Tonight’s high school football games of the week previews; full schedule

Games of the Week

No. 6 Hough (11-3) at No. 2 Mallard Creek (13-0), 4AA Regional finals, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Well, these two know each other pretty well. They are both in the I-MECK conference and are about a 20-minute drive apart. The players are well-acquainted. Mallard Creek, which beat Hough 41-7 last month, seeks its fourth NCHSAA 4AA state final appearance in five years. The Mavs are playing without star LB Kalen Allen, who has a lower leg injury. Since the Mallard Creek loss, Hough has won four straight games and is averaging 42 points during the run. Hough is seeking its first state final appearance under first-year coach Matthew Jenkins.

No. 7 Vance (12-3) at No. 5 Harding (12-1), 4A Regional finals, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Vance has never been to the state final but is in the semifinals for third time in four years under fourth-year coach Aaron Brand. Harding High head coach Sam Greiner, once a Vance High assistant, has led the Rams to their first regional final since 1987 – the last time Harding made the state championship game.

No. 13 Concord Robinson (12-2) at No. 3 Charlotte Catholic (14-0), 3A Regional finals, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Since 2004, there have only been two seasons (2008, 2009) when Charlotte Catholic did not reach the Western Regional championship game. The Cougars hunt their ninth state final appearance. Robinson, which opened in 2007, has won 11 straight games and set a school-record for victories. It’s aiming for its first state championship appearance.

No. 14 Sun Valley (11-3) at Asheville Reynolds (13-1), 3AA Regional finals, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Sun Valley has advanced to the state semifinals as a No. 13 seed and is going for its first state finals appearance, led by junior quarterback Sam Howell. Reynolds beat South Iredell Friday and another top area quarterback, Charlotte 49ers-bound senior Brady Pope. Howell has thrown for 3,090 yards and 35 touchdowns (he missed 1½ games with an injury), and Reynolds’ Alex Flinn has 3,461 passing yards and 39 touchdowns.

No. 11 Shelby (11-2) at No. 12 Lenoir Hibriten (14-0), 2AA Regional finals, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Shelby has won 23 straight postseason games and four straight state championships. It’ll play Friday to reach a fifth final in a row. Hibriten is in the regional finals for the second year in a row. It lost 26-0 to Belmont South Point last season in the state 3A semifinals after winning its first 14 games. Hibriten has outscored foes by an average of 44-4 this season, and RB McKinley Witherspoon has 1,861 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns.

No. 1 Rock Hill South Pointe (14-0) vs. Hartsville (13-1), S.C. 4A state finals, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.: South Pointe, ranked in the top five of several national polls, has won 19 straight playoff games and three state finals. The Stallions hope for a fourth state title ring Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. South Pointe has beaten Hartsville in state championship wins in 2014 and 2016.

NCHSAA Finals on TV locally

The 2017 N.C. High School Athletic Association state football championships will be broadcast locally on WCCB-TV in Charlotte Dec. 9.

Last August, the NCHSAA announced a partnership deal with Sinclair Media to broadcast live state football and basketball championships statewide, but there is no Sinclair station in the Charlotte market. Before WCCB announced its deal Monday, local viewers would’ve likely have had to pay to stream the finals via the National Federation of High Schools streaming service, which charges a $9.95 monthly subscription fee.

Sweet 16 Poll

This story was originally published December 1, 2017 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Tonight’s high school football games of the week previews; full schedule."