Oct. 23, 2026 – Counting tonight’s games, we have two regular-season games left, and no titles are decided.
The South Piedmont Conference has Jay M. Robinson and Northwest Cabarrus tied at the top, and West Rowan one game back.
In the Greater Metro Athletic Conference, A.L. Brown is in the driver’s seat as the only unbeaten team.
In the Rocky River, Forest Hills and Monroe lead and will meet in the final game. Mount Pleasant is one game back (loss to Forest Hills).
#1 Jay M. Robinson (5-0 SPC, 8-0 overall). The Bulldogs got a huge road win at West Rowan last week. Jesse Carson, a middle-of-the-pack SPC team, is coming in. Robinson can’t afford a letdown or to look ahead to Northwest next week. I expect the Bulldogs to be sluggish early but win in the second half.
#2 A.L.Brown (5-0 in the GMAC, 8-0 overall). The Wonders played well against Hickory Ridge for the win. I look for a confident Kannapolis team to roll this week.
#3 Northwest Cabarrus (5-0 SPC, 7-1). The Trojans didn’t look ahead and pounded Concord last week. The season comes down to West Rowan tonight and Jay M. Robinson next week. I’m looking for a close game this week, but the Trojans should win. It might be 27-20 or something of that nature.
#4 Hickory Ridge (4-1 in GMAC, 6-2 overall). Time for the Ragin’ Bulls to refocus after a close loss to A.L. Brown. Harding University comes to Harrisburg tonight, and I expect Hickory Ridge to crank up the offense and outscore the Rams.
#5 Mount Pleasant (2-1 in RRC, 6-2 overall). The Tigers never give up. They battled to the end, and rallied for a 17-16 win over Parkwood on the road. This week it’s Monroe (3-0, 6-2) on the road. The Red Hawks beat Parkwood by 31 and have scored at least 40 in four straight games. On paper, this one is a loss for the Tigers, but what if they control the ball and limit Monroe’s possessions?
#6 Cannon/Concord Academy (6-2, 1-0). The Cougars open conference play with a 45-7 win over Metrolina Christian. This week, a trip to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee could be challenging.
The other teams
Central Cabarrus (2-6, 1-4). The Vikings have leaned on defense all season, and it paid off in the 28-7 win over Phillip O. Berry last week. Central needs that kind of effort this week at West Cabarrus. The recipe to win this week is to create turnovers and frustrate the Wolverines into mistakes. I expect a close game, but this West will make a few big plays to win.
Cox Mill (2-6, 1-4). The Chargers have provided glimpses of what this team could be if they put it all together. A.L. Brown is coming to visit tonight. Maybe the Wonders will let down after Hickory Ridge. I don’t expect it. This one could be lopsided.
West Cabarrus (4-4, 4-1). The Wolverines are improving and could be knocking on the door of the Cream of Cabarrus rankings. A win this week against Central Cabarrus could set up a regular-season finale against Kannapolis for the GMAC title. West Cabarrus must clean up its mistakes – untimely penalties and unforced errors.
Concord (0-5 SPC, 1-7 overall). Concord is better than in its opener, but the Spiders are by far the worst team in Cabarrus County. The good news is they are playing a Rowan County team – Salisbury (2-3, 2-6). The Hornets have shown signs of life but still aren’t very good. If the Spiders can get ahead early and limit turnovers, they can win.
Oct. 23 broadcasts
Radio Free Cabarrus – 485 Sports will broadcast West Rowan at Northwest Cabarrus and Jesse Carson at Jay M. Robinson. The games are on the NFHS Network and are available for replay as well.
