Charlotte-area high school football previews, Friday’s complete schedule
Area prep football preview, schedule
Berry Academy (1-1, 0-1 SoMeck 7 4A) at No. 15 Olympic (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – Olympic QB Sean Bowles leads an attack that has scored 77 points in two games. The visiting Cardinals will rely on an experienced secondary to slow the Trojans.
Community School of Davidson (1-1, 0-1 Southern Piedmont 1A) at Union Academy (0-2, 0-2), 6:30 p.m. – Spartan QB Davis Pharr has passed for nearly 400 yards. Union Academy RB Isaac King is a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
East Mecklenburg (0-2, 0-2 Southwestern 4A) at Garinger (0-2, 0-2), 7 p.m. – Defensive problems have plagued both of these teams in the first two weeks.
Harding (0-1) at Jay M. Robinson (2-0), 6 p.m. – Harding, coming off a 49-0 loss to Olympic, faces an explosive Bulldog offense featuring WR’s Bryson Mason and Bryan Stewart.
No. 10 Hickory Ridge (2-0, 2-0 Southwestern 4A) at Rocky River (0-2, 0-2), 7 p.m. – Hickory Ridge’s stout defense features LB’s Ethan Young (three sacks) and Kyle Perry (16 tackles). Rocky River hopes to get its offense going, as the Ravens have scored only nine points.
Hopewell (0-2, 0-2 I-Meck 4A) at North Mecklenburg (0-1, 0-1), 7 p.m. – Hopewell has played the conference’s powers, Vance and Hough. Now the Titans face a young Viking team that played well in spots last week in a 24-12 loss to West Charlotte.
No. 9 Hough (2-0, 2-0 I-Meck 4A) at Lake Norman (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – Is Lake Norman for real? The Wildcats beat Mallard Creek last week but now face a tough Hough attack led by sophomore QB Tad Hudson (150 passing yards a game).
Mallard Creek (0-2, 0-2 I-Meck 4A) vs. West Charlotte (1-1, 1-1), at Waddell field, 7 p.m. – Mallard Creek can’t afford another loss this season, if the Mavericks hope to grab a playoff berth. The Sam Greiner-coached Lions knocked off North Mecklenburg last week.
Mooresville (0-1, 0-1 I-Meck 4A) at No. 1 Vance (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – Mooresville’s inexperience could mean a long night for the Blue Devils. Vance scored 71 points last week and looks every bit the part of a 4AA state title contender.
No. 8 Myers Park (2-0, 2-0 Southwestern 4A) at No. 4 Butler (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – It’s the game of the night in the Charlotte region, in the annual battle for the conference championship. This is a new-look Myers Park team, featuring QB Lucas Lenhoff. Each team has scored 84 points in its first two games.
Pine Lake Prep (2-0, 2-0 Southern Piedmont 1A) at Christ the King (1-1, 1-1), 6:30 p.m. – The visiting Pride, led by senior QB Vic Garrido (411 yards, six touchdowns), are a conference title contender. The Crusaders were stung 58-0 last week by powerhouse Mountain Island Charter.
Porter Ridge (1-1, 1-1 Southwestern 4A) at Independence (1-1, 1-1), 7 p.m. – The host Patriots boast a strong defense, led by senior LB Jeremy Phillips. Porter Ridge, behind junior QB Myles Carroll (106.5 passing yards a game), moved the ball well Theat times against powerful Butler last week.
South Mecklenburg (0-2, 0-2 SoMeck 7 4A) at Providence (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – RB Jamar Price leads a Providence offense that is averaging 30 points a game. The Patriots can’t afford a loss here, if they hope to continue a playoff drive.
Sun Valley (0-2, 0-2 Southern Carolina 3A) at No. 5 Charlotte Catholic (1-1, 1-1), 7 p.m. – This is not a good spot for the visiting Spartans, outscored 79-21 this season. They’re catching a Cougar team coming off a rare loss – 7-3 last Friday to Weddington.
West Mecklenburg (0-2, 0-2 SoMeck 7 4A) at No. 16 Ardrey Kell (1-0, 1-0), 7 p.m. – It’s the first of two games in five days for Ardrey Kell, which faces Harding in a makeup contest next Tuesday. LB’s Steven Bauer and Travis Collins lead a tough Knights’ defense.
Outside Mecklenburg
Hunter Huss (1-0, 1-0 Big South 3A) at No. 6 Kings Mountain (1-0, 1-0), 7 p.m. – Hunter Huss typically is a strong defensive team, and the Huskies blanked their only opponent so far this season. But they face an explosive Mountaineer squad, led by QB Ethan Reid, who passed for three touchdowns in the team’s opener.
Monroe (1-1, 1-1 Southern Carolina 3A) at Cuthbertson (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – A pair of teams with explosive offenses collide in Waxhaw. Cuthbertson QB Evan Bernard has completed 78 percent of his passes and is averaging nearly 200 passing yards a game.
Schedule changes
The Observer’s No. 2 and 3 teams, Richmond Senior and Weddington, are idle this week. Their respective games were called off due to COVID-19 protocols, and neither team could find an opponent.
No. 14 Hibriten also had its game called off due to COVID issues, but the Panthers were able to find an opponent in North Rowan, which also had its regularly scheduled game canceled
This week’s schedule
Friday
I-Meck 4A
Hopewell at North Mecklenburg, 7
Hough at Lake Norman, 7
Mallard Creek vs. West Charlotte, at Waddell field, 7
Mooresville at Vance, 7
SoMeck 7 4A
Berry Academy at Olympic, 7
South Mecklenburg at Providence, 7
West Mecklenburg at Ardrey Kell, 7
Southwestern 4A
East Mecklenburg at Garinger, 7
Hickory Ridge at Rocky River, 7
Myers Park at Butler, 7
Porter Ridge at Independence, 7
Sandhills 4A
Pinecrest at Purnell Swett, 7
Scotland County at Hoke County, 6
Seventy-First at Lumberton, 7
Northwestern 3A-4A
Freedom at Alexander Central, 7
McDowell at South Caldwell, 7
Watauga at Hickory, 7
Big South 3A
Ashbrook at Crest, 7
Hunter Huss at Kings Mountain, 7
North Piedmont 3A
East Rowan at West Rowan, 7
Jesse Carson at North Iredell, 7
South Iredell at Statesville, 6:30
South Piedmont 3A
Central Cabarrus at Northwest Cabarrus, 6
Concord at West Cabarrus, 6
Cox Mill at A.L. Brown, 6
Southern Carolina 3A
Monroe at Cuthbertson, 7
Parkwood at Marvin Ridge, 7
Sun Valley at Charlotte Catholic, 7
Rocky River 2A-3A
Anson County at Montgomery Central, 6:30
Central Academy at Mount Pleasant, 6:30
Forest Hills at West Stanly, 6:30
Central Carolina 2A
East Davidson at Central Davidson, 6:30
Ledford at North Davidson, 6:30
Salisbury at Lexington, 6:30
Thomasville at South Rowan, 6:30
West Davidson at Oak Grove, 6:30
Foothills 2A
Bunker Hill at Draughn, 7
Patton at East Burke, 7
West Iredell at West Caldwell, 7
South Fork 2A
Lincolnton at Bandys, 7
Newton-Conover at West Lincoln, 7
North Lincoln at East Lincoln, 7
Southwestern 2A
Chase at Shelby, 7
East Rutherford at Burns, 7
R-S Central at East Gaston, 7
Mountain Valley 1A-2A
Ashe County at North Wilkes, 6:30
Starmount at East Wilkes, 7
West Wilkes at Alleghany, 6:30
Wilkes Central at Elkin, 7
Mountain Valley 1A-2A
C.D. Owen at Mitchell County, 7
Polk County at Madison County, 7
Southern Piedmont 1A
Cherryville at Highland Tech, 6:30
Community School of Davidson at Union Academy, 6:30
Pine Lake Prep at Christ the King, 6:30
Thomas Jefferson Academy at Mountain Island Charter, 6:30
Yadkin Valley 1A
South Davidson at North Stanly, 6:30
South Stanly at North Moore, 6:30
Nonconference
Bessemer City at St. Stephens, 7
Chatham Central at Wheatmore, 67:30
Harding at Jay M. Robinson, 6
Hibriten at North Rowan, 7
South Point at Stuart Cramer, 7
Canceled/Postponed
Albemarle at North Rowan
Avery County at Mountain Heritage
Hibriten at Fred T. Foard
Jack Britt at Richmond Senior
North Gaston at Forestview
Piedmont at Weddington
Saturday
Nonconference
Cabarrus Stallions vs. South Carolina Spartans, at Rock Hill, 6
Monday
South Piedmont 3A
Concord at West Cabarrus, 6
Tuesday
SoMeck 7 4A
Ardrey Kell at Harding, 7