Friday’s Charlotte-area high school football playoff previews and Carolinas schedule
Hough (8-4) at No. 3 Richmond Senior (11-0), 7:30 p.m. (4AA playoffs) — Hough’s young but improving team faces a stern test against the Raiders. Richmond Senior’s attack pivots around QB Caleb Hood (1,685 passing yards and 764 rushing yards). The Huskies will have to try and keep the ball away from the Raiders.
No. 5 Ardrey Kell (11-1) at No. 2 Myers Park (11-0), 7:30 p.m. (4AA playoffs) — This will be the Knights’ toughest test since their season-opening 28-14 loss to unbeaten Weddington. Myers Park, like Richmond Senior and Mallard Creek, had a first-round bye last week, and it will be interesting to see if those teams show any effects from their layoffs.
No. 9 Vance (9-2) at No. 1 Mallard Creek (10-0-1), 7:30 p.m. (4AA playoffs) — Mallard Creek won a 17-7 defensive struggle against Vance on Sept. 27, and more of the same is likely this time. Vance’s defense, battered in a 41-28 loss to Hough two weeks ago, was sharp again last week in a 21-0 shutout of Butler.
No. 14 Charlotte Catholic (8-3) at No. 15 Gastonia Huss (9-2), 7:30 p.m. (3A playoffs) — The interesting angle here is a player who might not see action. RB Lamagea McDowell led Catholic to the 3A title last year but transferred in midseason to Hunter Huss. However, he’s nursing an ankle sprain and didn’t play last week. It’s a meeting of two teams with solid defenses and strong ground games.
OUTSIDE MECKLENBURG
Kannapolis Brown (8-3) at No. 13 Boone Watauga (11-1), 7:30 p.m. (3AA playoffs) — Watauga has two RBs with more than 1,000 yards this season — Anderson Castle (1,801) and Jaiden Bond (1,245). A.L. Brown has one — Jakhiry Bennett (1,345). Don’t look for a lot of passing in this game.
West Rowan (8-4) at No. 10 Boiling Springs Crest (10-2), 7:30 p.m. (3A playoffs) — The visiting Falcons flew under the radar in the North Piedmont 3A this year, with unbeaten Statesville getting the spotlight. But they have won six of their past seven, losing only to Statesville by three points. Crest has a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and can eat up the clock when necessary.
No. 12 Kings Mountain (10-2) at No. 8 Statesville (12-0), 7:30 p.m. (3A playoffs) — It’s a meeting of elite-level teams. Kings Mountain QB Ethan Reid has thrown for more than 2,400 yards and has 38 touchdown passes. Statesville QB Nebanye Moore has more than 2,600 passing yards.
Maiden (9-3) at No. 7 Shelby (10-1), 7:30 p.m. (2AA playoffs) — The visiting Blue Devils likely will try to use their strong ground game to keep the ball away from Shelby QB Isaiah Bess (2,719 passing yards, 35 touchdowns). It’s a meeting of two traditional Western Piedmont football powers.
Lawndale Burns (10-2) at Lenoir Hibriten (11-1), 7:30 p.m. (2AA playoffs) — Burns has been a powerhouse after dropping from 3A to 2A this season. The Bulldogs have RB Kujuan Pryor (1,500-plus rushing yards), but Hibriten has several standout RBs and averages more than 300 rushing yards a game.
Mount Holly Mountain Island Charter (10-2) at Mount Airy (8-3), 7:30 p.m. (1AA playoffs) — Mountain Island Charter’s Elijah Burris (1,912 rushing yards, 34 touchdowns) and Mount Airy’s Johnathon Smith (1,866 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns) make this a can’t-miss game.
Roebuck Dorman (12-0) at No. 6 Clover (12-0), 7:30 p.m. (S.C. 5A playoffs) — A powerhouse showdown, with Clover facing the state’s top-ranked team. Dorman is averaging 44 points a game on offense and 7.7 on defense. But the Blue Eagles, behind QB Gabe Carroll, will give Dorman’s defense a serious test.
This week’s schedule
Friday
(all kickoffs at 7:30 p.m.)
North Carolina second round
Class 4AA
West
Hough (8-4) at Richmond Senior (11-0)
Ardrey Kell (11-1) at Myers Park (11-0)
Pfafftown Reagan (9-3) at West Forsyth (10-1)
Vance (9-2) at Mallard Creek (10-0-1)
East
Rolesville (10-2) at Wake Forest (10-1)
Apex Friendship (8-4) at Wilmington Hoggard (5-5)
Raleigh Garner (7-5), bye (due to Holly Springs’ ineligibility)
Raeford Hoke County (8-4) at Raleigh Leesville Road (10-0)
Class 4A
West
Indian Trail Porter Ridge (7-5) at Greensboro Grimsley (10-1)
Kernersville Glenn (8-4) at Harrisburg Hickory Ridge (8-3)
Mooresville (7-5) at Jamestown Ragsdale (5-6)
Davie County (7-5) at East Forsyth (9-2)
East
Fayetteville Seventy-First (7-5) at New Bern (9-2)
Wake Forest Heritage (8-4) at Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons (9-2)
Scotland County (10-2) at Durham Jordan (9-2)
Fayetteville Britt (8-4) at Hope Mills South View (9-2)
Class 3AA
West
Winston-Salem Parkland (8-3) at Weddington (12-0)
Northern Guilford (8-4) at Northwest Cabarrus (11-1)
Winston-Salem Mount Tabor (8-4) at Greensboro Dudley (10-2)
Kannapolis Brown (8-3) at Boone Watauga (11-1)
East
Southern Alamance (9-3) at Lee County (12-0)
Clayton Cleveland (11-1) at Greenville Conley (9-3)
Hope Mills Gray’s Creek (8-4) at Southeast Guilford (9-3)
West Brunswick (10-1) at Wilmington New Hanover (11-1)
Class 3A
West
West Rowan (8-4) at Boiling Springs Crest (10-2)
Charlotte Catholic (8-3) at Gastonia Huss (9-2)
Northeast Guilford (10-2) at Asheville Reynolds (10-2)
Kings Mountain (10-2) at Statesville (12-0)
East
Northern Nash (8-4) at Southern Nash (12-0)
Rocky Mount (9-3) at Fayetteville Sanford (9-3)
Jacksonville Northside (7-5) at Eastern Alamance (12-0)
Western Alamance (9-3) at Havelock (10-1)
Class 2AA
West
Maiden (9-3) at Shelby (10-1)
Belmont South Point (6-6) at West Lincoln (9-3)
Lawndale Burns (10-2) at Lenoir Hibriten (11-1)
Canton Pisgah (9-2) at North Lincoln (11-1)
East
East Duplin (7-5) at Randleman (11-0)
Currituck County (9-3) at South Granville (9-3)
North Davidson (7-5) at Hertford County (10-2)
Salisbury (10-2) at Washington (9-3)
Class 2A
West
Black Mountain Owen (7-4) at Burnsville Mountain Heritage (10-1)
Eastern Randolph (10-2) at West Stokes (9-3)
Forest City Chase (10-2) at Brevard (10-2)
Newton-Conover (8-4) at Reidsville (11-1)
East
Wilson Beddingfield (9-3) at Clinton (10-1)
Red Springs (9-2) at West Craven (9-3)
Southwest Onslow (10-2) at Elizabeth City Northeastern (9-3)
Whiteville (9-2) at SouthWest Edgecombe (11-1)
Class 1AA
West
Boonville Starmount (6-6) at East Surry (11-0)
Mount Holly Mountain Island Charter (10-2) at Mount Airy (8-3)
Swain County (10-2) at Bessemer City (7-4)
Polk County (9-3) at Bakersville Mitchell County (10-1)
East
Hobbton (8-4) at Tarboro (11-0)
Princeton (10-1) at North Rowan (8-3)
Manteo (10-2) at Granville Central (7-4)
North Stanly (7-5) at Edenton Holmes (10-0)
Class 1A
West
Alleghany (4-8) at Robbinsville (11-0)
Winston-Salem Prep (8-4) at Murphy (9-2)
Albemarle (5-7) at Mooresboro Thomas Jefferson Academy (10-1)
Andrews (6-6) at Elkin (9-2)
East
Robersonville South Creek (6-6) at Rosewood (10-1)
Pinetown Northside (8-4) at Northampton County (8-3)
Gates County (8-4) at Pamlico County (6-5)
Washington County (7-5) at North Edgecombe (8-3)
South Carolina quarterfinals
Class 5A
Upper State
Gaffney (9-3) at Duncan Byrnes (11-1)
Roebuck Dorman (12-0) at Clover (12-0)
Lower State
Irmo Dutch Fork (11-0-1) at North Charleston Fort Dorchester (11-0)
Summerville-Goose Creek winner at Myrtle Beach Carolina Forest (11-1)
Class 4A
Upper State
Piedmont Wren (10-2) at Greenville (10-2)
Columbia Ridge View (8-4) at Central Daniel (11-0)
Lower State
West Columbia Airport (9-3) at Myrtle Beach (11-0)
Hartsville (9-3) at Brookland-Cayce (8-3)
Class 3A
Upper State
Woodruff (9-3) at Inman Chapman (12-0)
Camden (11-1) at Union County (9-3)
Lower State
Bluffton May River (9-2) at Johnston Strom Thurmond (10-2)
Dillon (10-1) at Gilbert (11-1)
Class 2A
Upper State
Saluda (9-3) at Simpsonville Southside Christian (11-1)
Abbeville (12-0) at West Columbia Gray Collegiate (10-2)
Lower State
St. Stephens Timberland (9-2) at Barnwell (12-0)
Mount Pleasant Oceanside Collegiate (7-4) at Dorchester Woodland (8-3)
Class 1A
Upper State
Ridge Spring-Monetta (8-4) at Blackville-Hilda (9-2)
Lamar (9-2) at Wagener-Salley (11-0)
Lower State
Cross (7-4) at Lake View (8-4)
Greeleyville C.E. Murray (8-2) at Green Sea-Floyds (9-1)