Bobblehead is back!

I hope that there won't be anymore rain delays this season. The rain that never really came down on October 24th but forced Hickory's game with Hibriten to be postponed till last Monday night created all kinds of delays and hassles. So I'm just now able to hand out the Terrible Terry Tate Defensive MVP Award for the Hibriten game. Better late than never!

Against Hibriten there were four Tornadoes finishing in double digits for tackles. At the top of the list was senior safety Michael Shook with 16. Right behind him was junior outside linebacker Tyler Barnette with 15, including two tackles for loss. Coming in third was senior Kyshell Geter with 12 total tackles. Right behind him was sophomore Tyshon Chisholm with 11 total tackles, including one for loss.

And the bobblehead goes to... Tyler Barnette in a squeaker. On the strength of his two tackles for loss Tyler edged out Mikey Shook for the coveted award. Of course this will be Tyler's one and only varsity season on the defensive side of the ball as he is the heir apparent at quarterback. But as the 2008 season has progressed, so has Tyler as a football player. Hats off to him!

As far as the overall defensive effort against the Panthers is concerned, I was pleased to see the adjustments that were made. Against Hibriten the Red Tornado defense lined up in a 3-5-3 alignment designed to clog up the middle with one less down lineman but with an additional linebacker. It did not shut down the Panther offense but it did slow it down enough to allow Hickory's offense to keep up. The fact that it was 28-28 when time expired proves that the strategy worked.

Once the game went into overtime, it truly was anybody's ballgame.

Another aspect that pleased me was to see continued contributions by younger players. The entire linebacking corps all season long has been comprised of underclassmen. Against Hibriten sophomore Alex Williams got his first varsity start. He wound up with eight total tackles. That makes two sophomores who have now started at least one varsity game at linebacker.

The other one, Tyshon Chisholm, has even won the prestigious TTT Defensive MVP Award. That's a strong investment in the future. Also keep in mind that it was a freshman, Dametrius Lewis, who had the monster hit on the Panther kickoff returner that caused the fumble that was quickly converted into the game-tying touchdown.

It was a pretty good night for the down linemen, particularly seniors Clay Johnson and Chavis Shuford. They both recorded eight total tackles.

Another name that pops out is Rakim Barrett. This was his first game to see significant playing time on the defensive side of the ball. He made the most of it by racking up six tackles, five of which were solo hits. Barrett plays with so much heart. I am very proud of him.

I am very proud of all the Red Tornadoes for how they fought in a game that nobody expected them to win. As I mentioned in a previous post it was truly inspiring to be on the sideline, watching the players enjoying the moment. Good times.

Tornado JV clinches another CVAC title

Jake Meade executes the perfect tackle

It's become pretty routine by now, of course, but it should not be lost on the Tornado Nation that your all-powerful junior varsity clinched sole possession of yet another CVAC title. Everybody talks about "The Streak," as they should. But it's also true that the Young Tornadoes have now won seven conference championships in the past eight years. As Borat would say, "I like. Iz nice..."

The Young Tornadoes racked up a lot of style points in the victory. In the 56-8 victory the scoring parade included two TDs by sophomore T.J. Wimbush, who is having a great year. But the rest of the JV's offensive touchdowns were scored by freshmen. Quai Linebarger got a pair of TDs. Shaquan Reid, Daniel Frederick and Dalvin Parsons each rushed for a touchdown. Jordan Walls-Davis hauled in his first high school touchdown pass. I suspect it was merely the first of many touchdown catches to come.

It was great to see sophomores Nick Bush and Robert Whaley back in action after being sideline all year by early injuries. Whaley punctuated his return (literally) by intercepting a Warrior pass and returning it 56 yards for a touchdown. Style points.

The defense continues to be excellent. The best compliments you can give to a defense are that it swarms and it hits hard. That's what we can say about the 2008 JV defense. The Young Tornadoes swarm to the ball and they hit hard and finish plays. Do they always make the play? No. Have they allowed some points to be scored? Of course. Obviously there is still plenty of development that needs to happen. But the talent is there. The athleticism is there. Perhaps most importantly, I believe the heart is there. The determination to win is there. These young players will duplicate on the varsity the success they have earned on the junior varsity.

There is one more challenge to overcome this season. On Thursday night the Young Tornadoes will travel to Claremont to face the Bunker Hill Bears. The Bears are 6-2 in the CVAC and 7-2 overall. They now have no shot at the title but they are definitely a threat to end "The Streak." The Bears are not to be taken lightly and this week's season finale will be an exciting one. I can't wait!

GO HICKORY!!

Payne and Davenport corral a Warrior runner

Pick 'em Week 11 recap

It was a pretty good week for yours truly on the prognostication front. The final tally was 7-1 with the only blemish being Watauga's surprising loss to Freedom last Thursday night.

The Patriots have now won two games in a row, neither of which was played on a Friday night. They beat Alexander Central on a Saturday night due to a rain postponement and then beat Watauga on Thursday due to the Appalachian game being played in Boone on Friday. So now we know that the key to Freedom's success is to avoid Friday nights like the plague.

Going with Maiden and Alexander Central paid off - bigtime! It's quickly becoming apparent that Hickory's loss to St. Stephens was merely a fluke. The Indians haven't done anything since then - except lose to Bandys and Maiden, both teams that Hickory defeated.

Alexander Central has two good running backs and a promising quarterback. That's more than McDowell can say. I believe Alexander Central will be a pretty good team next season. Beating McDowell was more about 2009 than it was about this season.

I just want to thank the Maiden Blue Devils for doing my bidding last week. I called for them to inflict harm on the Indians and they obeyed. Now I must wash my hands of them. I hope Patton gets that shocking victory they've been looking for all season by whipping Maiden. I'm not holding my breath or anything...but it would be nice.

And speaking of nice... I was prepared to wash my hands of Bandys, too. But then I thought how sweet it would be if the Trojans could rise up and take revenge on Newton-Conover for the humiliating losses the Red Devils have inflicted on them the past few years. Now would be a great time for some payback. The added benefit for the rest of us? Keeping the Red Devils from getting even a piece of the CVAC title.

Since Hickory can't have it I prefer to see Hibriten and Fred T. Foard share the championship. Why? Simple. I hate Newton-Conover and because I think it would be cool for the final "original" CVAC crown to be carried off by a couple of teams that are headed into the new (and improved) Northwestern Conference next season.

Stick that in your juicebox and suck it!

Remember the good ol' days of September?

Great moments in schadenfreude, Part 2

Indian fans finally "get it"

Remember the hypothetical grocery store on Trailer Park Road? Remember the scenario I laid out in which the Blue Devils did to Saint what they couldn't do against Hickory? Well the horror story has come true. St. Stephens is now faced with the daunting task of having to beat Fred T. Foard next Friday just to finish in a tie with Hickory in the CVAC.

To make things worse for the Indians they are not only facing a superior team in Foard but also a team locked in a struggle to clinch a share of the CVAC championship. The Tigers aren't about to let it all slip away by losing to St. Stephens. So, you know...good luck with that Indians!

Maiden-35 St. Stephens-30



So, remember that cute little story that the local "sports editor" told a few weeks ago about the hypothetical Hickory fan who was getting messed with by his rabid Indian co-workers about Saint's historical victory over the Red Tornadoes? You remember, right? The hypothetical Hickory fan supposedly called the "sports editor" for help. Hmmmmmm...

What I heard was that those rabid Indian fans got so carried away with it that they decided to get mohawks and dress up like Indians to demonstrate their fanatical support of St. Stephens football. They thought it was cool. Turns out they were wrong...

Playoff alchemy, Part 3

The NCHSAA has churned the ADM numbers provided by the DPI (the source of the enrollment figures I discussed earlier in the week) through some sort of secret decoder ring and presented them to the world.

For some reason, several of the figures are higher than originally indicated. Other numbers are identical. Hickory is one of those that has higher numbers than previously indicated. So once again the Red Tornadoes will be heading into the 3AA West bracket for the playoffs.

I don't know what caused the discrepancy in numbers or why some numbers are different while others are identical. It's a moot point since the NCHSAA's figures are the "official" ones. The "official" numbers that the NCHSAA has presented for the Unifour schools are as follows:

4A
South Caldwell 1,755
Alexander Central 1,655
Freedom 1,293
East Burke 1,123

3A
Hickory 1,366
St. Stephens 1,288
Fred T. Foard 1,103

2A
Hibriten 1,156
Patton 1,008
West Caldwell 974
Bunker Hill 935
Bandys 917
Newton-Conover 853
Maiden 837
Draughn 723

The other new development occurred last night when Maiden beat St. Stephens. That loss dropped the Indians into a tie with Hickory in the CVAC. How's that for a nasty trick-or-treat for the Trailer Park folks? If last night had been the end of the season then the Indians would still have the edge on Hickory thanks to their historic victory over the Red Tornadoes earlier in the season.

However, with one week to go the Indians now must face Fred T. Foard while Hickory gets Bunker Hill. This means that, barring upsets, Hickory should finish a game ahead of St. Stephens and thus earn the CVAC's second and final automatic playoff berth. Oh, snap!

In addition to cancelling out whatever joy the Indians took in finally getting a win over Hickory, finishing ahead of St. Stephens will allow Hickory to get seeded as a conference #2, which is significantly better than being a wildcard bracket filler. It could even mean getting a home game in the first round. While it's true that home field advantage hasn't been worth much this season for the Red Tornadoes it's still better than hitting the road in the playoffs.

Stay tuned.

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!