nTime: 7:30 p.m.
nRecords: South Rowan 0-1; A.L. Brown 1-0
nSeries: A.L. Brown leads 38-7-2
nLast meeting: Wonders rallied for a 29-17 victory at Donnell Stadium
nLast week: South fell behind early and lost 16-14 to Salisbury; A.L. Brown dominated Central Cabarrus 48-6
nNext week: South has its open week; A.L. Brown goes to Mooresville
nGame notes: A.L. Brown has won the last four meetings and 12 of the last 13 with its neighbor.
South led at the half and had a real chance to win the rivalry game last year, but it was blown off the field on its last visit to intimidating Memorial Stadium in 2006. Brown’s Jamill Lott ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown in that one and a 55-0 rout was on.
Lott was solid last week in his debut as the starting QB, throwing for one TD and running for one, as the Wonders demolished outmanned Central Cabarrus. Brown’s special teams ó led by Morgan McDaniel’s kicking, Billy Simiton’s returns and Dana Moss’ blocked punt ó controlled the game, and the Wonder defense completely erased Central’s ground game.
South’s debut was strong. It did everything it wanted to do against Salisbury except win.
South junior QB Blake Houston is a magician running the triple option and he ran for 105 yards and threw for 103 last week. Houston also has weapons in fullback Deandre Harris, wingbacks Josh Wike and Quan Glaspy and receiver B.J. Grant. South would like to get Grant more involved this week. The all-county wideout had one catch for 8 yards in the opener.
South’s defense should stack up pretty well against the Wonders, who figure to run 80 percent of the time. Brown had its hands full blocking 280-pound South lineman Kelsey Robinson last year, and he’s still around.