Happy Halloween!

Trailer Park trick or treat

I'm thinking about the game tonight over on Trailer Park Road between St. Stephens and Maiden. Wow, a visit from Devils on Halloween. Too cool!

It's pretty freakin' scary for the Indians, though. One false step and they can kiss their edge on Hickory goodbye. Going into tonight's round of games St. Stephens is a full game ahead of Hickory in the standings with the head-to-head tiebreaker in hand as well. But...

It's finally Hickory's turn to gobble up the conference cupcakes, West Caldwell (0-9) and Bunker Hill (1-8), in the final weeks of the regular season. So it's pretty much a given that the Red Tornadoes are done losing for the time being. Meanwhile the Indians face a surging Maiden tonight and the best Fred T. Foard team anybody has seen in nearly 30 years. Oops!
What if Maiden beats St. Stephens tonight in the Trailer Park? What if the Indians found themselves in a must-win situation next week against Fred T. Foard? What if Hickory wound up finishing ahead of St. Stephens? This 2008 season is the worst we've seen since 1994. St. Stephens actually beat Hickory for the first time since 1993. What if none of that really mattered because the Indians tripped and fell just shy of the finish line?

It reminds me of a movie I saw last year. Picture if you will a grocery store on Trailer Park Road. It's Halloween and the smoke from Maiden rolls in... The Indian season is in dire peril. How would a group of Saint fans trapped in that grocery store handle the situation? It might go something like this:

Grandview Eagles rock the county!

Jordan Lockhart gallops to the end zone

Call it what you will. The City Championship. The All-American City Classic. The Battle for the Golden Helmet. The 51st battle for middle school supremacy in Hickory was fought out last night at Frank Barger Stadium and this time it was the Grandview Eagles who came out on top.

The 26-6 victory for the Eagles was extra sweet because it meant that they would clinch at least a share of the league championship. But when Maiden knocked off archrival Mill Creek last night it meant that Grandview (6-1) stood alone at the top. After last week's games Grandview had been part of a 3-way tie at the top with Northview (6-2) and Mill Creek (5-2).

It's appropriate that Halloween is this week because it's downright scary that Hickory's middle school programs are beginning to dominate a league in which they used to be also-rans. The fact that both of Hickory's middle school programs have won the county championship outright in back-to-back seasons is a scary prospect for our local rivals.

Looking at the combined group of eighth graders from both schools one can see a bright future for the future Red Tornadoes at all positions but particularly in the trenches. Kyree Connor, JaSean Abernathy, Tyler Early and Montavious Mayfield of Grandview and Devontae Burch, Will McCarrick, Hunter Jones and Nathan Gibbs have the size, athleticism and aggressive tendencies that make good high school linemen.

The top skill position eighth graders from both schools include Jalen Thompson, Raheim Connelly, Zach Jarrett, Darius Malbon and Nick Guarino of Northview; Noah Kelly, Daniel Davis, Craig Ruff, Shaquille Smith, Jordan Lockhart and Tony Nguyen of Grandview.

Congratulations to Coach Todd Teague of Grandview and Coach Mike Mackie of Northview for all your hardwork. I also want to mention that both men have good staffs of assistants. The Grandview assistant coaches are Neil Lortz, Chris Smithey and Chris Hopper. Northview's assistants are JuJu Phillips, Sean Carson and Richard "Big Cat" Parker. All these guys do an outstanding job of developing Hickory's young talent and preparing them for Red Tornado football.

The biggest winner of all in the City Championship was the Hickory High football program. Believe that!

Eagles and Hawks for now, Red Tornadoes of the future

Playoff alchemy, Part 2

In light of what I posted the other day about the likelihood of Hickory facing either West Rowan, Tuscola or Carver (in no particular order) there has been a new wrinkle added to the scenario.

It is confirmed that Carver has forfeited its September 5th victory over West Forsyth due to the use of an ineligible player. What does this mean for Carver? Well, now the Yellow Jackets will not be in the running for the #1 seed in the 3A West bracket.

Instead of being seeded as a 10-0 team Carver will now be considered a 9-1 team. So now it would be Tuscola and West Rowan flipping a coin to determine who gets the #1 and #2 seeds. Meanwhile, assuming that Fred T. Foard can beat Bandys tomorrow night and St. Stephens next week the Tigers will be treated as a 9-1 team, too.

Unless Hickory slips past St. Stephens to get that coveted automatic berth the Red Tornadoes will probably play the #3 or #4 seed. One of those teams will be Carver. The other will be Fred T. Foard.

Long story short...Hickory could face Fred T. Foard in the first round of the playoffs. Let that sink in for a little bit...

HERE WE GO, TORNADOES!!

Pick 'em Week 11

I almost shot myself in the foot by missing tonight's Unifour contests taking place in Lenoir and Boone. Due to App's game tomorrow night the two teams in the vicinity are playing tonight in order to avoid a conflict for fans. So without further ado, here we go...

Patton at Hibriten
Winner: Hibriten

Freedom at Watauga
Winner: Watauga

Hickory at West Caldwell
Winner: Hickory

Fred T. Foard at Bandys
Winner: Fred T. Foard

Maiden at St. Stephens
Winner: Maiden

Newton-Conover at Bunker Hill
Winner: Newton-Conover

McDowell at Alexander Central
Winner: Alexander Central

South Caldwell at A.C. Reynolds
Winner: A.C. Reynolds

Pick 'em Week 10 recap

South Caldwell!!! Once again I got the Spartans all wrong. Talk about a wildcard team!

I knew I was out on a limb picking the Red Tornadoes but I'm pleased at how close they came to making me look like a dang genius!

Bandys blew it against Maiden but that doesn't bother me right now because I'm thrilled to see the Blue Devils hitting their stride now - just in time to bushwhack St. Stephens this week.

Let's go, Big Blue!

Red Tornadoes turn the corner

Barrett picks up some of his 180 yards

This is the time of year when Hickory frequently gets a dramatic victory, usually an upset, and occasionally in overtime. Hibriten came into the game with a 7-1 record and a #7 state ranking. Hickory entered the contest with a 4-4 record and in tight competition with St. Stephens for an automatic berth in the playoffs.

The situation from a Hickory standpoint reminded me of this scene from The Blues Brothers:



But it was the Red Tornadoes who took the fight to Hibriten last night in a hard-hitting, big-play game that defied the odds and ended in a tie that required two overtimes to break. Even though the final score went against Hickory the game was about as close to a "win-win" situation as you will find in football.

The heavily favored Panthers got their first-ever victory over Hickory and in doing so kept pace with the other CVAC leaders, Newton-Conover and Fred T. Foard. Hibriten's conference championship hopes hung by a thread and the Panthers knew it. In the end, they scored the winning points and then stopped Hickory to secure the victory.

But make no mistake about it. Hickory came away with a win, too. On two different occasions the Red Tornadoes fell behind by 14 points. And both times they fought their way back. The fact that the game had to go into overtime was a victory for the Tornadoes. How you fight is how you will be remembered.

Our Red Tornadoes fought hard and well. The intensity of the players, several of them newcomers to the varsity, was great to see. The obvious adjustments to the defensive gameplan was great to see.

The determined running of senior Rakim Barrett, as usual, was great to see. Back in action after being held out of last week's game for disciplinary reasons, Rakim had his best game ever, rushing for 180 yards and two touchdowns. That brings his season total to 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns. He reminds me of former Tornado running backs Brandon Michaux and Craig Barnette. Both of them were tough, dogged runners who took hard hits and kept right on going.

The list of things that made me happy last night at the game is pretty long. David Dula's 51-yard kickoff return following Hibriten's touchdown that made the score 28-14. Dula's big return set up the first of Barrett's touchdowns. That made the score 28-21.

Then there was the big hit that freshman Dametrius Lewis and junior Dalton Hudson put on the Hibriten kick returner, forcing a fumble that was recovered by junior Jordan Thompson at the Panther 21. Barrett scored from there on the very next play. It's always great to see one of our running backs break into the clear and gallop to the end zone.

Then there was the Hibriten field goal attempt that would have given the Panthers a victory except that the ball hit the left upright and bounced away, no good. Hey, sometimes you have to be lucky. The excitement on the sideline was terrific. That's when the game is really fun (as long as the breaks are going your way).

The intensity of the players, from beginning to end, was great to see. I also enjoyed how excited and pumped up they were when they tied the game. Hickory has had nothing but success in overtime in recent years. The players were completely confident about their chances of success in the overtime periods. And they had good reason to be. There were some things Hickory did on offense that Hibriten never did really stop.

I was so happy with the way the Tornadoes handled the challenge of playing one the best teams in the state that it took a little while for the sting of the loss kicked in. To come so close to victory when most people didn't think it even possible is a bummer. But now the players and their true fans know that they can be successful on the field this season. And the seeds of greater success have been planted.

The Red Tornadoes now have an opportunity to sharpen their game against the conference cupcakes, West Caldwell (0-9) and Bunker Hill (1-8). If all goes according to plan the Tornadoes will enter the playoffs. There is still a possibility that they could secure the second automatic berth if St. Stephens loses its last two games. Otherwise Hickory will receive a wildcard berth.

The (black) eye of the Tiger

Darryl Gamble's first "pick-6"

The Dawgs beat the crap out of LSU right there in "Death Valley" on Saturday. You can now refer to Tiger Stadium as the Dawg House! LSU fans thought they were being clever when they acquired Knowshon Moreno's cell # and called it repeatedly to harass him. Well, payback is a bitch! The Corn Dog Nation got what it deserved!!



I guarantee that the worthless jerk in the video below isn't dancing for joy now!



And WTF is up with the pimp gear? Is that what an LSU degree is good for?



And finally... You just knew this was coming.



You stay classy, Tigers!

Busy week for Red Tornado football

I took the weekend off from posting in part because this will be one busy and exciting week for Red Tornado football program.

It starts tonight with a crucial contest at Frank Barger Stadium against the Hibriten Panthers. Hibriten is currently the 7th-ranked team in the state for Class 2A. Technically speaking the Panthers are a half-game behind Newton-Conover and Fred T. Foard in the CVAC championship race. The Panthers will be looking to keep pace with those two teams. Hickory is in a tight battle with St. Stephens for an automatic playoff berth. Hibriten is hoping to beat Hickory for the first time ever. The Red Tornadoes would love to shock the state by pulling off a huge upset.

This week Kevin Shelton should go over 1,000 yards passing for the season. He only needs 38 more yards. This goal could be reached by the end of the first quarter tonight. Also, Rakim Barrett should return to action and he could possibly break 1,000 yards rushing for the season this week. He is currently 142 yards short of that mark. To beat Hibriten we may need him to get all those yards tonight. But if he doesn't quite get it all tonight then he certainly will before the week is over.

There will be more football action at Frank Barger Stadium on Wednesday night when Hickory's middle schools, Northview (6-1) and Grandview (5-1) square off in the 51st city championship game. Thanks to Northview's 20-6 victory last Wednesday over previously-undefeated Mill Creek, the winner of the city championship will also clinch at least a share of the county title. The future Red Tornadoes who wear the blue and white of Northview or the red and white of Grandview always put on a great show.

On Thursday night the Tornado JV returns home to face West Caldwell. The Young Tornadoes will be looking to win their 65th consecutive game and, more importantly, maintain their one-game lead on the Bunker Hill Bears, who play Newton this Thursday. If Bunker Hill can beat the Red Devils then they will have a chance to get a share of the CVAC title if they can beat Hickory next week. That's a big "if" though.

Friday night the varsity will travel to Gamewell to take on the totally defeated Warriors. After a brutal month of football it's time for Hickory to enjoy the cupcake portion of the CVAC schedule.

And for me, the Dawg fan, Saturday is huge! Georgia takes on Florida in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. The Gators want revenge for "the Celebration" last year? Forget that! Georgia wants revenge for the 1990s! Go Dawgs!

Playoff alchemy, Part 1

The ADM numbers have been released, giving us a clearer idea as to how the playoffs will shape up.

"ADM" stands for "Average Daily Membership" which is basically the number that represents the size of a school's enrollment. This is the same kind of number that determines classifications every four years. For playoff purposes the ADM number determines whether a team goes into the "A" or "AA" bracket.

Since the playoffs were expanded in 2002 Hickory has always participated in the 3AA West bracket. But the latest ADM numbers indicate that the Red Tornadoes may be headed into the 3A West this season.

The ADMs of the 15 Unifour schools are as follows:

Alexander Central 1,655
South Caldwell 1,599
Freedom 1,293
East Burke 1,123

St. Stephens 1,288
Hickory 1,184
Fred T. Foard 1,103

Hibriten 1,048
Patton 1,008
Bunker Hill 935
Bandys 917
West Caldwell 879
Maiden 837
Newton-Conover 751
Draughn 723

Hickory was on the bubble last season, flirting with going 3A but in the end did wind up as the #1 seed in 3AA. But with another drop in ADM (in 2007 Hickory's ADM was 1,265) my cyphering has the Red Tornadoes just missing the cutoff for 3AA.

St. Stephens will definitely go into the 3AA West again this season. There is also no question that Fred T. Foard will go into the 3A West. Based on what I've seen so far, I believe that Hickory will join Foard in the 3A West bracket.

I said this time last week that Hickory needed to win out in order to clinch the CVAC's second automatic playoff berth. Bandys came through for us by tagging Saint with a third conference loss. That means that the Indians will probably wind up with four CVAC losses. And the way that Maiden is playing right now they could also knock off the Indians. In fact I wouldn't even consider that an upset anymore.

But even if Hickory doesn't get an automatic berth they are still almost guaranteed a wildcard berth. It would take three straight losses to keep Hickory out altogether. At worst Hickory should finish 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the CVAC. For seeding purposes the loss to Statesville will be dropped. Which means that Hickory would be considered to have a 6-4 record, including five conference wins. That will be more than enough to get into the dance.

A Hickory win tonight against Hibriten would set up the Tornadoes to go into the playoffs with an "adjusted record" of 7-3. The significance of that would be a higher seed and (in theory) a more manageable first-round opponent. I don't see Hickory getting a home game in the first round this year. So get ready to travel.

And where will the Tornadoes travel to? Assuming that I'm right that Hickory is destined for the 3A West bracket and based on current information (prior to tonight's make-up games) I estimate that Hickory's first-round opponent will be one of the following:

West Rowan
Fred T. Foard
Anson County
Western Alamance
Asheville
North Buncombe

Just some Monday morning food for thought.

GO HICKORY!!

Junior Varsity does it to Hibriten again!

Kyle Johnson returns an interception

Two years ago a deep pass from David Dula to a streaking Marcus Sims scored the winning touchdown for Hickory as time expired. Last season it was Tyshon Chisholm returning a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown as time expired to beat the Panthers. So what happened last night up in Lenoir?

Nothing quite as dramatic as what we've seen the last two years but still plenty exciting. The Red Tornado JV, winners of 64 straight and 83 of their last 84 games, fell behind on the scoreboard twice during the contest before scoring what turned out to be the game-winner with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter. The Tornado defense then held on to clinch the 16-13 victory.

It was another good night for sophomore tailback T.J. Wimbush and freshman fullback Casey Stinson. And their success is a credit to the blocking of the offensive line. Whenever the game was in jeopardy Hickory responded with impressive drives to re-take the lead.

Wimbush scored Hickory's first touchdown from five yards out. The two-point conversion was successful. That made the score 8-7, Hickory. After falling behind 13-8 the Tornadoes reponded immediately with a drive that culminated in Stinson's 13-yard touchdown run. Hickory again went for - and got - a two-point conversion.

Hickory returns home to Frank Barger Stadium next Thursday to host the West Caldwell Warriors.

Dametrius Lewis moves in for the kill

Breaking down tonight's CVAC games

Last week was a great one in the CVAC (unless you're a Newton or Saint fan, lol) and I'm hoping to keep the good times rolling this week.

This week's slate of games includes a couple of severe mismatches (I'm lookin' at you, Bears and Warriors), a formerly-significant rivalry that now has little real meaning for the rest of us - *cough* Bandys/Maiden - and a huge matchup at Frank Barger Stadium between Hickory and Hibriten. Oh yeah, St. Stephens is playing tonight, too. Don't choke on it!

BANDYS (4-2, 5-3) AT MAIDEN (2-4, 3-5)

Series Notes: Maiden has owned Bandys through the years, leading the series, 41-11-3. Bandys, however, has won it the past couple of years.

What to look for tonight: The Trojans gained some legitimacy last week by knocking off St. Stephens. Prior to that their "resurgance" - fueled by wins over the likes of West Caldwell, Bunker Hill and Patton - had been suspect. Maiden is "surging" too, after back-to-back wins against, you guessed it, West Caldwell and Bunker Hill. So which one is the real deal?

Bandys is the best passing team in the league by far and now boasts one of the best running backs, as well. Josh McCombs is a big back with good speed. Either he has a big game tonight or the Blue Devils make the choice to key on him, in which case Houser will pick them apart. It's the classic dilemma that teams with a balanced offense create for opposing defenses. Maiden still doesn't have a reliable rushing attack. The surge continues for one more week at Bandys. The Trojans then get to close out the season with games against Fred T. Foard and Newton-Conover. Hmmm...

BUNKER HILL (1-5, 1-7) AT FRED T. FOARD (5-1, 7-1)

Series Notes: The Tigers are looking to win their fourth straight against the Bears.

What to look for tonight: The Tigers don't have any weaknesses this season. They've got the experience, the relentless rushing attack, a reliable passing attack and a swarming defense. That spells big trouble for a team like Bunker Hill that is still in the research-and-development stage of its progression. Furthermore, the Tigers don't do the thing that a team like the Bears would need them to do in order to snag an upset. The Tigers don't turn the ball over. Foard is the league's best in the turnover ratio department.

Foard also has the best overall defense. That means that even if Bunker Hill can force a turnover the offense probably won't have much success. Better times may finally be on the way for Bunker Hill but they are not here yet. Tiger quarterback Landon Isenhour and tailback Quinton Owens will get a chance to pad some stats tonight.

ST. STEPHENS (3-3, 5-3) AT PATTON (2-4, 3-5)

Series Notes: Nothing to report here, folks. Let's move along...

What to look for tonight: Last week the Panthers came close to getting that season-making upset win that they've been craving. Freshman fullback Winfield Johnson was used like a sledgehammer against the Hickory defense in a 17-14 loss. The Indians are physical on defense and may have more success than Hickory did in stopping the youngster. If stopping Johnson is Saint's plan then tonight might be a good one for Patton tailback Brandon Bethel. The Panthers can strike from the air, too.

St. Stephens is not the same team offensively that it was when it beat Hickory last month. Caleb Peterson, a key two-way player who was the hero against Hickory, is lost for the season. Quarterback Matt Fussell has been replaced by Tanner Miller. So far the switch seems to have been a positive one and yet was not enough to secure a win over Bandys. Tailback Antonio Sherrill has potential for the Indians but was shut down by the Trojan defense last week. This game is enough of a toss-up in my opinion that the outcome may be decided by turnover margin. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.

WEST CALDWELL (0-6, 0-8) AT NEWTON-CONOVER (5-1, 7-1)

Series Notes: Newton has won six in a row against the Warriors. The Red Devils lead the overall series, 9-2.

What to look for tonight: Look for a continuous running clock in this one. Don't be surprised to see a goose egg on West's side of the scoreboard. Basketball season can't get here fast enough for the Warriors.

Here comes the BOOM!

Check out the nuclear block that takes out two defenders. This is high school football, brothers and sisters!



How awesome is that?

Pick 'em Week 10

Last week was a flawless one for yours truly in the prediction business. I had all the professional experts eating my dust.

This week it gets a lot trickier as Hickory hosts heavily-favored Hibriten at Frank Barger Stadium tonight. I'm going with Hickory and the upset special. The only other tough one this week in my opinion is the Maiden-Bandys affair down at Maiden. The Trojans followed my instructions last week and defeated the Trailer Park Renegades. I couldn't care less who wins this game but I will go ahead and stick with the Trojans. Let's do this.

Hibriten at Hickory
Winner: Hickory

Bandys at Maiden
Winner: Bandys

Bunker Hill at Fred T. Foard
Winner: Fred T. Foard

St. Stephens at Patton
Winner: St. Stephens

West Caldwell at Newton-Conover
Winner: Newton-Conover

Alexander Central at Freedom
Winner: Alexander Central

McDowell at East Burke
Winner: East Burke

South Caldwell at Watauga
Winner: Watauga

So easy a professional "expert" can do it...

Another historical moment coming up?

Jordan Wilson breaks loose at Hibriten in 2007

It's been a season of milestone victories for Hickory's opponents. Statesville got its first win over Hickory since 2001. St. Stephens beat Hickory for the first time since 1993 (and for only the second time in the series). Fred T. Foard won against the Red Tornadoes for the first time since 2000. Now here comes Hibriten, perhaps the best team Hickory has faced all year. Behind a high-octane offense and a stingy defense, the Panthers will be the heavy favorites to do something they've never done before: Beat Hickory.

This game will be the last opportunity in the regular season for Hickory to make a statement to the rest of the league. The final two weeks of the season should - emphasis on should - be routine for the Red Tornadoes. Even in this downer of a season Hickory should beat West Caldwell and Bunker Hill. I'm not encouraging the players to take either the Warriors or the Bears for granted. Of course not! I'm just stating the obvious. Those games should be Hickory wins, period. Which means that nobody will be impressed by them.

But a win this week against arguably the best team in the Unifour, coming on the heels of their victory over previously undefeated Newton-Conover, would be huge. It's an exciting moment and should be viewed as a golden opportunity - rather than a potential disaster. After all, the game is decided on the field. It's 11 guys versus 11 other guys. And the pressure is squarely on the shoulders of the Panthers, believe me.

The key matchup in my opinion will be Hickory's offense versus the Panther defense.

Statistics indicate that Hickory will have a hard time stopping Hibriten's rushing attack. Defending the run has been Hickory's biggest problem this season. The Panthers, on the other hand, are the best rushing team in the league right now. Hickory's defense is currently allowing an average of 200 rushing yards per game. Hibriten's offense is averaging 278 yards of rushing per game. They also pass the ball effectively, if infrequently. The Tornado defense could play well and still not be able to shut the Panthers down.

I think, however, that Hickory can move the ball against Hibriten's defense. Yes, the Panthers have some headhunters on that side of the ball. Yes, they hit hard. I remember being impressed at the hitting that was taking place on the field up in Lenoir. You could hear it as well as see it. Quin Smith is a beast and he will get his share of tackles. Hibriten's goal will be to stop Hickory from doing what Hickory wants to do: run the football. This should create some opportunities for success in the passing department.

I personally would love to see some deep routes thrown. Shelton can throw the deep ball as well as anybody and even if one gets picked off, it's no worse than a punt. If Shelton has time to throw he can pick a defense apart. Parks and Wilson are capable and reliable. So is Michael Shook. So is Tyshon Chisholm. Hibriten is currently allowing 114.5 yards per game through the air. That's an opening waiting to be exploited. And if Hickory's air strikes are successful then the Panthers will have no choice but to back up a bit. That's when Hickory will grind out the yards, move the chains and shorten the game.

It will require Hickory to be very efficient and very careful with the football. The Tornadoes simply can't afford to give Hibriten anything. One of the many things that the Panthers do well is to avoid turnovers while at the same time forcing the other team to turn the ball over multiple times. Hickory must take advantage of every opportunity and control the time of possession. Every drive must end in one of two ways: a score or a punt deep into Panther territory.

Field position and special teams could play a major role in this game. If the Red Tornadoes don't come away with points then they at least must force the Panthers to go 80+ yards to score. Any time you make a team go 80 yards or more the odds are against them scoring. When you're the underdog you must play all the angles and do the little things right. It may be a wet field on Friday or it may not. Hopefully the conditions will be dry. Patrick Smith has shown the ability to put the ball in the end zone for automatic touchbacks. The more he does that the fewer opportunities Hibriten will have to showcase its speed with returns.

If Hickory can take care of the "little things" such as protecting the football, getting good special teams play, avoiding silly penalties, blocking downfield, then the Red Tornadoes can put themselves in a position to win this game.

This can be done...and now would be the best time to do it!

Pick 'em Week 9 recap

I had to wait till now to post the recap because the Bunker Hill Bears and Maiden Blue Devils didn't have the stones to play in the rain on Friday night. So, those two juggernauts teed it up last night. Even though the Blue Devils are way down this season there are some things that never change. Maiden spanked Bunker Hill and in the process capped a perfect week of picking for yours truly. Ahhhhhhh, 8-0, how sweet it is!

I had to laugh yesterday when I got a voicemail message from my old friend, Bias the Clown. He wanted me to call him back so that he could ask my advice on how to pick the winners. Seems his colleagues have been giving him a hard time about his sorry record this year. They even have a tee-shirt printed up. Oh my! Things are getting wild over at the Clown Motel. Bias said he wanted to pay 'em back.

Well, let me tell you something my clownish friend. Sorry, pal. I simply won't get involved in all the he-said, clown-said nonsense. Bias the Clown, if you can't hang with the big dogs in the yard, you better go back to sleep under the porch. Come up with your own ammo, if you can. If your picks stink, do your homework. Or maybe just get out of bed and do something. Do your job and don't worry about what the rest of us are doing.

Aww, now! Don't hate, appreciate!

And the bobblehead goes to...

You'll never guess who had the most tackles in last Friday's victory over Patton. Surprise! It was Michael Shook, again. For the record, Shook had 18 total tackles, half of which were solos. Second on the list was sophomore Tyshon Chisholm with nine total tackles, including three tackles-for-loss and a sack. There was a tie for third place between juniors Alex Martin and Tyler Barnette.

Even though Shook had the most tackles I'm going to award the Terrible Terry Tate Defensive MVP Award this week to Alex Martin. It was a close call between Alex and Tyshon. But I have been disappointed this season by the overall performance of the defensive line. So I was thrilled to see major improvement on Friday night. This is a very good indicator of the D-Line's potential. In addition to his eight tackles Alex also recovered a fumble and even broke up a pass attempt. Excellent work.

I would also like to recognize the efforts of some players who made the most of their opportunities against Patton. It was good to see sophomore Alex Williams get some quality playing time in a varsity game. He wound up with four tackles, three of which were solos. Williams, of course, has been a stalwart of the JV defense all season. I really appreciate his approach to the game and the intensity he brings to the field. It was also good to see Branden Andersen, Greylan Steele, Dalton Hudson and Jordan Thompson getting a chance to hit 'em some licks out there. Reggie Robinson had a solo tackle, too.

Although I was pleased by the effort put forth I am still troubled by the difficulty we had stopping Patton's Winfield Johnson. Yes, the freshman fullback is a load at 212 pounds but still - he is a freshman. If tackling a freshman is a problem then it could be a very long night when Quin Smith hits town this Friday night. Clearly this would be a good time to throw everything but the kitchen sink at Hibriten's relentless rushing attack. Pressure will have to be applied in order to disrupt the triple option. That's the mission. Impossible? Show up at the stadium on Friday night and find out for yourself!

Smith's kick completes dramatic last-minute victory

Shelton picks up a key 1st down


Just win, baby! When you're a team that is struggling you take the wins whenever you can get them. Going into the season nobody would have predicted that the Patton Panthers would give Hickory any trouble. But they came into Frank Barger Stadium and pushed the Red Tornadoes to the limit.

In the end, though, Hickory's junior kicking specialist Patrick Smith came through in the clutch. He calmly nailed a 35-yard field goal with three seconds left in the game to secure a 17-14 victory. Guess what? We'll take it!








Patrick Smith

Smith's kick reminded me of another junior placekicker for Hickory who also won a game with his leg. That was San San Te in 2005 who beat East Burke with 28-yard field goal in overtime. San San is now the starting placekicker at Rutgers. I see no reason why Smith can't become Hickory third consecutive Division I kicker. He has improved by leaps and bounds since taking over the kicking responsibilities at the beginning of last season.

Smith's heroics capped an excellent final drive by the Red Tornadoes, sparked by quarterback Kevin Shelton and wide receiver Trevin Parks. The drive was set up by a crucial defensive stand that forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs at the Patton 40 with 36 seconds left in the game. Three plays was all it took for the Tornadoes to get into Smith's range.

Shelton connected Parks for an 18-yard pass completion. Shelton looked to pass again, couldn't find a receiver, tucked the ball and ran hard, heading for the first-down marker. He went out of bounds after a 13-yard gain. On the next play Shelton hooked up with Parks again, this time for 11 yards to the 18. Enter Patrick Smith.

The win becomes a little more impressive when you consider that 70% of Hickory's rushing offense this season was standing on the sideline in street clothes. Senior running back Rakim Barrett, whose 858 yards represents 70% of Hickory's total rushing yards this season, was held out of action for disciplinary reasons after violataing team rules.

Hickory wound up being outrushed by Patton. The Red Tornadoes rushed for a total of 133 yards, 74 yards below their average. The passing game, by comparison, was not affected at all by the rainy conditions. Shelton completed 70% of his passes for 121 yards. That's slightly better than his per-game average. The big play of the night for the passing game was Shelton's pass completion to Trevin Parks who took it 55 yards for a touchdown.

I was pleased to see Hickory fight back not once but twice after falling behind by a touchdown. And it was good to see how they did it, too - mixing up the pass and runs effectively. I would love to see Shelton get a chance to run the ball a little more. He's no track star but he looked good hustling for that crucial first down on the winning drive. He's capable of getting some valuable yards like that from time to time.

There was a steady downpour throughout the first half and it did affect the quality of play. Nevertheless, Hickory did a poor job of protecting the football. Both teams played in the same nasty conditions but Hickory coughed up the ball five times and Patton recovered four of those fumbles. The Panthers only fumbled three times and Hickory only recovered one of those. The other turnover in the game was an interception thrown by Patton's Trevor Buchanan. Obviously it's possible to get away with this kind of sloppiness against a team like Patton. Unnecessary goofs like this cannot be allowed to happen this week against Hibriten.

On a related note, the Red Tornadoes struggled to stop Patton's 212-pound freshman running back Winfield Johnson. The defense must get more physical in stopping the run. They will be facing an experienced senior back in Hibriten's Quin Smith. He is as physical a back as Hickory will have faced all season. Stopping him must be priority number one this Friday.

Besides the game-winning drive, the thing that pleased me the most was seeing several underclassmen stepping up and taking control of the situation. This will have major implications for next season's success. The season is definitely not over. The Red Tornadoes are still working towards the playoffs and actually have a chance to play the spoiler this week. But most importantly of all is the fact that what happens from now on will lay the groundwork for the 2009 season.

Buddy Withers for the defense

BCRS outbreak in Columbia on Saturday night

There was a nasty outbreak of Burke County Referee Syndrome on Saturday night at the South Carolina-LSU game. The striped-shirted jackass throws a shoulder into Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia. WTF? You won't believe your eyes!

Tornado JV blasts Patton, 42-0

Shaquan Reid approaching warp speed

For the first time since 1996 a Hickory football team traveled to Morganton for a game. The last time it happened, September 27, 1996, the Red Tornado varsity spanked previously undefeated Freedom by the score of 33-14. Of course the Red Tornadoes spanked everybody that year.

Last Thursday night it was the undefeated Tornado JV's turn to bring home victory. Mission accomplished!

Sophomore tailback T.J. Wimbush continued his rampage through the CVAC, ringing up a pair of touchdown runs of 16 and 20 yards respectively. But he had some friendly competition from Shaquan Reid. The freshman speedster also scored two touchdowns, each from 14 yards out. Keep in mind that Reid is a starter at cornerback but is just one of several reserve running backs for the Young Tornadoes. Another backup, Dalvin Parson, got his first touchdown run of the season. Also scoring was sophomore fullback Jake Meade.

The win was Hickory JV's 63rd in a row and also its 82nd out of the past 83 games going back to the middle of the 2000 season. The win also maintained Hickory's slim lead in the CVAC championship chase, one game ahead of Bunker Hill. With showdown looming in three weeks with the Bears, Hickory must first travel to Lenoir this coming Thursday for a tough game with the Hibriten Panthers. The last two Hickory-Hibriten encounters have gone down to the wire. This week's game probably won't be any different. Hibriten beat Newton-Conover, 34-13, to improve its record to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the CVAC.

GO HICKORY!!

Representing on the sideline!

Eagles and Hawks taking care of business

Grandview's Daniel Davis hands off to Shaquille Smith

This time last season both of Hickory's middle schools were undefeated and headed towards a showdown for both the county and city championships. Northview ultimately won the 50th Annual All-American City Class to cap a 7-0 season. Grandview finished second in the league with a 6-1 record.

This season both teams have suffered a loss but are still in the thick of the championship race.

The Grandview Eagles wiped out the Jaguars of Jacobs Fork Middle at home by the score of 38-12. Shaquille Smith had another good game running ball as he racked up 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just 11 carries (9.5 yards per carry). Joining in the scoring parade were Jordan Lockhart, Craig Ruff and Shakeed Washington. Quarterback Daniel Davis had a good day as well. He passed complete for three two-point conversions, twice to Ruff and once to Tony Nguyen.

Meanwhile, the Northview Hawks have bounced back nicely after having their 15-game winning streak snapped by Arndt a couple of weeks ago. Last Wednesday the Hawks inflicted a convincing 42-8 beatdown on the Riverbend Pirates. I don't have stats for them but Hawk tailback Corey Stinson, just a 7th-grader, has been running all over opponents this season. Yes, he is the younger brother of the JV's freshman phenom Casey Stinson. The win upped Northview's record to 5-1 overall and 4-1 against league opponents.

Grandview and Northview are both chasing undefeated Mill Creek for at least a share of the county title. Grandview's only loss this season was to the Green Knights. Northview can shake up the race this Wednesday when the Hawks host Mill Creek.

Northview's Zach Jarrett looks to pass

Getting back on track

Tonight the playoffs truly begin for our Red Tornadoes. Earlier this week I laid out a scenario that requires Hickory to plan on winning all four of its remaining games in order to finish ahead of St. Stephens in the final CVAC standings. Remember, the two teams must not finish in a tie because the tiebreaker goes to St. Stephens by virtue of last month's historic victory over Hickory.

The Red Tornadoes already have three CVAC losses. St. Stephens only has two. Hickory is favored to win three of its final games with next week's home game against Hibriten providing the big challenge. If Hickory goes 3-1 in the last four games and St. Stephens goes 3-1 (assuming a loss to Fred T. Foard in the season finale) then the Indians finish a game ahead of Hickory. If St. Stephens goes 2-2 and Hickory goes 3-1 then they finish in a tie, which is the same as a win for the Indians.

Of course it is possible, perhaps even likely, that Hickory will get a wildcard spot in the playoffs. Generally speaking, a team needs to have four wins in order to qualify for a wildcard berth. But the bottom line, of course, is that the brackets must be filled. Teams with only three wins have made the playoffs in the past. So if the final four games don't quite work out the way I have described, the Red Tornadoes can still go. It's just not guaranteed and you can expect to see Hickory go on the road to face one of West's top teams.

But there is only one priority tonight: Just win baby!

Did Grandview win? Yep.

Did Northview win? Yep.

Did the JV win? Duh!

Now it's time for the varsity to get in there and take care of business. Then we'll see where we are when the night is over.

Breaking down tonight's CVAC games

Obviously all eyes tonight will be focused on the big matchup in Gamewell, where the West Caldwell Warriors will host the Fred T. Foard Tigers in a key CVAC contest. The Warriors come in with a perfect record and seem poised to make it eight in a row for the season. I honestly don't think there is anything the Tigers can do about it, either!

In other action, the Hibriten Panthers will host the Newton-Conover Red Devils. The Panthers suffered a heartbreaking defeat last week when Coach Cannon made the decision to try a two-point conversion play for the win instead of kicking for the tie. He gambled, they lost, and now the Panthers must win tonight to keep pace with Newton and Foard. Meanwhile, the Red Devils come back this week following their fluke victory over Hickory. For those who care, this will be a contest between two teams ranked in the AP Class 2A top ten. Newton is ranked #3 while Hibriten dropped to #10 after last week's loss.


FRED T. FOARD (4-1, 6-1) AT WEST CALDWELL (0-5, 0-7)

Series Notes: Foard brutalized the Warriors last year by the score of 61-6 and guess what? It could be even worse this time around.

What to look for tonight: The Tiger scrubs have been waiting for this night all season. Everybody gets into the game when West is the opponent. Hallelujah! The Tigers will hold serve tonight and keep the pressure on Newton and Hibriten. When the night is over the Tigers will either be in sole possession of second place in the CVAC or they will be in a three-way tie for first place. It's all good for the Tigers tonight. They just have to guard against the temptation to look past West and be thinking about the big game with Bunker Hill next week.

MAIDEN (1-4, 2-5) AT BUNKER HILL (1-4, 1-6)

Series Notes: Maiden has won 18 straight against the Care Bears of Bunker Hill and yet, curiously, nobody really cares these days.

What to look for tonight: Don't even bother. Go to Butler Stadium and pull for the Bandys Trojans to beat St. Stephens.

NEWTON-CONOVER (5-0, 7-0) AT HIBRITEN (4-1, 6-1)

Series Notes: Newton leads this series, 9-2. Red Devil head coach Nick Bazzle has never lost to Hibriten.

What to look for tonight: The Red Devils seem to have everything going their way these days. They are off to their best start in more than a decade, including the 2000 season when Newton went all the way to the 2A state championship game (resulting in a loss to Southwest Onslow). Hibriten, on the other hand, has spent the past week thinking about what might have been in the wake of a painful last-minute loss to Fred T. Foard.

The two teams are very evenly matched from a statistical standpoint. They are at the top of the CVAC team rushing category and both have outstanding workhorse running backs in Dorian Jones and Quin Smith. Although they are both efficient in the pass department they are hardly prolific. Newton ranks last in the CVAC in passing yardage yet has the league's second-best pass completion percentage. These teams keep the errors to a bare minimum as evidenced by the fact that they lead the league in the turnover ratio category.

Both teams are stout on defense. Newton's defensive speed in particular can be deadly to an opposing offense. Such was the case in last week's victory over Hickory. Hibriten has a bluechipper at safety in senior Quin Smith, who has verbally committed to South Carolina. He is extremely active and covers the entire field in true headhunter fashion. The Panthers may be able to do a better job than Hickory did in defending the outside lanes. This could be an opportunity for Newton fullback Josh Thompson to have a big game.

Given the stakes involved and the close similarities of the two teams it's easy to see how this game could go down to the wire, just like it did last week for Hibriten against Foard. Maybe this week it's Hibriten's turn to catch a break.

ST. STEPHENS (4-2, 5-2) AT BANDYS (3-2, 4-3)

Series Notes: The Indians upset Bandys in 2006 and 2001 but otherwise the series has been dominated recently by the Trojans. Bandys holds a slim 23-21 lead in this rivalry.

What to look for tonight: As I predicted right after Hickory defeated the Trojans on their home turf back in September, Bandys has won three straight against the bottomfeeders of the conference: West Caldwell, Bunker Hill and Patton. Now I am seeing them described by the local experts as being "on fire." Well, of course they are. Everybody catches fire when they face West Caldwell, Bunker Hill and Patton. But now it's time for the Trojans keep "the fire" burning and get a win over the visiting Indians.

Bandys has the league's top offense despite playing the past two games without ace quarterback Kyle Houser and two other offensive starters. Senior Josh McCombs has continued to run the football with power and is racking up major yardage. With Houser and wide receiver Seth Cranfill back in action the Trojans should really be able to move the ball tonight with a great deal of success.

Yes, St. Stephens has a pretty good defense. I was particularly impressed with the play of senior Graham McRary's effort against Hickory. But the Indians have been much less successful against teams with efficient, balanced offenses. That's why St. Stephens lost to Newton-Conover and Hibriten. Furthermore, the player who did more than anybody else to beat Hickory, senior Caleb Peterson, is lost for the season. His absence didn't hurt St. Stephens in last week's win but the Indians will definitely miss him on both sides of the football tonight.

I think St. Stephens will get exposed tonight. Observers will realize that with the exception of the historical win over Hickory a few weeks ago the Indians really haven't accomplished that much this season. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Tornado Nation are with the Bandys Trojans tonight as they host the misfits from Trailer Park Road. It is a game that the Trojans absolutely must win! Just win, baby!

Kiss your rankings goodbye, Commode-odors

Pick 'em Week 9

Whooaaaa Nelly! What a crucial week in the CVAC! After last week's loss to Fred T. Foard the Hibriten Panthers are under the gun this week as they prepare to host Newton-Conover. Coach Chuck Cannon understands that if his Panthers can't find a way to stop the Red Devil Express then the odds are good that nobody else will. For his part, Newton's Nick Bazzle can't wait to get through this week since coming up on the horizon are West Caldwell and Bunker Hill (yawn). Those two pillow fighters can't touch the Red Devils which leaves only Bandys in the final week to stand up to the Devils.

If recent history is any indicator we can expect to see the Trojans roll over and play dead against Newton-Conover. Nobody has taken Bandys to the woodshed as forcefully as Newton has the last three years. Then again, "recent history" has taken a beating itself this year. With St. Stephens and Fred T. Foard experiencing unprecedented success in 2008 one can never be too certain of how things will turn out. Nevertheless, I'm pulling hard for Bandys this week in their effort to suppress that team from Trailer Park Road. Go Trojans, go!

Patton at Hickory
Winner: Hickory

Newton-Conover at Hibriten
Winner: Hibriten

Fred T. Foard at West Caldwell
Winner: Fred T. Foard

Maiden at Bunker Hill
Winner: Maiden

St. Stephens at Bandys
Winner: Bandys

East Burke at Watauga
Winner: East Burke

Freedom at South Caldwell
Winner: South Caldwell

A.C. Reynolds at McDowell
Winner: A.C. Reynolds

Intimidation, Haka style

There's nothing like a healthy dose of intimidation when you're a highly successful football program. It works for Trinity High School in Euless, Texas. The Trojans are currently ranked #1 in the nation according to the Massey Rating System and in the Top 3 in at least two other national polls. Euless has a growing Pacific Island population and there are several Samoan and Tongan players on the Trinity football team. College teams like BYU and Hawaii perform a Haka dance before their games. Trinity High School does it, too. The players you are about to watch are high school football players performing in front of a high school football crowd. Check it out!

Hickory vs. Patton

Tyshon Chisholm, Alex Martin vs. Patton JV in 2007

For obvious reasons there is basically no history between the Red Tornadoes and the Panthers. Hickory will, however, forever be the answer to this trivia question: "Which team gave Patton it's first-ever loss in a football game?"

So I thought I would do something a little different this week and do a direct comparison of the two teams by units. In other words, quarterback comparison, offensive line comparison, receivers, etc. By the way, most of the stats to which I will be referring can also be found on the Gameday Central page. So let's see where this takes me, shall we?

QUARTERBACK: Both schools boast senior quarterbacks. But that's where the similarities end. Kevin Shelton has two main responsibilities when the ball is snapped. He throws a pass or hands off to a running back. He is not a threat to run himself although he has had to run for his life a few times this season. Patton's Cody Story, on the other hand, is called upon to run the ball in designed plays. He has amassed nearly 200 yards rushing this season. But if the measure of these quarterbacks, statistically, is in their ability to pass the football then I have to give Shelton the advantage over Story. Shelton (59-114-5, 841 yds, 10 TDs) has completed more passes than Story (21-45-1, 366 yds, 4 TDs) has attempted so naturally the former would have more yards. But Shelton also has a significantly higher completion percentage (52% compared to 47%). This means that either Shelton is more accurate, his receivers are more sure-handed, or both. Either way, it favors Hickory. Both quarterbacks have done a good job of not throwing interceptions. Story has only one interception on his record and it occurred just last week. Shelton only threw two interceptions in his first six games (one of which was a tipped ball). Last week, of course, was a different story. Nevertheless, Shelton has thrown twice as many touchdowns as interceptions.

Advantage: Hickory

RUNNING BACKS: Patton has actually done a little better than Hickory running the football. The Panthers average 185 yards per game on the ground while Hickory averages 174. This is despite the fact that Hickory's primary rusher, Rakim Barrett, has more yards and a better per-carry average than Patton's main man, Brandon Bethel. To be more specific, Barrett has 858 yards and eight touchdowns on 138 carries. He averages 6.2 yards per carry. Bethel has 629 yards and three touchdowns on 118 carries. His per carry average is 5.3. But Patton has gotten more production out of its other rushers (especially the quarterback position) than has Hickory. In addition to Brandon Bethel and Cody Story the Panthers rely heavily on their big freshman fullback, Winfield Johnson. Hickory's other running backs, Kyshell Geter and Tyshon Chisholm, have struggled for much of the season. Chisholm has looked good when he gets the ball but his carries have been limited. A new wrinkle in the running game has been the introduction of the direct snap to Trevin Parks. This new formation has been used sparingly but it almost always produces positive yards. Last week against Newton-Conover Parks picked up 58 yards on just four carries (14.5 yards per carry) when the ball was snapped to him.

Advantage: Toss-up.

OFFENSIVE LINE: In the absence of reliable stats the best way to judge an O-Line is to check on a team's yardage production. As stated above, Patton has a 185-174 edge in per-game rushing average. But Hickory holds a 121-64 edge in per-game passing yardage. Hickory outgains Patton in total yardage, 295.1 to 249.7, which is substantial. Hickory also gains more first downs per game (14-9). I don't have stats to support it but I would guess that Hickory also has a edge in time-of-possession. I have been concerned about the state of the O-line at times this season but based on this criteria I have to say that Hickory is more effective on the line of scrimmage.

Advantage: Hickory

RECEIVERS: This is an area where Hickory should have a clear advantage. As already mentioned, Hickory holds a considerable advantage in passing yardage and half of the credit automatically goes to the receiving corps. Hickory's receivers are led by senior Trevin Parks with 22 receptions for 355 yards and five touchdowns. He is a clutch performer who not only makes tough catches but has a knack for picking up yardage after the catch. Junior Anthony Wilson is a similar type of receiver. Patton's top receiver is Zack Cole, a lanky sophomore who has 13 receptions for 302 yards and five touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Gil Logan had a big game for the Panthers in last week's loss to Newton-Conover. While Patton is capable of coming up with a big play through the air the edge here belongs to Hickory.

Advantage: Hickory

DEFENSE: Without having seen Patton play in person it's hard to evaluate the components of the defense. I have no way of assessing whether Hickory's defensive line is better than Patton's in a substantive way. I have Hickory's defensive stats but nothing for Patton. So, again, I have to rely on the overall stats of rushing defense, passing defense, total defense, scoring defense and turnover ratio. Hickory's defense has been marginally better at stopping the run. Hickory is currently allowing 204.2 yards rushing per game while Patton is giving up 222.1 yards. So neither defense has exactly been a stone wall in that regard. They are both somewhere in the middle of the CVAC rankings in that category. Hickory is also better, statistically, in stopping the pass. Hickory is allowing 80.7 yards per game to Patton's 106.1 and has double the number of interceptions. Both teams have given up seven touchdown passes. Scoring defense is also a wash as both teams are allowing an average of 27 points per game. Both teams are exactly even in turnover ratio. Hickory and Patton have both committed 15 turnovers and caused 15 turnovers. In the end, Hickory allows 44 yards less than Patton and has the edge in varsity experience.

Advantage: Hickory

COACHING: Hickory has been in the varsity football business since 1923. Patton has only been at it for a few months. The fact that the Red Tornadoes and Panthers have identical overall and CVAC records at this point in the season should raise some eyebrows. I'm going to reserve judgment on this category until after the game. The winner will show us who is doing a better job in 2008.

INTANGIBLES: Who wants it more, Hickory or Patton? Who has more to lose? I guarantee the Patton fans are wanting to see the Panthers make a statement in this one. They left Frank Barger Stadium last year after losing for the first time convinced that they had been robbed. I know this for a fact because I was approached by a couple of them who insisted that the officials had been biased and incompetent. The facts don't support that argument, of course, but that doesn't matter to the Panther faithful. Plus I have to believe that they see Hickory as being vulnerable right now. The Red Tornadoes are reeling from a pair of tough losses and everybody in the area is scratching their heads trying to understand why Hickory is performing so poorly. Furthermore, for a first-year varsity program the Panthers are doing awfully well. Obviously we have seen in the last few years teams that have been playing football for decades going 0-11. Patton has three wins this season no matter what else happens. So however you slice it the Panthers don't have much to lose but a lot to gain. On the other hand, Hickory desperately needs a win. I've already discussed how crucial it is that Hickory win the rest of its games in order to qualify for one of the CVAC's two 3A playoff berths. Hickory hasn't lost three games in a row during a season since 2000. Prior to that season you had to look all the way back to 1994 to find such a streak. The Red Tornadoes simply can't afford to keep dropping games. I say that Hickory needs the victory a lot more and therefore should want the victory a lot more.

Advantage: Hickory

GO HICKORY!!!

Who wears jorts? Yeah, you know...

Keep winning...or stay home

Last week I stated that the Red Tornadoes must win two of the next three games. It didn't matter which two but it had to be two wins. Well, we still need two wins and now there is no margin for error.

Hickory needs one more victory this season to become "playoff eligible" - which means that if the NCHSAA needs teams to fill in the brackets then a team with four wins could be selected as "wildcard" team. So even if Hickory doesn't earn a berth that isn't necessarily the end of it. But that's hardly a comforting thought for a team that has only missed the playoffs once since 1994.

As it stands now the Red Tornadoes must win the rest of their games in order to have a shot at earning the second and final 3A berth in the playoffs. They must finish ahead of either St. Stephens (still possible) or Fred T. Foard (not likely). Because they lost the head-to-head matchups with both schools the Red Tornadoes will be eliminated if there is any kind of tie at the end of the season. The Red Tornadoes also need St. Stephens to lose two of their remaining games. If you assume (for the sake of argument) that the Red Tornadoes will take care of business against teams like Patton, West Caldwell and Bunker Hill and that St. Stephens will lose to Foard in the final week then the whole scenario boils down to two games.

St. Stephens visits Bandys this Friday night. I believe that besides Foard the team with the best chance of knocking off the Indians is Bandys. A loss Friday night would set Saint up to get its fourth CVAC loss on November 7th at Fred T. Foard. The other key game will happen next week when Hickory hosts Hibriten. The Red Tornadoes will have to find a way to upset the Panthers.

For the time being, however, all that matters is beating Patton this Friday night. If that doesn't happen then the playoff mathematics gets wiped off the board. Then the Tornadoes will have to hope for a last-minute vacancy at the Playoff Motel.

Final thoughts on the Newton game

Michael Shook finds room to run

We'll never know what might have happened Friday night if Hickory's kickoff team hadn't allowed former Red Tornado Shea Corpening to return the opening kick 97 yards for a touchdown. If he had been stopped around the 20 and Hickory's defense had forced a 3-and-out on the Red Devil offense...who knows? Maybe the Red Tornadoes get on the board first and builds the necessary momentem to keep them in the game.

But that's not how it worked out.

Corpening rocketed down the far sideline and gave the Red Devils a lead they never really came close to relinquishing. By the end of the first quarter the Red Tornadoes were in a 21-0 hole. That lead was quickly increased to 28-0 when Joseph Bryant intercepted a Kevin Shelton pass and took it to the house from 34 yards out.

Down by four touchdowns the Tornadoes started the overwhelming task of digging out of the hole. They got halfway, cutting the lead to 28-14 in the third quarter on a pair of Rakim Barrett touchdown runs. At that point there was still time to battle all the way back for a win.

But that's not how it worked out.

Newton-Conover piled on another 21 points in the third quarter, including another "pick-6" when linebacker Paul Forney read Shelton all the way, stepped in front of his pass and went untouched into the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown. The kick made it 49-14. A lot of dogged running by a determined Rakim Barrett got Hickory down the field one more time late in the game and Barrett finished the drive on a one-yard touchdown run. Patrick Smith's PAT made the final score 49-21.

The statistics do not support a 28-point margin. Newton outrushed Hickory by only 25 yards. Hickory, meanwhile, passed for twice as many yards as Newton. But Hickory had to go the distance for its three touchdowns. Newton, not so much. And with all due respect to the speed and skill of the Red Devils, the three touchdown returns should not have happened.

It's been five years since Hickory gave up a touchdown on the opening kickoff. That was the second-round playoff loss to Crest in 2003. The entire week of that game had been spent prepping mentally to face a team that we have never beaten in the regular season. All that mental preparation went out the window when Jermaine Strong returned Ryan Succop's kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. That sparked a 19-0 win for the eventual 3AA state champs. The irony of it was that Succop's kicks almost always went into the end zone for touchbacks. I remember thinking at the time that the gunners had forgotten what to do because they hardly ever had to tackle anybody.

The point is that if you take away the three touchdown returns, which happen very rarely and don't need to happen at all, then the final score would have looked a little better. The players and coaches (and fans) might have kept up the fight more effectively instead of suffering from the creeping numbness that comes with a feeling of helplessness.

Another of Newton's touchdowns came immediately after they recovered a Hickory fumble. Special teams breakdowns, errors in the passing game and poor play-calling, penalties, missed assignments, lazy blocking, etc. will get you beat every time. That's what turns a game that should have at least been competitive into a route.

If a team can make costly mistakes then it should be able to eliminate those mistakes as well. There has not been a game all season when the Red Tornadoes haven't done something positive. Maybe it's a good night for Shelton, Parks and the passing game. Maybe it's a good night for Barrett running the ball. Maybe the defense hangs tough and takes away the other team's best offensive weapon. But there has yet to be a game this season when Hickory hit on all cylinders and played a complete, four-quarter game.

The question is why.

A lot of opinions are being offered up on the Tornado Central message board. We are officially in a bad place right now. It's a shame because in their frustration fans are overlooking some interesting developments. The one I find most fascinating is the installation of the direct snap to Trevin Parks. Ole Miss calls it the Wild Rebel formation. Tennessee calls it the G Gun. Oldtimers still call it the single wing. But it has been working pretty well. Rakim Barrett is turning in workmanlike performances every week. Kevin Shelton is rising in the ranks of Hickory's all-time best passing quarterbacks. A lot of underclassmen are getting valuable playing time.

The bottom line, however, is that Hickory is languishing below .500 this late in the season for the first time since 1994. That was also the last time Hickory finished a season with a losing record. Things are not quite that bad - yet. But the season is hanging in the balance right now. Buckle your seatbelts, brothers and sisters, it's going to be a bumpy ride.