Gameday: Weekend’s state football championship matchups to watch
(Observer Sweet 16 rankings are noted)
No. 4 Vance (14-1) vs. Wake Forest (14-0) at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, 7:30 p.m., Friday (4AA finals): Vance has pulled a few surprises en route to the title game, and now comes the biggest challenge. Wake Forest has a 44-game winning streak and is two-time reigning state champion. Wake Forest prefers to run the ball, behind Maquel Haywood (1,202 rushing yards) and DeMarcus Jones II (1,174 yards). Vance quarterback Nigel Summerville must avoid the relentless Wake Forest defensive pressure.
No. 9 Weddington (14-1) vs. Southeast Guilford (14-1) at Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, 7:30 p.m., Friday (3AA finals): A combination of mistake-free football and a healthy dose of the Shipley brothers (James and Will) has carried Weddington to the title game. Southeast Guilford coach Kennedy Tinsley has modeled his program after Weddington. One possible key: Southeast Guilford QB Ryan Douglas has been intercepted eight times this season, and Weddington feasts on opponents’ mistakes.
No. 3 Charlotte Catholic (14-1) vs. Jacksonville (11-1) at Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, 11 a.m., Saturday (3A finals): Catholic’s rock-solid defense faces a Jacksonville team that has scored more than 40 points in its past five games. Jacksonville has grown stronger each week since Hurricane Florence, which closed the school for nearly six weeks. Justyn Benton and Graham Brinker each has more than 1,000 rushing yards this season. One possible key: If it’s still raining Saturday, will that slow the Jacksonville attack?
No. 16 Shelby (12-3) vs. North Davidson (13-2), at Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, 2:30 p.m., Saturday (2AA finals): Each team is coming off a victory over a longtime nemesis, with Shelby upending defending state champion Lenoir Hibriten and North Davidson beating Ledford. And each team throws the ball well. Shelby QB Isaiah Bess is getting stronger each week and has thrown for more than 3,600 yards. North Davidson QB Landon Moore has thrown 37 touchdown passes this season.
Shrine Bowl
North Carolina vs. South Carolina at Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, 1 p.m., Saturday: The annual All-Star game for Carolinas high school seniors has been won three straight years by North Carolina, although South Carolina has a 44-33-4 all-time edge. ...Among the Charlotte-area players standing out in practices this week were Indian Trail Sun Valley QB Sam Howell and Mallard Creek offensive tackle Parker Moore. As usual, North Carolinas has the handicap of playing without standouts who are involved in state championship games this weekend. South Carolina finished its playoffs a week ago
Steve Lyttle