East Rowan at South Rowan

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 10, 2008

* Time: 7:30 p.m.
* Records: East Rowan 1-5, 0-4 NPC; South Rowan 2-4, 2-2 NPC
* Series: South leads 29-13
* Last meeting: East beat the Raiders 43-29 in Granite Quarry in 2007
* Last week: East Rowan fell to Lake Norman 23-7; South beat Carson 15-6
* Next week: East is home against West Rowan; South is at Lake Norman
* Game notes: South used big defensive plays by linebackers Josh Floyd and Dakota Walker to win a struggle with Carson last week and takes on another county rival tonight.
East ended a seven-game losing streak against South in 2007, but the Raiders will be favored this time. East last won at Southís Donnell Stadium in 1999.
South and East both have lost to West Iredell and Salisbury. South beat Carson. Carson beat East.
Not to beat a dead horse, but South isnít a typical 2-4 team. Itís scored 104 points while allowing 104. Logically, the Raiders should be at least 3-3. Theyíre a few bounces from 5-1.
East, which has been outscored 159-70, is having a tough season, but it should stack up fine against future NPC foes Northwest Cabarrus and North Iredell and it has enough good players to pull another surprise.
Ben DeCelle is having a super senior season for East and is one of the countyís top five players. Heís rushed for 167 yards, leads the county with 28 receptions (for 393 yards and three TDs), has run back a kickoff for a TD and has a fumble recovery and an interception. Thatís covering the whole board.
Eastís defense will probably have to face a steady diet of South workhorse Deandre Harris, but it has good tacklers in Sam Weisensel and Sam Edmonds.