SPENCER — For those who think North Rowan is going to slide to the middle of the pack in the 2A Central Carolina Conference in 2000, just because record-setting Mario Sturdivant is no longer the Cavs’ quarterback, all-county wide receiver Dre Byrd has only one thing to say — “Hosch your mouth.”

Graham Hosch (rhymes with push), a willowy but strong-armed senior, is now at the controls of the Cavs. And the former tight end is drawing rave reviews not only from his coaches, but from the fellows who matter most — his talented targets.

“Graham learns fast, works hard,” warns Byrd. “He’s got confidence. He’s gonna do real good.”

“We’re not going to have to change a thing from what we’ve done since ‘89,” shrugs head coach Roger Secreast. “With Hosch at quarterback, it’s still status quo. We’re not worried about him at all.”

Even though the 6-foot-4 Hosch is largely untested.

He saw significant action at QBonly twice last season, and on both occasions he was pushed from a plane without a parachute. His opponents were merely High Point Central, the best 2A team in the state — he got the practice reps one day for that one because of rain — and Brevard, a powerhouse which ended the Cavs’ season in the first round of the state playoffs. Hosch tossed five interceptions in the two contests, but did have 19 completions. He also showed he was tougher than his lean frame would indicate, shaking off the INTs and the sacks and coming right back to the huddle ready to fire again.

Bobby Myers, who won back-to-back Rowan County Offensive Player of the Year awards as North’s QBin 1978-79, works closely with Hosch in practice and likes what he sees.

“I think Graham would’ve been the starting quarterback for just about anyone else last season,” he says. “He just happened to play behind a great quarterback. He’s got a good release and is real good with his reads. He could go to the next level.”

Hosch certainly looked ready to roll at the Cavs’ Tuesday afternoon practice. The Cavs ran 20 or so straight pass plays and Hosch found one of his remarkable receivers with a chest-high bullet on just about all of them. If he didn’t wear No. 4 (instead of No. 6) and didn’t take off his helmet once in awhile to reveal a much more daring hair-style than Sturdivant ever sported, you’d never know there was a new man under center in Spencer.

“No doubt about it,” says a grinning Byrd. “We know if we get open, Graham can get us the ball just like Mario could. And one of us is always open. Sometimes four of us are.”

The Cavs’ electrifying and experienced receiving corps should be a stabilizing factor while Hosch gets his feet wet against a killer early schedule, which includes a scary gauntlet of West Rowan-Scotland County-Kannapolis.

“As a group,” says Secreast, ticking off the names of wideouts Byrd, all-state candidate Alfonzo Miller, Chris Phillips and tight ends Marcus Reddick and Eric Davis, “they’re the fastest, most talented bunch we’ve ever had. We’ve maybe had one kid or two kids like that. We’ve never had five.”

“Those guys make absolutely amazing catches in practice,” adds receivers coach Gary Atwell.

Throw in the fact that Cav coaches are convinced the offensive line will be much stronger than last year and Hosch should be in position to not only survive, but excel. Three rivals — East, West and South — bring back excellent quarterbacks — but history says Hosch has the inside track on all-county QB laurels. Believe it or not, North QBs have been all-county nine times in the past 10 years. Carvie Kepley did the honors three times (1990-92); current Catawba quarterback Mitch Ellis twice (1993-94); and Craig Powers once (‘96). Sturdivant finished off the decade with three straight all-county years. That remarkable run through the ‘90s was broken only by West’s Tim Hogue in ‘95.

And now the eager Hosch is the latest to ascend the throne in a long line of passing princes. Don’t expect him to throw in the towel or get stage fright. He’s ready. This is what he’s always wanted to do. He was a middle school quarterback and the QB for the jayvees in the ninth grade. Lately, he’s passed the time playing tight end and backing up Sturdivant, a Shrine Bowl stat-sheet stuffer who amassed 2,346 passing yards a year ago.

Hosch will shine because he already realizes the most important thing of all— that he can’t try to be the next Mario. He can only be the first Graham.

“Mario and me, we’re the same size, but that’s all the similarity,” says Hosch. “I don’t feel any stress on my back to fill his shoes. I’m working hard in practice and I feel great. With the receivers I’ve got, I’ve just gotta toss it up and let them go get the ball.”

“Graham’s getting more accurate and his timing’s better every day,” adds Reddick. “We’ll pass, pass and pass some more. All the time. This is North and that’s not gonna change.”

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Mike London is the assistant sports editor of the Post.