Starmount at East Surry
Well time for another edition of this longtime rivalry to take effect. The Cards have had the Rams number the past 8 years; ever since they made the title game the Cards have swept in like Dr Evil and stolen the Rams mojo in this rivalry. The past 3 years have been really rough for the Rams here especially last year when they were shut out. To say this game is huge is a solid understatement of the day so far.
East will be a lot different than they have been as they lost some longtime starters especially on the line but they still return some solid talents. Starmount meanwhile has way more to prove. They have a solid RB core and some solid size on the line, but they aren’t known for being very consistent and up to their talents. They didn’t look that hot last Friday on either level for instance. If they can’t fix those faults and fight hard from whistle to whistle then it will be another repeat of the trend for the Rams. They badly need to find that consistency they have lacked these last few seasons.
Either of two things will happen: Starmount does that and it will be a close one or East will roll. I’m hoping for the former but a very good chance of the latter
Alleghany at Surry Central
It’s the start of a new era in Dobson as that senior class from last year has finally graduated leaving Coach Southern with another tough challenge. That senior class made up for a very rough transition period after that 2016 title run when they won very little. They played everyone tough and won quite a few games, but couldn’t knock the big teams off. As a result it makes those guys in Dobson wonder what coulda been. It’s too late now; they got to adjust to a new era with quite a few youngins. There is some talent there especially on offense as that sophomore QB they have is the best QB talent they’ve had in truly a long time. They will be tossing it a lot more. Alleghany meanwhile has gone through what Central has already; so they won’t feel much sympathy for the Golden Eagles. In fact in my mind that will give the Trojans an edge.
In fact what the hey.. I’ll give them the nod here.
I have seen both scrimmages these teams had against air raid squads and I honestly felt more impressed with Alleghany. Central’s very young on defense and it shows in spades as Ashe had a solid night on offense especially running it. Their defense looked lost. Alleghany had their struggles but I felt they were physical and handled theirselves as well as they could have. It’ll come down to the trenches and I feel Alleghany’s experience will help them here. I expect this to be close though; another classic example of these two’s rivalry.
Elkin at North Wilkes
The Scott Wood tribute game continues for another year in Hays as the Elks take the short trip up to play the Vikes. Last year’s game was a scoring palooza as neither team was competent enough on the defensive side to make a competent performance. So instead we got inept defensive series after another while they combined for 75 points. When push came to shove Elkin got lucky thanks to a long run to pull it out. However they really shouldn’t have as they had no answer for NW’s RB and QB. But NW’s non existent defense cost them there.
This year’s game I expect to be much of the same as that kid returns for his senior season despite losing a very good QB around him. So now instead he has to carry his team’s load while the new kid at QB adjusts and find his rhythm. Elkin meanwhile has been super, and SUPER mysterious. I haven’t heard or seen any film at all from them from their scrimmages. They will be super young; I can tell that as they lost the rest of that team from their run they had at the end of the 2010’s. The talent in return hasn’t set the world on fire besides that QB they have but they ran him into the ground so easily last year. Question is do they have enough to mount any challenge or will it be another hard year for the Elks?
NW just returns so much more and that gives them the edge.
North Forsyth at Forbush
In what has become a solid rivalry game in the last few years despite the lopsided-ness of it; these two combine for a very underratedly solid game here. Neither side likes each other that much and it shows. Last spring NF played the Falcons honestly quite well for a half before Forbush’s size and experience allowed them to take off and pound the Vikings for the 2nd half. NF was the only team in that last WPAC season that played them consistently (shame we got cheated out of that Walkertown vs Bush matchup we needed.) Last August NF had some moments but the Bush was so solid in that game and showed what was coming for that season.
However things are totally different this year and I expect an even kiltered game here. Forbush is the youngest they have been in a while and for once Funderburke has to coach the kids up consistently due to it. Their team picture looked completely different than the ones of recent years with Johnson’s kids on it. These kids are smaller in numbers and in size; the skill positions show a lot of youth. Line wise they still have size but it will be a different set of kids and not as many. Their athlete of a QB barely weighs 150 pounds and they have to protect him to maintain their season. He’s a heck of an athlete but if he gets hit really hard it might be over for him.
NF meanwhile is in the Bush from last year’s boat of having a solid Senior class. Their line has excellent size and they return a heck of a RB in the head coaches son who is getting college offers. However besides that group they have to find ways to make playmakers out a bunch of rookies. The best kids out of that senior class transferred out. Offensively they have struggled as long as I have seen them. However their speed on that end will outmatch the Falcons. Forbush’s best bet is for NF to have an awful night on offense enough to ball control them to death. If it turns into a catch me if you can meet the Falcons can’t hang. It’ll go either way here; either the Bush will surprise or NF will turn it into a track meet.
Wilkes Central at Ashe County
In what proved to be a close call last year the Huskies let one slip in a storm delayed slugfest. Both teams turned out to be in rough shape after it and neither never really recovered afterwards. A lot of ? marks remain for both teams here.
Ashe needs to find a new QB and defensive identity while WC is struggling to find ways to use their speedster that has transferred back in and overcome a supposed major injury to one of their studs. Both have a lot to play for.
Ashe’s Air Raid will be under new general-ship this year as their QB from last year up and transferred out of nowhere to Maiden. However they seem super excited for the replacement. Their RB looked really good running it vs SC in the scrimmage. However defensively they got to mature in a hurry especially for the conference they face.
WC wise they are in better spirits after Graham returned back from East Wilkes. He does fill the RB spot which they badly needed him at however they still have a lot of things to fix. If the rumors I heard was true last Friday or not, their big lineman is down for a while with a major foot injury he had at a scrimmage; and if so that puts them in serious trouble moving forward. He was a major anchor to their D line and played on offense as wqell. The line spots were their weak point last year as they struggled vs physicality. Until they get better at it they won’t advance much.
WC ultimately has the edge here due to the athletes but if Ashe can move the ball it will be another barn burner.
