* Time: 7:30 p.m.
* 2007 records: A.L. Brown 11-2; Central Cabarrus 5-8
* Series: A.L. Brown is still pitching a shutout. Itís 19-0 in the series
* Last meeting: Brown survived 7-6 in an ugly, injury-plagued game
* Next week: A.L. Brown is home against old rival South Rowan; Central is at Northwest Cabarrus, which, on paper, is a lot less scary without quarterback Jeremy Cannon
* Game notes: If youíre ever on iJeopardy!î and the answer is iThe four Cabarrus schools who have never beaten A.L. Brown in football,î the correct question is iWho are Robinson, Hickory Ridge, Mount Pleasant and Central Cabarrus?î
Centralís Vikings have been trying by far the longest of the four, but even with Natrone Means in the backfield, they didnít get it done.
The Vikings nearly broke the hex in 2007 before losing a 7-6 struggle at Memorial Stadium. Brown coach Ron Massey called that one iUgly with two Uís.î Jonathan Williams broke a long run to score for Brown, and Morgan McDaniel kicked the PAT. That was it.
Central coach Glen Cook, a 1974 A.L. Brown grad who was the running backs coach when Nick Maddox was at Brown, has his program on the rise. The Vikings won a 4A playoff game last season before they ran into Watauga and Eric Breitenstein.
Former Northwest Cabarrus player Trey Bostick gives the Vikings a potential standout at running back.
Brown looks loaded, if healthy, but there are too many ifs right now to make long-term predictions. It is counting on a new QB in talented senior Jamill Lott, and its defense should be stingy with linebacker Chris Moore, corner Billy Simiton and end Dwayne Stroud on duty.
Brown coaches have stressed getting out of the blocks faster. As fast and tough as they are, the Wonders almost always start slowly.