Notes ‘n’ quotes …
Open up the sports pages this week and look at the high school football standings in the Scoreboard. You’ll realize it has been a very good year so far for our county. Five of the six Rowan teams enter this week with winning records.
The top four teams in the 3A North Piedmont Conference are ours: West Rowan is 5-0, while South Rowan and East Rowan are each 4-1. Carson is 3-2.
Only one Central Carolina Conference team, Central Davidson, has a better nonconference record than Salisbury (3-2).
As the old saying goes, win and they will come. Fans have packed the stadiums of the winners. Look at that photo above and the overflow crowd behind the West sidelines.
And that was at an away game, for cryin’ out loud.
A throng is expected Friday when South makes the short trip to defending state champ West. Raider fans travel as well as anyone. Get there early.
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This is the week to get serious. There are some tough matchups.
Two teams that need to make statements on Friday: East Rowan, who plays host to West Iredell, and Carson, who travels to Statesville.
Salisbury is at home to Davie at the worst possible time. The War Eagles started 0-3, but have won two straight, the latest coming against Salisbury’s CCC neighbor Thomasville.
It should be a fun ó and very intense ó Friday.
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North Rowan is the only Rowan team with a losing record (0-5) but there is still a reason to go to Spencer on Friday to watch the Cavs.
North plays its first-ever game in the 1A Yadkin Valley Conference against stud South Stanly.
Here’s a couple of notes about North’s opponent:
– South Stanly is called the Rebel Bulls.
– The school is located in Norwood. To those who plan on watching the jayvees on Thursday, hit Highway 52, travel past East Rowan, North Stanly and Albemarle and keep going.
And going.
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With conference play starting in all sports, Chatham Central comes to North today for a soccer match.
I’m glad I ain’t paying that gas bill. It’s an 84-mile drive. One way.
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Also today, you have your choice of six tennis matches, four soccer matches and two volleyball matches. Look at the local schedule in the Scoreboard.
Six volleyball matches are scheduled for Tuesday, led by the South at East matchup.
Tuesday is a cross country day. Five teams go to Statesville but East stays home to run against Carson.
There’s plenty of soccer on Wednesday and plenty of jayvee football on Thursday, leading into the week’s most vocal night: Friday Football Fever.
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Will it be a fun Saturday for the two local colleges? Both are home, with Livingstone greeting Lincoln at 1 p.m. and Catawba playing host to Mars Hill at 7.
I’m thinking “Doubleheader Saturday” for some local football fanatics.
Catawba (3-0) will be favored, but Livingstone?
The 0-4 Blue Bears were throttled 51-0 by Bowie State on Saturday in a game coach Lamonte Massie thought his team could win.
In fact, Massie sat at his press conference last week talking about his next three opponents, all at home. None have winning records. He said if his team got it together, it could win all of them. He even talked of the CIAA championship game and the Pioneer Bowl.
Time to re-evaluate, I guess.
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And finally …Want to take a nice leisurely trip to the mountains?
Sunday’s your day.
Drive up to Boone and watch Catawba’s field hockey team take on Appalachian State at 1 p.m.
Field hockey is actually a pretty exciting spectator sport. (My wife, a former Catawba field hockey player, wrote that).
I’m outta here. See you on a field somewhere.
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Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com.