Pick 'em Week 5 recap

I didn't really expect to witness history in the making last Friday night but that's what happened. For only the second time in 22 attempts the Indians of St. Stephens managed to get a win against the Red Tornadoes. The last time it happened (1993) the only thing that happened afterwards was a string of 14-straight wins by Hickory over Saint. So if history repeats itself then today's newborns will be in high school the next time the Indians "make history." By then, of course, the folks at St. Stephens will have been forced to scrap their nickname and everything associated with it for the sake of political correctness. C'est la vie!

I misfired on a couple of Northwestern Conference games to bring my record for the night to 8-3. In the case of Alexander Central versus Wilkes Central and South Caldwell versus South Iredell, it was the 4A schools who dominated. Normally this is exactly what you might expect but around here the 2A schools always hold their own against bigger schools. I thought South Iredell might get one against South Caldwell based on the fact that the Vikings knocked off Statesville the week before. Now it looks as though the Greyhounds just gave that game away. Meanwhile, the Cougar running back tandem of Logan Chapman and Kyle Bradshaw continued to power the Alexander Central offense. The Cougars beat the Eagles by three touchdowns. So, there you go.

Pick 'em Week 5

I said last week at this time that things were going to get interesting in the CVAC and boy did they ever! Fred T. Foard and Patton are up near the top of the standings while Maiden is near the bottom and Bandys is down at the end of Lonely Street in...Heartbreak Hotel. Meanwhile, in the Northwestern Conference, league play doesn't begin until next week. It's a down year for the conference and I'm thinking that the only undefeated team left - A.C. Reynolds - could taste defeat tonight in Waynesville. Let's do this.

Bunker Hill at West Caldwell
Winner: Bunker Hill

St. Stephens at Hickory
Winner: Hickory

Maiden at Newton-Conover
Winner: Newton-Conover

Patton at Fred T. Foard
Winner: Fred T. Foard

Alexander Central at Wilkes Central
Winner: Wilkes Central

Ashe County at Watauga
Winner: Watauga

McDowell at Surry Central
Winner: McDowell

A.C. Reynolds at Tuscola
Winner: Tuscola

South Iredell at South Caldwell
Winner: South Iredell

Starmount at East Burke
Winner: East Burke

T.C. Roberson at Freedom
Winner: T.C. Roberson

Pick 'em Week 4 recap

This week I'm going to combine my Pick 'em recap with the regular weekly recap of CVAC games that didn't involve the Red Tornadoes. As you know, I am definitely not a "professional expert" like some. So it gives me great pride to point out that I was a perfect 11-0 this past week picking the outcome of local football games. So now that I'm 100% correct, there's really no need to compare myself with anybody else. It wouldn't be fair to the others...

Obviously the big news from Friday night was the shocker down in Maiden. After more than two decades of frustration and failure the Fred T. Foard Tigers unloaded on the Blue Devils, 47-14. Apparently the final score is a little misleading when you consider that the score was 40-0 at halftime. So not only did the Tigers humiliate the Blue Devils on their own field but they actually called off the dogs in the second half and took it easy on the homers. I had a feeling that Foard would pull off the upset and I gave the reasons why: Foard has a strong running game and an equally strong defense. Maiden has neither of those things. And because Maiden can't run the ball effectively or play defense, the aspect of their game that is supposed to be "good" - the passing attack - is rendered harmless. I mentioned last week that this was an opportunity for the Tigers to make a statement about how good or how average they were going to be this season. Well, now we have our answer. Hickory has Fred T. Foard for Homecoming this season. Too bad it couldn't be Maiden!

The other big matchup involved our friends from Springs Road and the Dirt Devils from out there in Rootin' Tootin' Newton. In this case the contest was much closer than the final score indicates. Newton was only up 8-6 going into the fourth quarter. So either the Devils have some inconsistency problems or (I believe) the Indians really do have a good defense. Don't forget what a difference it made to Alexander Central when they lost to St. Stephens in Week 2. The Cougars racked up 455 yard in total offense in a 56-3 win over last year's Class 3A West Region champ, North Gaston. The Indians, however, cut that yardage total in half and held Central to a single score in a 10-7 win over the Cougars.

The difference maker in the Newton-Saint game was Red Devil running back Dorian Jones. He ran for approximately 100 yards and a touchdown in the final period to seal the victory. St. Stephens is struggling offensively, scoring just 16 points in their last two ballgames. There will be a lot more on the Indians as the week progresses.

The Patton Panthers have now won two football games. So far, so good for the folks up on Enola Road in Morganton. There are several severe beatings awaiting the new kids later this season but in the meantime they certainly can enjoy the reality of being tied with Hickory in the CVAC standings. My advice? Take a photograph and frame it quick. The good times ain't gonna last, friends.

Finally, don't tell anybody this (it's a big secret) but Hibriten is pretty good this year. Shhhhhhhhh! That's just between me and you. I got that from a reliable source, though... We'll talk later about the situation in Lenoir.

Not quite there yet...but moving in the right direction!

Sooner or later Hickory will solve its two biggest problems: mastering a sophisticated new defensive scheme and forging a cohesive, precision-oriented offensive line. When that happens the Red Tornadoes will begin to roll over and crush any team that gets in their way. Until then, the Tornado Nation will happily settle for the kind of gritty, never-say-die victory that we witnessed Friday night.

No, it wasn't pretty. Yes, the Cougars actually outgained the Tornadoes in total offense (320 to 251). In fact Central had more first downs, more rushing yards (and a higher per carry average) and more passing yards. But in the end it was Hickory that won the only statistical battle that really counts: 19 for us, 14 for them.

Despite their advantage in total yards the Cougar offense was shutout in the first quarter and the entire second half. The Cougars managed to score on a touchdown pass right before halftime and tie the game at 7-7. After that it was Hickory's offense that made things happen. The only points Central could manage in the second half was the 91-yard kickoff return by Logan Chapman that gave his team the lead. Chapman's return came immediately after Hickory had taken the lead on Rakim Barrett's short touchdown run. The only scoring in the fourth quarter was Rakim's game-winning 34-yard touchdown dash.

Ahhh, the kickoff return. That kind of thing should never happen against a team like Alexander Central. Not to take anything away from the Cougars. I was impressed with the abilities of their backfield. But there's no way that any of them should be able to go 91 yards on us. Crest? Yes. Statesville? Yeah, maybe. But not Central. I've said it before and others, as well. Hickory needs to be the one dealing out punishment on special teams. Hickory is the kind of team that could be murduring opponents on kickoff and punt returns. It's almost like free points! And nobody should be able to get a freebie on Hickory.

Another of my concerns has to do with our run production. Rakim had a great game, racking up 168 yards and two TDs on 28 carries (6 yards per carry). He is on track to get the 1,000-yard season that I predicted for him. But after him there just hasn't been much going on. Tyshon Chisholm and Kyshell Geter combined for 20 yards on six carries (each carried the ball three times). Keep in mind that last year against Central the Red Tornadoes had three ballcarriers finish the game with over 100 yards apiece.

In that contest, a 40-12 victory, Geter had 146 yards on 17 carries and Barrett had 109 yards on just six carries (Burch led the way with 157 yards on 20 carries). And those rushing yards did not come at the expense of the passing game, either. Shelton's numbers against the Cougars last year were good: 8-13-0 for 101 yards. That game was also memorable for the Trevin Parks halfback pass that resulted in a 63-yard touchdown for Jordan Wilson.

The difference this year is the inexperience of the work-in-progress that is our offensive line. Last year's squad came into the season knowing what to do, having paid their dues in 2006. Well, it's dues-paying time again. There is only one cure for inexperience: time.

Also, the line was not at full strength against Statesville. Hickory lost. With Clay Johnson at 100% this week the O-line was at full strength and the running game was clearly better. This coming Friday I expect the O-line will be even more improved. So, it's a process. "Better" is the goal every week for the line.

Hickory has been outrushed each of the past two weeks. That is rare. Statesville did it with 187 yards to Hickory's 68 (-119). Central did it with 225 yards to Hickory's 181 (-44). So, Hickory's rushing total is going up while the yardage deficit is going down. That's a positive trend.

Normally I would say that this week's benchmark would be to outrush the opposition altogether. However, because the Trojans have accomplished very little with their rushing attack so far, I think that simply outrushing them would not be much of an accomplishment. So instead I'm looking for Hickory to have two 100-yard rushers this week. It could be Rakim and Kyshell or Rakim and Tyshon or any combination you'd like. But Hickory needs to control the ball, move those sticks and dominate the rushing statistics. If this happens then we will know that the line is becoming what it needs to be: a precision machine.

It was definitely an exciting, dramatic game. What a huge moment when the Red Tornadoes went for it on 4th-and-9 at the Cougar 22 and got a crucial first down when Shelton found Parks on the sideline for a 19-yard gain. Barrett scored on the next play. Clutch plays pay dividends far beyond that play itself. The confidence that builds every time a team comes face-to-face with one of "those moments" and succeeds is priceless. Hickory has shown the ability to make clutch plays and, more importantly, has yet to quit. It's only a matter of time before the more "routine" aspects of Hickory's game get on track. And when it all comes together and the Tornadoes play a complete game some team is gonna get blasted.

GO HICKORY!!

Hurricane Hanna

It doesn't appear as if Hanna will force a postponement of tonight's scheduled game with Alexander Central. Some schools in the area opted to play last night. The schools in Cleveland and Gaston counties made the decision earlier in the week to get it over with. The only Catawba County team to play a Thursday night game was Fred T. Foard. The Tigers beat West Lincoln, 33-0.

A final decision on whether or not to play tonight will be made at 12:00 PM today by Coach Worley and Central head coach Tom Harper. If the game were to be postponed it would be played on Monday night at 7:30.

Hickory is 5-0 in games played at Moretz Stadium since returning to the old stomping grounds. Lenoir-Rhyne's College Field was the home of Red Tornado football throughout most of its history. Frank Barger Stadium was opened in 1984. This will be the second year for Hickory to face Alexander Central "between the bricks." Last year the Cougars were designated the home team. Hickory won that game, 40-12.

Tonight the Red Tornadoes are the home team and fans will sit on the pressbox-side of the stadium.

Young Cougars hungry for respect

They have a couple of games under their belts in Taylorsville and already it's been something of a rollercoaster ride for the Cougars.

Coach Tom Harper and his team hope that tonight's game with the Red Tornadoes will decide which path Alexander Central will take in 2008. Will it be the way of Week 1, when they crushed a seriously-depleted North Gaston squad, 56-3? Or will it be the way of Week 2, when they stumbled in a 10-7 loss at St. Stephens?

The win over North Gaston was so over-the-top ridiculous that I think it seriously skews the statistics for Alexander Central. Call me crazy but I really don't think that Central is the type of team that can routinely crank out 387-yard rushing performances. Not to take anything away from Central's two primary running backs, Logan Chapman (5'9, 180, Jr.) and Kyle Bradshaw (5'9, 185, Jr.), but they are not quite as good as their performance against North Gaston would seem to indicate. Chapman racked up 151 yards on 15 carries. Bradshaw was even more impressive, totaling 186 yards on 19 carries.

Last week's 10-7 loss to St. Stephens provides a much more accurate snapshot of where the Cougars are in their progression as a team. Against the Indians, Chapman gained only 66 yards on 12 carries while Bradshaw's production fell to a mere 26 yards on six carries. In fact, the team's leading rusher last week was the youngster playing quarterback: sophomore Kyle Kinnaird (18 carries for 67 yards).

Kinnaird was not particularly successful as a passer. He completed only 22% of his pass attempts for 77 yards. He also threw an interception. Kinnaird does have a favorite go-to guy in senior Billy Fisher (6'1, 165, Sr.) who has four receptions for 84 yards so far.

Other potential receiving threats for the Cougars are Kori Kinnaird (5'11, 165, Sr.) and Heath Pennell (5'11, 160, Sr.), as well as both Logan and Chapman coming out of the backfield.

The Cougars will need the defense to stay strong and play fast in order to contain the Red Tornadoes. The defensive unit, led by linebackers J.D. Latham (5'10, 165, Sr.) and Justin Honeycutt (5'10, 195, Sr.), has only allowed 13 points in two games. Against the run they have been impressive, holding North Gaston to a mere 31 yards and limiting St. Stephens to 141 yards. (It's interesting to note that in last week's game between the Cougars and Indians it was the quarterbacks who led their teams in rushing.) But it's also true that neither North Gaston nor St. Stephens have the kind of top-shelf ground attack that Hickory possesses. The Cougar run defense simply has not been properly tested. It will be tonight.

Central's secondary has been solid so far. After surrendering 157 yards to North Gaston (but no touchdowns) the Cougar defensive backs only gave up 33 yards to St. Stephens. The Coogs have also snagged five interceptions, three of which were at the expense of Indian quarterback Matt Fussell. Jonathan Dockery (6'0, 170, Sr.), Dylan Tedder (5'11, 160, Sr.) and Jacob Frye (5'7, 160, Sr.) are the leaders of the secondary.

Coach Tom Harper has always been a proponent of two-platooning. He did it at East Burke and he is doing it now at Alexander Central. Hickory has always utilized its best players to the max, playing them both ways when necessary. Hickory also substitutes liberally, something that can create some hairy moments from time to time (especially early in the season) but does tend to create a more experienced team with better stamina. I don't think that Central will wear Hickory down by any means. If Hickory gets off to a fast start tonight things could get unpleasant for the Coogs.

Hickory leads the series with Alexander Central, 16-5. The Red Tornadoes have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Cougars.

Here's hoping for a Tornado touchdown on the opening kickoff!

No time for nonsense!

There is a lot at stake tonight when the Red Tornadoes host the Cougars of Alexander Central at Moretz Stadium. It's rare that Hickory loses two games in a row. The last time it happened was in 2005 and the back-half of that 2-game losing streak was Alexander Central. What a terrible week that was!

Bad weather forced the Homecoming game against Newton-Conover to be postponed till the following Monday. After coming up short in a 7-3 loss to the Red Devils, the Tornadoes had to get back on the field four days later up in Taylorsville to face the Cougars for their Homecoming game. That game ended in a frustrating last-minute loss. Hickory then rolled through the rest of the schedule to clinch a share of the CVAC title.

Before that one bad week in 2005 you have to go all the way back to 2001 to find an example of a Hickory 2-game losing streak. So, it's rare and it definitely does not need to happen tonight! That's one reason for the Red Tornadoes to explode on the Coogs.

Another reason why Hickory needs a big-time performance tonight is to get the taste of losing out of everybody's mouth. It's bad business to lose an opener because it blows away all of the off-season and pre-season mental preparation. It causes questions to be asked that go directly to the heart of the matter: Does this year's edition of Red Tornado Football have the heart, the dedication, the determination to maintain the tradition?

Frankly, there is concern that this group doesn't have the "fire in the belly" that last year's group did. I reject the notion that this team has less talent than the 2007 squad. I have argued that, in fact, this year's squad has more overall talent. But a team plays the way it practices and the feedback I have received is that the practices have not gone well. Too much lazy, listless, unfocused "effort" during the week will get us beat on Friday night.

For the sake of the team psyche tonight's ballgame needs to be big and it needs to be a victory for the home team. Hickory has not started a season at 0-2 since 1991. The Red Tornadoes must have some momentum built up before heading down to Bandys next week. The players are not used to losing. As a group they've only experienced a couple of losses in their high school careers. But those losses have now occurred back-to-back and it needs to stop. Even though separated by a long off-season the fact remains that Hickory is on a 2-game losing streak dating back to the Catholic loss last November. Hickory hasn't won a varsity football game since November 16, 2007. It's time for a W!

From a more technical standpoint it needs to be mentioned that Hickory can still enter the playoffs with an unblemished record. For playoff seeding purposes only, teams are allowed to drop one loss from their record. So when the folks at the NCHSAA get into the bracketology of the 2008 playoffs they will ignore the Statesville loss. If the Red Tornadoes can run the table, starting tonight, they can still grab another #1 seed in the West. Being 10-0 is not a guarantee, of course, if there are multiple teams with spotless records but it definitely would put Hickory in strong contention. Sometimes it comes down to a flip of the coin. But that's a bridge to cross some other day. By the same token, every loss from now on will hurt - and hurt badly.

I know this: Last week's loss has left me reeling all week. I feel like I've been sluggish and out of sorts for the past seven days. I need a victory tonight. The team needs a victory tonight. We all need a victory tonight! What we don't need is anymore nonsense.

MAKE IT HAPPEN!!