Myers Park-Richmond, Hough-Vance among Observer-area prep football games of the week
Friday’s top Observer-area high school football games:
No. 10 Hough (11-2) at No. 4 Vance (12-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Vance has won eight games in a row and will try to reach a third straight N.C. Western Region championship game. But here’s a big difference between these Cougars and the first four teams Aaron Brand has coached there. In the previous four seasons, Vance allowed 20 points per game. This year, it’s allowing eight. Vance has shut out two of its past three opponents and has five shutouts this season.
Hough hopes to continue its revenge tour and reach a second straight regional final. Hough beat No. 1 Mallard Creek 19-7 last week, avenging a 26-10 loss on Nov. 2. Vance beat Hough 25-0 on Nov. 9.
No. 7 Myers Park (12-1) at No. 5 Richmond Senior (12-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Myers Park has won six in a row and is two victories away from its first class 4A state championship appearance since 1965. Richmond Senior is allowing 6.8 per game at home. The game will feature arguably the two best sophomore quarterbacks in North Carolina: Myers Park’s Drake Maye and Richmond Senior’s Caleb Hood.
Porter Ridge (9-4) at West Mecklenburg (9-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: The Hawks are in the third round of the playoffs for the first time. Porter Ridge is having its best postseason run since reaching the 2012 state final.
No. 3 Charlotte Catholic (12-1) at Gastonia Huss (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Catholic has won 12 straight, allowed 82 points and has five shutouts. Huss has allowed 85 points, has six shutouts. If you like defense, this is your game.
No. 9 Weddington (12-1) at No. 13 Watauga (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Weddington, the 2016 N.C. 3AA state champ, has won seven in a row since a 20-0 loss to Charlotte Catholic. Watauga is trying to get back to the state finals for the first time since 1978. The Pioneers are two victories away.
Kings Mountain at No. 12 Northwest Cabarrus (13-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Northwest is enjoying its first season with double-digit wins since 2007 and is two victories away from the school’s first state finals appearance. Kings Mountain has won six straight games, averaging 45.3 points per game in the run.
Note: Rankings are from the Observer Sweet 16 poll
Friday’s statewide quarterfinal schedule
4AA West
Hough at Vance
Myers Park at Richmond
4AA East
Leesville Road at Wake Forest
Pinecrest at Hoggard
4A West
Grimsley at East Forsyth
Porter Ridge at West Mecklenburg
4A East
South View at 71st
Scotland at Pine Forest
3AA West
Weddington at Watauga
Mount Tabor at AC Reynolds
3AA East
Hillside at Cleveland
Dudley at SE Guilford
3A West
Kings Mountain at NW Cabarrus
Charlotte Catholic at Huss
3A East
Sanford at Havelock
Eastern Alamance at Jacksonville
2AA West
North Lincoln at Shelby
Bandys at Hibriten
2AA East
Hertford County at Ledford Senior
North Davidson at SW Edgecombe
2A West
Brevard at Wheatmore
Mountain Heritage at Reidsville
2A East
Kinston at Nortehastern
Wallace Rose-Hill at SW Onslow
1AA West
East Surry at Mount Airy
Polk Co. at Starmount
1AA East
South Stnaly at Tarboro
Riverside at Holmes
1A West
Robbinsville at Thomas Jefferson
Murphy at Mitchell
1A East
Rosewood at Northampton County
Gates County at Pamlico
This story was originally published November 26, 2018 at 1:16 PM.