Friday night football - week five high school football game previews
September 13th, 2007 Posted in High School Football
Week five of North Carolina high school football promises to be another great one. Each football team has started to form its identity, and many teams play their first conference games of the year in conferences where every game will be critical. One of those conferences is the Greater Neuse, currently led by undefeated pre-season favorite Garner High School. West Johnston’s visit to Garner kicks off our previews this week. More game previews will be added to this post on Friday and this post has even more previews and predictions. Most of the team web sites listed below have photo or video highlights of early season football action, and, as always, you can add yours at any time.
West Johnston at Garner
Undefeated Garner football hosts West Johnston in Greater Neuse conference action. Garner is an excellent team, but West Johnston is dangerous, and we predict West Johnston to upset Garner on the road.
Statesville at South Rowan
South Rowan football hosts Statesville in a North Piedmont conference battle. South dropped their opening game in their new conference to a very good Northwest Cabarrus team last week while Statesville beat up on South Iredell 35-13. We look for South to slow down star Statesville running back Andre Shepherd and claim their first North Piedmont victory.
Northwest Cabarrus at West Rowan
Northwest Cabarrus beat an up and coming South Rowan football team last week, but will need to beat a West Rowan football team that is already playing at the elite level in order to maintain their undefeated record. West Rowan is undefeated as well, and will be looking for their 20th straight North Piedmont conference win.
E.E. Smith at Douglas Byrd
E.E. Smith travels to Paroli Stadium to take on a Douglas Byrd football team seeking to build on their win over Cape Fear and subsequent bye week. E.E. Smith is a very good team coming off three straight wins. Douglas Byrd’s Demonte Blue will miss the game due to a one-game suspension for taunting during the Cape Fear game, and that could be the difference in what looks to be a tight game.
Broughton at Athens Drive
Broughton football travels to Athens Drive. Athens Drive will try to maintain their undefeated record heading into Tri Eight football conference play next week, while Broughton seeks their third straight victory before opening Cap-7 conference play next week. We predict that Athens Drive will indeed enter conference play undefeated, although Broughton will make them earn it.
Sanderson at Cary
Cary football hosts Sanderson in what should be a good game. Cary’s only loss is to an excellent Leesville Road team, and Sanderson’s only loss is to a very good Athens Drive team. We’ll give the edge to Cary and star running back Danny Feracho playing at home.
Middle Creek at Leesville Road
Leesville Road football is cruising and Middle Creek will not stop the Pride. Middle Creek is hungry for a win and capable of giving Leesville a fight, but Leesville will win and enter Cap-7 conference play undefeated.
Midway at North Johnston
North Johnston (2-2) seeks their first home win of the year as they host an undefeated Midway team. Midway held last week’s opponent, Princeton, to negative rushing yards, but will have a harder time stopping EJ Knight and the North Johnston offense. We predict that North Johnston will snap their two game losing stream and remove Midway from the ranks of the undefeated.
Carson at East Rowan
East Rowan football looks for their second straight North Piedmont victory as they host nearby Carson high school. Carson is improving, and played Mooresville tough on the road last week, but is still building their new football program, and will not be able to contain East RB Thomas Lowe and QB Shawn Eagle. East Rowan should improve to 4-0.
Northeast Guilford at Reidsville
Reidsville will host Northeast Guilford in what should be a terrific game. Both Northeast Guilford football and Reidsville are undefeated and playing very well. Reidsville is #1 and Northeast Guilford is #3 in the News and Record Mighty Nine Poll. We see the home town fans enjoying their Friday night as Reidsville emerges victorious.
North Rowan at Thomasville
Thomasville has won 40-straight, including an impressive victory two weeks ago at Davie County. North Rowan football punished Forbush last week, but we see Thomasville getting win number 41 in a row tonight. The game features two of the most electrifying players in the state - Thomasville’s QB E.J. Abrams-Ward and North Rowan’s star WR Bryson Gaymon.
Mooresville at North Iredell
North Iredell hosts Mooresville football in a North Piedmont game. North Iredell will be hungry for a win (0-2), while Mooresville will look to continue a good season that has had only one blemish - a hard fought loss to an undefeated A.L. Brown team. North Iredell can be dangerous at home in this situation, but we think Mooresville will go home happy tonight.
Clayton at Southeast Raleigh
The Clayton Comets football team travels up to Raleigh to take on the Southeast Raleigh Bulldogs football team. This has the look of a defensive battle that will be decided in the trenches. We give the edge to Clayton to improve their record to 4-1.
