The Jay M. Robinson Bulldogs and the A.L. Brown Wonders remain unbeaten as they head into Friday, Oct. 9. They remain the area’s top teams, but both face their toughest conference games yet.
#1 Jay M. Robinson (3-0 SPC, 6-0 overall) pounded Concord 42-3 last week after a sloppy start. This week, the opponent is South Rowan (1-2, 4-2). The Raiders gave Northwest Cabarrus a tough game before losing and also fell to West Rowan. The Raiders’ offense is much better than Concord’s, but the Bulldogs should be solid favorites.
#2 A.L.Brown (3-0 in the GMAC, 6-0 overall) remains in the driver’s seat for the conference title. A big match-up with Hickory Ridge looms. The Wonders can’t afford a letdown as they host Central Cabarrus. Kannapolis is at least a two-touchdown favorite.
#3 Hickory Ridge (3-0 in GMAC, 5-1 overall) is rolling on both sides of the ball and looks like it can match Kannapolis’s speed and power. But the Ragin’ Bulls face Cox Mill first. I see this game a lot like the Bulls’ 28-0 win against West Cabarrus. The Chargers may be a bit better on offense. Still, this looks like a 10- to 15-point game for Hickory Ridge.
#4 Northwest Cabarrus (3-0 SPC, 5-1) is coming off back-to-back road wins, including an outstanding defensive performance at Jesse Carson last week. The Trojans are back home to host Salisbury (1-5). The Trojans are solid favorites against the Hornets and should win by a couple of touchdowns. Northwest has big match-ups against West Rowan and Robinson if they take care of business.
#5 Mount Pleasant (0-1 in RRC, 4-2 overall) fell behind last week to Forest Hills and had to fight back all night. The Tigers came up just short of tying. The Yellow Jackets won’t win any sportsmanship away, flashing multiple middle fingers to the crowd and the Tigers. Mount can’t afford to dwell on that with a tough road game at Anson (0-1 in RCC, 4-2 overall). Wadesboro is a tough place to play, but I look for the Tigers to grind out another win.
#6 Cannon/Concord Academy (5-2 overall) has lost two of its last three games. Both losses were against tough teams. The Cougars lost a tough one Thursday, Oct. 8, 21-20. All seven games have been non-conference. The final three games will tell the story.
The other teams
Central Cabarrus is winless since an opening victory against Montgomery Central. All the losses have been close, except against Hickory Ridge. I know I sound like a broken record, but the Vikings have to find some offense. Maybe their defense can create opportunities.
Cox Mill is coming off its second win of the season after back-to-back heartbreaking losses. The defense has stabilized after a rough opening game, but the team is likely a year away from being competitive for the top of the conference.
Concord (0-3 SPC, 1-5 overall) got off to a great start against Robinson, forcing a turnover and getting an early field goal to take a 3-0 lead. It was all downhill from there. The Spiders have played three of the four toughest conference teams (all but Northwest) already and could make a late-season run. It needs to start against Jesse Carson. Neither team is dynamic on offense, so this one comes down to who can create a few breaks. I expect the Spiders to win a close one, say 19-14.
West Cabarrus (2-1 in the GMAC, 2-4 overall) has wins over Berry and Harding University. This week, it’s a trip to Olympic. The Wolverines need this win if they want to finish among the top teams in the GMAC. On paper, A.L. Brown, Hickory Ridge, and Olympic are the league’s top teams. Look for a low-scoring game. I’m a homer, so I say West wins 16-13.
Enjoy the games.
