* Time: 7:30 p.m.
* Records: Statesville 6-3, 5-2 NPC; Carson 3-6, 2-5 NPC
* Series: Statesville leads 2-0
* Last meeting: Greyhounds whipped Carson 32-6 in 2007
* Last week: Statesville got a big 17-7 victory over West Iredell that cemented the Greyhounds’ status as the third-best team in a good league
* Next week: Statesville is home against East Rowan; Carson is at West Iredell
* Home and road splits: Statesville is unbeaten at home, but it’s 2-3 on the road, including a surprising loss at South Iredell. The Greyhounds have beaten Northwest Cabarrus and Lake Norman on the road. Carson is 1-4 at home. The Cougars’ lone home win came against East Rowan.
* Game notes: Carson’s been outscored 60-6 by the Greyhounds in the two previous meetings, and Statesville’s defense accounted for two TDs to outscore Carson’s offense in 2007.
This one should be closer, but Statesville still figures to be 10 points better than the Cougars unless it coughs up several turnovers.
Statesville is as athletic as ever and has recovered from a slow start. The Greyhounds took Mooresville to overtime two weeks ago and won a big one against West Iredell last week. Statesville has scored 181 points while allowing 175. The small differential is mainly due to a 41-7 blowout loss at West Rowan.
Carson has scored 146 points while allowing 220.
Carson quarterbacks Ryan Jones and Zack Gragg may both get some snaps tonight.
Defensively, the Cougars will count on end Zack White, safety Jenson Harden (70 tackles) and linebacker John Mullis, who intercepted his second pass last week. NCPreps.com lists Mullis among the state leaders with 113 tackles.