6-2, 2-1 Rocky River 4A/5A) at Monroe (6-2, 3-0), 7 p.m. – The inexplicable happened last week in the Rocky River 4A/5A. A 3-4 West Stanly team knocked off a 7-0 Forest Hills team. Next week is the big rivalry game between Monroe (now alone in first place) and Forest Hills. You know what that means? This is a Don’t-Mess-It-Up contest for Monroe. Mount Pleasant can chew up the clock with its ground game, but Monroe’s big-play offense is tough to stop. The pick: Monroe 35, Mount Pleasant 16.
West Rowan (6-2, 4-1 South Piedmont 4A/5A) at Northwest Cabarrus (7-1, 5-0), 7 p.m. – Fans in Cabarrus County can’t wait for next week’s Northwest Cabarrus game with 8-0 Jay M. Robinson. But before that happens, Northwest Cabarrus must get past a tough West Rowan team. So here’s another Don’t-Mess-It-Up contest. West Rowan averages 240 rushing yards a game. Northwest Cabarrus QB Hudson Irwin has thrown for 1,747 yards. This one could be great. The pick: Northwest Cabarrus 27, West Rowan 23.
Corvian Community (7-1, 5-0 Catawba Shores 2A/3A/4A) at Christ the King (6-2, 3-2), 7 p.m. – This could be a trap game for Corvian Community, which is coming off its first-place showdown victory over Community School of Davidson. Christ the King has a stifling defense which has allowed only 71 points this season. But can the Crusaders score enough to keep up with Corvian’s big-play style? The pick: Corvian Community 17, Christ the King 7..
Ambassador Christian (6-2) vs. Orlando First Academy (6-1), at Johnson C. Smith Univ., 7 p.m. – The visiting Royals are a big-time opponent that faces a number of top Florida schools. They rush for 221 yards a game, and freshman QB Deuce Woods Jr. has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards. The host Lions can score plenty of points, though, behind North Carolina’s leading passer – David Echevarria (2,371 yards). The pick: First Academy 35, Ambassador Christian 28.
The schedule
Friday
Greater Charlotte 7A/8A
Garinger (2-6, 0-3) at South Mecklenburg (3-5, 2-1)
Myers Park (6-2, 3-0) at Hough (8-0, 3-0)
West Mecklenburg (0-8, 0-3) at Hopewell (5-3, 1-2)
Meck Power Six 7A/8A
Chambers (8-0, 3-0) at West Charlotte (5-3, 2-1)
Mallard Creek (6-2, 3-0) at Butler (4-4, 1-2)
North Mecklenburg (2-6, 0-3) at Independence (1-7, 0-3)
Southwestern 7A/8A
Ardrey Kell (5-3, 2-1) at East Mecklenburg (4-4, 1-2)
Providence (4-4, 3-0) at Ballantyne Ridge (3-5, 1-2)
Rocky River (0-8, 0-3) at Palisades (6-2, 2-1)
Greater Metro 6A/7A
A.L. Brown (8-0, 5-0) at Cox Mill (2-6, 1-4)
Berry Academy (3-5, 1-4) at Olympic (4-4, 3-2)
Central Cabarrus (2-6, 1-4) at West Cabarrus (4-4, 4-1)
Harding (2-6, 1-4) at Hickory Ridge (6-2, 4-1)
Big South (CISAA)
Charlotte Christian (3-4, 1-0) at Providence Day (7-1, 1-0)
Charlotte Country Day (3-5, 0-1) at Charlotte Latin (3-5, 0-1)
North Piedmont 6A/7A
Lake Norman (8-0, 3-0) at Davie County (5-3, 2-1)
Mooresville (4-4, 3-0) at Statesville (3-5, 1-2)
North Iredell (0-8, 0-3) at South Iredell (1-7, 0-3)
Southern Carolina 6A/7A
Cuthbertson (1-7, 0-4) at Charlotte Catholic (4-4, 2-2)
Sun Valley (4-4, 2-2) at Marvin Ridge (7-1, 3-1)
Weddington (9-0, 5-0) at Piedmont (3-5, 1-3)
Big South 5A/6A
Ashbrook (4-4, 2-2) at Crest (7-1, 4-0)
Kings Mountain (6-2, 3-1) at Hunter Huss (3-5, 1-3)
South Point (8-1, 4-1) at Forestview (1-7, 1-3)
Rocky River 4A/5A
Anson County (4-4, 0-3) at Forest Hills (7-1, 2-1)
Mount Pleasant (6-2, 2-1) at Monroe (6-2, 3-0)
Parkwood (3-5, 0-3) at West Stanly (4-4, 2-1)
South Piedmont 4A/5A
Concord (1-7, 0-5) at Salisbury (1-7, 1-4)
East Rowan (4-4, 2-3) at South Rowan (4-4, 1-4)
Jesse Carson (4-4, 2-3) at Jay M. Robinson (8-0, 5-0)
West Rowan (6-2, 4-1) at Northwest Cabarrus (7-1, 5-0)
Western Foothills 4A/5A
Bandys (3-5, 2-4) at West Iredell (8-0, 6-0)
Bunker Hill (4-4, 2-4) at North Lincoln (2-6, 1-5), 7:30 pm
Fred T. Foard (2-6, 1-5) at Newton-Conover (3-5, 2-4), 7:30 pm
Maiden (4-4, 3-3) at East Lincoln (8-1, 6-1), 7:30 pm
Catawba Shores 2A/3A/4A
Community School of Davidson (5-3, 4-1) at Langtree Charter (3-5, 1-4)
Corvian Community (7-1, 5-0) at Christ the King (6-2, 3-2)
Lake Norman Charter (5-3, 3-2) at Bradford Prep (2-6, 1-4)
Lincoln Charter (1-7, 1-4) vs. Pine Lake Prep (4-4, 2-3), at Lenoir-Rhyne Univ.
Southern Piedmont 2A/3A/4A
Cherryville (5-3, 3-3) at Stuart Cramer (6-2, 4-2), 7:30 pm
East Gaston (4-4, 2-4) at West Lincoln (3-5, 2-4), 7:30 pm
Highland Tech (0-9, 0-7) at Burns (6-2, 6-0), 7:30 pm
Shelby (7-1, 6-0) at Bessemer City (1-7, 1-5), 7:30 pm
Catawba-Yadkin Valley 1A/2A/3A
Bonnie Cone Academy (0-8, 0-5) at North Stanly (8-0, 5-0)
North Rowan (6-2, 4-1) at Albemarle (3-5, 2-3)
South Stanly (2-6, 2-3) at Mountain Island Charter (6-2, 3-2)
Union Academy (6-2, 4-1) vs. Thomas Jefferson Academy (1-7, 0-5) – Union Academy wins by forfeit
Big 5 (NCISAA)
Asheville School (5-2, 2-0) at SouthLake Christian (5-3, 2-1)
Hickory Grove Christian (7-1, 1-1) at High Point Christian (6-2, 1-1)
Western Conference (NCISAA)
Cannon School (6-2, 1-0) at Rabun Gap School-GA (4-4, 1-0)
Christ School (6-2, 0-1) at Metrolina Christian (3-5, 0-1)
Mecklenburg nonconference
Ambassador Christian (6-2) vs. Orlando First Academy (6-1), at Johnson C. Smith Univ.
Carolina Mavericks (2-3) at Covenant Day (1-7)
Saturday
Nonconference
Mount Zion Christian (4-5) vs. Cabarrus Stallions (0-4), at Central Cabarrus High, 6 pm
OFF: Hickory, Lincolnton, Porter Ridge
