High school football games to watch include NCISAA playoff, conference title matchups
Charlotte area high school football games of the week:
No. 1 Mallard Creek (8-0, 5-0 I-MECK 4A) at No. 2 Hough (9-0, 5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: It’s rare to get a 1 vs. 2 matchup in any season, and especially rare to get a 1-2 game among conference rivals. Both teams are among four nationally ranked Carolinas teams in the latest High School Football America Top 100 (No. 14 Irmo Dutch Fork, No. 16 Mallard Creek, No. 55 Hough and No. 87 Charlotte Christian). Friday’s winner will get at least a share of the I-MECK 4A conference title with one week to play. Mallard Creek is 10-1 all-time against Hough.
Providence Day (5-5) at No. 3 Charlotte Christian (9-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: The N.C. Independent Schools’ state semifinal is a rematch of last year’s state championship game, which Christian won 47-21, and a rematch of last week’s Big South 4A conference championship, which Christian won 33-32. Last week, however, Providence Day led 26-6, bidding for a monumental upset, and lost on the final play of the game.
East Mecklenburg (1-7, 0-4*) at Butler (7-2, 5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: Butler will try to grab at least a share of the Southwestern 4A title, but will play with a heavy heart. A Butler student was shot and killed by a classmate on campus Monday morning.
West Mecklenburg (7-1, 4-0 SoMeck) at Berry (0-9, 0-4), Friday, 7 p.m.: The Hawks, who have won seven straight, will try to win a share of the conference title. In league games, West Meck has outscored teams 132-20.
Gastonia Huss (10-0, 6-0 Big South 3A) at Gastonia Ashbrook (5-5, 3-3), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Huss will try to polish off the second unbeaten season in school history and the first since 1976. Huss is also going for a school record in victories and the league title. Huss has won the past three games against arch rival Ashbrook. Ashbrook leads the “Battle of the Bell” series 32-21.
No. 13 Northwest Cabarrus (10-0, 4-0 South Piedmont 3A) at No. 16 Concord Cox Mill (8-2, 4-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Cox Mill has won five straight games to set up the league title game. Northwest will try for its first 11-win season since 1976.
*—East Mecklenburg was scheduled to play Harrisburg Hickory Ridge Monday in a game that was moved from last week because of rain.