Friday’s key high school football matchups
KEY MATCHUPS
(Observer Sweet 16 rankings are noted)
No. 16 Mooresville (5-1, 1-1 I-Meck 4A) at No. 6 Vance (5-1, 1-1), 7 p.m. – Mooresville’s defense shut down Hough’s potent attack last week, and now the Blue Devils have to do it again. Vance QB Nigel Summerville leads an offense that averages 35 points.
No. 3 Myers Park (6-0, 2-0 Southwestern 4A) at No. 10 Butler (4-2, 2-0), 7 p.m. – Myers Park is 1-14 all-time against Butler, but that victory came in the 4AA playoffs last November. The Mustangs have outscored foes 300-34 and Butler’s defense, allowing an average of 27 points, will have to step up.
No. 11 Indian Trail Sun Valley (5-1, 1-1 Southern Carolina 3A) at No. 5 Charlotte Catholic (5-1, 2-0), 7:30 p.m. – Catholic’s defense shut down Weddington’s opportunistic offense last week, but the Cougars face a different test with Sun Valley QB Sam Howell, who has passed for 1,338 yards, run for another 563 and had six passing TDs last Friday.
Community School of Davidson (4-2, 2-0 Southern Piedmont 1A) vs. Mooresboro Thomas Jefferson (6-0, 2-0), at Mallard Creek High, 7 p.m. – Two of the state’s top 1A quarterbacks meet. Thomas Jefferson’s Nomi McMullens has passed for 823 yards and run for 504. The Spartans’ Austin Fekete has thrown for 1,543 yards and 20 touchdowns.
No. 14 Gastonia Huss (6-0, 2-0 Big South 3A) at No. 15 Kings Mountain (5-1, 2-0) – The Huss defense is allowing an average of 6.8 points a game, led by Prince Bemah (seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks). Mountaineer QB Kaylon Wade has thrown for 18 touchdowns and 1,358 yards, against just two interceptions.
Kannapolis Brown (4-2, 0-0 South Piedmont 3A) at No. 9 Central Cabarrus (6-0, 0-0), 7:30 p.m. – The Wonders average 430 yards offensively and five touchdowns and they’ve beaten the eVikings nine straight times. But the Central Cabarrus defense has allowed only 25 points all season.
No. 8 Rock Hill South Pointe (5-1, 1-0 Region 3 4A) at Lancaster (5-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. – Lancaster is 0-10 all-time against South Pointe, but the Bruins average more than 30 points. This game could be wide-open, as South Pointe QB Tahlik Steele has passed for 1,404 yards and 17 touchdowns.
-- Steve Lyttle