Notes ‘n’ quotes …
I’ve got just one question. Do you think K.P. Parks might be selected as this week’s Friday Night Hero from West Rowan?
You readers know the routine by now. When a team wins on Friday, it gets a Friday Night Hero story in this newspaper the following Thursday. So far, Parks, the greatest player to ever suit up in Rowan County, has not been named.
You’d figure running for 356 yards, and setting a county single-game rushing record in the process, would be enough to get him chosen in Week 8.
It’s amazing how many times coaches overlook the obvious when we ask for suggestions on who to write about. They might give you a defensive lineman when a running back churns for 200 yards and scores three times, or they’ll point to a linebacker even though the kicker won the game on the last play.
We just go with it. All stories on heroes are good ones.
But think about it. Parks could be the West hero every week if coach Scott Young wanted him to be.
Carson’s Shaun Warren? No hero story yet. South Rowan stars D’Andre Harris, Thomas Lowe and B.J. Grant? Not yet. Salisbury’s Romar Morris? Nope.
Salisbury coach Joe Pinyan said it best recently when he talked about expectations. Everyone expects Parks to have 200-and-300-yard games. You just know Harris and Lowe, as well as Warren and Morris, are going to come through each and every week. It’s the underdogs who stand out in a coach’s mind.
So don’t be surprised if a Falcon not named Parks is selected to be West’s Friday Night Hero.
Shoot, Young might think 356 yards won’t be Parks’ best game.
Know what?
It might not be.
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Which brings us to West’s opponent this Friday: Statesville.
The young Greyhounds gave up 409 yards rushing to East Rowan on Friday. There may be a 357-yard game in Parks.
Stay tuned.
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There will be two homecoming games Friday. Carson meets North Iredell and Salisbury will welcome Central Davidson.
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Away from the football field this week, conference tournaments are beginning.
The Central Carolina Conference is having its tennis get-together at Lexington, starting today.
The North Piedmont Conference golf championship will be held at Statesville Country Club on Tuesday.
The NPC tennis tournament begins Wednesday.
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A big soccer match is scheduled for Wednesday at Salisbury.
The Hornets play West Davidson, and the match should decide the CCC champion. The Green Dragons have already beaten the Hornets.
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Want volleyball? You’ve got plenty of it on Thursday with five matches slated, four of which are in the county. East at South is the headliner.
If you don’t want volleyball, there are plenty of jayvee football games on tap.
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And then, it’s back to Friday Football Fever.
The most interesting game won’t be within our borders. It will be at West Iredell as South Rowan tries to avenge one of the wackiest losses in its history.
Last season, South blocked a field goal in the final seconds to apparently seal a win. But the West Iredell holder scooped up the loose ball and threw the winning touchdown pass.
You know the 5-2 Raiders will be pumped for this one.
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And finally …Here’s the kind of story you like to hear:
One fella told me last week that yes, we all can indeed get along.
When East Rowan visited Carson a couple of weeks ago, fans from both teams tailgated together before the game and hundreds of people had a friendly reunion.
Keep it up, Rowan County.