Friday night’s key high school football matchups

No. 5 Rock Hill South Pointe (3-0) at No. 1 Vance (3-0), 7 p.m.

Vance moved this week to No. 1 in the Observer’s Sweet 16 and faces a serious threat to its ranking in the team’s first game atop the poll. South Pointe, a bona fide South Carolina power, averages 6.0 yards per carry. Quarterback Greg Ruff has completed 62-of-90 passes for 737 yards and seven touchdowns. South Pointe, the 2014 South Carolina 3A champion, will try to slow a Cougars team that averages more than 42 points per game.

No. 9 Ardrey Kell (2-1) at No. 6 Hough (3-0), 7 p.m.

After blowing a fourth-quarter lead at No. 8 Weddington, Ardrey Kell has bounced back with wins against Myers Park and Marvin Ridge. The Knights will face their toughest team of the season Friday in Cornelius. Hough is allowing only a touchdown (and a PAT) per game.

No. 3 Butler (2-1) at Richmond Senior (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

Butler is No. 7 in this week’s Associated Press 4A North Carolina poll, and longtime power Richmond Senior is unranked. However, the Raiders average nearly 45 points per game and are tough at home. Richmond beat Butler 55-54 last season in Charlotte.

No. 10 Mooresville (2-1) at No. 11 A.L. Brown (3-0), 7:30 p.m.

A.L. Brown hasn’t started 4-0 since 2007. After a 14-10 loss to No. 6 Hough, Mooresville hunts a second straight win, but will need to slow an A.L. Brown offense that’s averaging more than 49 points per game.

Langston Wertz Jr.

This story was originally published September 10, 2015 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Friday night’s key high school football matchups."