The shocker state-wide is the Matthews Butler 21-20 upset win over Charlotte Independence. Independence had not lost a game to a North Carolina-based team in eight years and coach Tom Knotts was suspended for this game after getting into it with a parent at the Independence JV game on Thursday night.
In the “I should quit while I’m ahead department”, I have been waiting for this to happen all season and here it is, 10-0 on my picks. Better than that I called Grimsley 49-0 over Smith on the nose and did the same thing for Southern Guilford past Eastern 28-14 and to go one more I had East Forsyth winning by three points against High Point Central and that’s how it went, but it was 37-34, not 31-28 like it said it would be. Again, it might be time to quit while I’m ahead, but we have a few more games to discuss.
Didn’t Page look well-balanced in their 27-7 win over Northwest Guilford. The Pirates ran the ball efficiently with DJ McNeil and Will Newman and the passing of Newman to Erik Barnard, Robert Wadelington, Tony Rusitn, Corey King, and Cameron Davis was near-perfect with the exception being the late-game interception thrown by Newman.(Newman was injured, left the game for a few plays but did return to close it out.) Northwest gobbled up 215 yards on the ground on runs by Sean Ples, Chris Kennedy, and Robert Cruise but Page proved why they are the best in the Metro 4-A in 2007. The only thing better than the Page football team right now? The Page girls tennis team going for the State 4-A title in Burlington today and now they own the longest winning streak in NCHSAA sports after the Independence loss on Friday night.
Paul Lambeth will have the Grimsley write-up later today but the Whirlies proved me right with their 49-0 win over the (0-11) Smith Golden Eagles. I don’t want to steal any of Paul’s thunder so we’ll save the rest of the space for PTL II.
Northeast Guilford found themselves tied at 6-6 with Bartlett Yancey but they got rolling and ran for 300 yards and Tyler Woods led the NEG touchdown tally with four rushing scores and the Rams put up the final of 49-6 over the Bucaneers. Ram freshman QB Maurice Harris put the finishing touches on the scoring with a two yard TD run to pay-dirt.(NEG closes it out at (9-2)
Ragsdale was down early but the Tigers came roaring back again and closed out Asheboro in Jamestown. RHS wins it 27-17 and caps off a (6-0) Mid-Piedmont 3-A conference mark. Asheboro led 10-7 at the half and was up on Ragsdale 17-7 through three quarters but the Tigers put 20 points up on the scoreboard in the 4th quarter behind the passing of Matt Heavner and the running of Sean Cathey and Ladarious Canty and RHS completes the regular season at (9-2).
The Dudley Panthers trailed Western Guilford 3-0 at the half at WG but the Panthers out-scored the Hornets 26-0 in the second half led by Dudley defense and two Kyree Ward TD’s. The Panthers missed three extra-point kick attempts and that still is their Achilles heel.
I was calling out William Graves from Southern Guilford again and he delivered for the Strom in their 28-14 victory over Eastern. William ran for a score, took a punt back for a TD, and caught a pass for another touchdown. You might want to say I’m crazy but we’re naming William Graves the Player of the Year in the county. He had over 1,600 yards rushing going into the game and had all-purpose yards on punt returns, kickoff returns, and more yards catching passes.
I jumped on William’s bandwagon way back in early August and I guess he and I both got lucky. I’ll give the award to William over Will Newman at Page since Graves is a senior and Newman is a junior. Both of these young men once again have proven my theory, “If there’s a Will there’s a Way to Win”. We’ll know more about these things after the playoffs.
Graves is not a one-man team. Good job to Darren Garcia, Kencie Brewer, Antonio Martin, Scotty Wayne, and all the Storm plus Gerrod Herbin, Will Gann, and Jason Davis were working hard as always for EG.
I liked what Southeast Guilford coach Fritz Hessenthaler told the News and Record with his quote comparing last night’s weather to the Frog-strangler we were in last Friday and Coach Fritz said, “All football games are enjoyable whatever the weather brings”. Excellent fall evening for football and SEG ran Randleman right out of Randolph County while the Falcons came back home with a 49-6 win over Richard and Kyle Petty’s favorite sons. Coach Fritz and his Falcons have found a new favorite-back in Tivon Clark who ran for 178 yards and scored three TD’s. SEG finishes regular season action at (7-4).
High Point Andrews is the County’s most improved team finishing at (4-6) but going (3-2) in Piedmont Triad 3-A conference play after last night’s impressive 46-35 victory over the Parkland Mustangs. Richard Keitt and Jordan Reid were the stars for HPA. Andrews got off to a miserable start but they bounced back to finish very strong. Glenn did in Southwest Guilford 33-14. The Cowboys will finish out of the money at 3-8 and they will miss the playoff train. In the game we spoke of earlier, East Forsyth out-lasted High Point Central 37-34 and EF closes at (5-6) plus (3-2) Metro and we should see EF in the playoff hunt.
Playoff seedings and brackets will come out later today and we should have that info up for you this afternoon and you can also check out www.nchsaa.org and www.news-record.com.
The 4AA/4A brackets should be out today around 3 o’clock.
Here is how they should look:
4AA West
1- West Charlotte- Only No. 1 seed with a 10-0 reportable record
2. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
3. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
4. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
All three are No.1 Seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
5. Davie County, Page or West Meck
6. Davie County, Page or West Meck
7. Davie County, Page or West Meck
All three are No. 1 seeds with a 7-3 reportable record
8. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
9. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
10. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
All three are No. 2 seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
11. East Meck or Scotland County
12. East Meck or Scotland County
Both are No. 3 seeds with an 8-2 reportable record
13. West Forsyth- No. 3 seed with a 7-3 reportable record
14. Vance- No. 3 seed with a 3-7 reportable record
15. North Meck- At-Large Seed with a 5-5 reportable record
16. Providence- At-Large Seed with a 4-6 reportable record
But, If Vance doesn’t win the draw for the No. 3 seed, it would look like this:
1- West Charlotte- Only No. 1 seed with a 10-0 reportable record
2. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
3. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
4. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
All three are No.1 Seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
5. Davie County, Page or West Meck
6. Davie County, Page or West Meck
7. Davie County, Page or West Meck
All three are No. 1 seeds with a 7-3 reportable record
8. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
9. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
10. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
11. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
All four are No. 2 seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
12. East Meck or Scotland County
13. East Meck or Scotland County
Both are No. 3 seeds with an 8-2 reportable record
14. West Forsyth- No. 3 seed with a 7-3 reportable record
15. North Meck- No. 3 or At-Large Seed with a 5-5 reportable record
16. Providence- At-Large Seed with a 4-6 reportable record
Let’s hope Gillespie’s (or whoever draws for Page) magic keeps up. There is still a possibility of getting Indy in the first round. We better hope for a 6 or better. Don’t really want to pay an angry Indy team in the first round even if it is at home.
The 4AA/4A brackets should be out today around 3 o’clock.
Here is how they should look..
4AA West
1- West Charlotte- Only No. 1 seed with a 10-0 reportable record
2. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
3. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
4. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
All three are No.1 Seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
5. Davie County, Page or West Meck
6. Davie County, Page or West Meck
7. Davie County, Page or West Meck
All three are No. 1 seeds with a 7-3 reportable record
8. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
9. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
10. Grimsley, Hopewell or Independence
All three are No. 2 seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
11. East Meck or Scotland County
12. East Meck or Scotland County
Both are No. 3 seeds with an 8-2 reportable record
13. West Forsyth- No. 3 seed with a 7-3 reportable record
14. Vance- No. 3 seed with a 3-7 reportable record
15. North Meck- At-Large Seed with a 5-5 reportable record
16. Providence- At-Large Seed with a 4-6 reportable record
But, If Vance doesn’t win the draw for the No. 3 seed, it would look like this:
1- West Charlotte- Only No. 1 seed with a 10-0 reportable record
2. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
3. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
4. Butler, East Burke or Richmond County
All three are No.1 Seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
5. Davie County, Page or West Meck
6. Davie County, Page or West Meck
7. Davie County, Page or West Meck
All three are No. 1 seeds with a 7-3 reportable record
8. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
9. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
10. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
11. Grimsley, Hopewell, Independence or Jack Britt
All four are No. 2 seeds with a 9-1 reportable record
12. East Meck or Scotland County
13. East Meck or Scotland County
Both are No. 3 seeds with an 8-2 reportable record
14. West Forsyth- No. 3 seed with a 7-3 reportable record
15. North Meck- No. 3 or At-Large Seed with a 5-5 reportable record
16. Providence- At-Large Seed with a 4-6 reportable record
Let’s hope Gillespie’s (or whoever draws for Page) magic keeps up. There is still a possibility of getting Indy in the first round. We better hope for a 6 or better. Don’t really want to pay an angry Indy team in the first round even if it is at home.